The Mourning of the Death of George Washington

When George Washington died on December 14, 1799, the United States and countries around the world deeply mourned his passing.

Various objects were created to honor his life, and the Luecht Historical Collection holds two notable examples.

The first is a Washington Memorial Bandana. This textile was produced to commemorate Washington's death and the national grief it caused. It is exceedingly rare, created soon after Washington’s death, and is among the finest known examples—perhaps one of only six surviving today. The design of this historical textile is listed as No. 21 in the major reference book Threads of History: Americana Recorded on Cloth 1775 to the Present, published by the Smithsonian Institution.

The second object is a Washington Memorial Liverpool Jug known as “Washington in Glory / America in Tears.” It is among the earliest Washington mourning jugs produced after his death. The artwork on the jug depicts Washington with heaven above, accompanied by an angel and an eagle.

Read more about these memorial objects below.