How Barbados Made George Washington
The entrance to the George Washington House
History buffs, particularly those with Revolutionary War interests, do not want to miss the historic George Washington House. My weekend in Barbados did not lend itself to a lot of sightseeing, but as a lover of history, I'm glad I didn't miss out on this unique stop.
The outside of the house.
The Barbadians like to say that they helped bring America independence because of Washington's life-altering, two-month stay on the island when he was 19. As our tour guide narrated, it was easy to see why, and it led to some playful banter. The Barbadian hospitality made the visit that much better.
Claudette Colbert’s dresser.
The newly-restored home contains a renovated lower level to reflect Washington's stay. In Washington's room, a desk donated by 1930s film star Claudette Colbert, sits against the wall. As a lover of old films, I found this surprising and quite charming. At the same time, it was wild to know that Washington slept in that very room with small pox!
The kitchen and pantry designed to prevent house fires.
In the spacious dining room, the tour guide was ready to offer up a shot of delicious Barbadian rum - he coined it the “best rum in the world” - but unfortunately the English cricket fans devoured it earlier in the week. You're never far from some cricket talk in Barbados!
George hanging out in the museum.
The upstairs of the home is a museum and covers more of the history behind Washington's stay. I even was lucky enough to catch Washington reading a book next to the window.
One section of the museum is dedicated to the slave trade.
I made his stop hours before my flight left and am so glad that I squeezed it in. The history lingers in the atmosphere and thanks to the tour guide, I was able to learn more about Barbados as it was over 250 years ago.