RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – He’s known as the “Father of Our Country.” Here are a few things you might not know about the man on the $1 bill.
George Washington was born in Virginia on Feb. 22, 1732. He never went to college. His formal education ended when he was 15.
Washington led the colonial forces to victory over the British in the Revolutionary War in 1781. He was the first to sign the U.S. Constitution in 1787 and was unanimously elected president in 1789. He never lived in the White House; it wasn’t built yet.
Washington was in good shape, standing 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 210 pounds. He rarely smiled or spoke in public because of his significant dental issues. As for having wooden teeth, that’s untrue. His dentures were made of gold, ivory, animal bone & human teeth.
And what about that hair? Washington was a natural redhead, and it wasn’t a wig. He powdered his hair white, as was the style for men at the time.
After his presidency, he operated one of the largest whiskey distilleries in America on his Mount Vernon estate, producing 11,000 gallons a year.
He was a wealthy man, worth $500 million by today’s standards.
Washington died in 1799. He was 67 years old.
A couple of other nuggets. Washington never chopped down the cherry tree. That was a myth. He was paid a presidential salary of $25,000 in 1789. That’s about $900,000 in today’s money.
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