George Washington: 5 Fun Facts

 

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H His dentures were not wooden.  Washington’s famous “wooden teeth” were actually made from gold, ivory, lead, and human and animal teeth, held together with a spring that forced him to clench his jaw. By his inauguration, he had only one original tooth.  He  lost nearly all his teeth by age 57.

2   His real birthday wasn’t February 22.  He was born February 11, 1731 under the Julian calendar. The switch to the Gregorian calendar moved his birthday to February 22 and changed his birth year to 1732.

3.   The cherry tree story is completely made up. The tale of young George confessing to chopping down a cherry tree was invented by biographer Mason Locke Weems after Washington’s death.

4.    He created his own dog breed.  Washington selectively bred foxhounds and is considered the father of the American Foxhound, giving his dogs mushy names like Sweet Lips, Tipsy, and Venus.

5.    He ran one of America’s largest whiskey distilleries.  By 1799, his Mount Vernon distillery produced nearly 11,000 gallons of whiskey a year, making it the largest in the nation.