Martha Washington Episodes

A message scrawled in the leaves of an antique book may seem like a trope for a gothic novel, but it is also a hidden clue into the life of Martha Washington. Like George, Martha Washington enjoyed reading and collecting books, particularly the sensational gothic novels of the era. And these novels are more than just light entertainment: they tell a story about the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter, revealed through the pages of the book itself.

In the early American Republic, nationhood represented more than just an ideal. It also required a novel approach to visualizing the space and geography of the new country. Washington wanted to literally put the United States of America on the map. And where better to do it than in one of the most popular atlases of the era? In this episode Dr. Alexandra Montgomery shares the story of how George Washington helped create the first American Atlas and the significance of creating new American maps in the wake of independence.

In the aftermath of independence, the American branch of the Church of England faced an identity crisis. The head of the Anglican Church, after all, was the King of England. So what were the faithful Anglicans to do? Make their own American prayer book, of course. In this full-length podcast episode, we explore a set of prayer books belonging to Martha Washington and her granddaughters. Classroom resource specialist Jennifer Seiter explains what this Washington family heirloom can reveal about the sweeping religious changes happening in the United States during the early Republic and George Washington’s own commitment to religious freedom.

When this magazine disappeared from George Washington's library, it wouldn't reappear until a hundred years later--and in the unlikeliest of places. In this episode of Secrets of Washington's Archives, research librarian Samantha Snyder uncovers the history of The Bee and its connections with Elizabeth Powel, a prominent Philadelphia woman and close friend of Washington.