Vote for Martha's Tudor Place Trunk

When Martha Washington's granddaughter, Martha Custis Peter married Georgetown landowner and merchant Thomas Peter, they celebrated with gifts, including a leather trunk from Martha Washington, made by the young country's finest saddlers.

Used and preserved through six generations, the leather trunk remains at Tudor Place, the eight acre property the couple purchased with an inheritance from George Washington. In perilous condition, this trunk is now competing for the dubious prize of "Top 10 Endangered Artifact" in Virginia and D.C.

The award could bring much needed attention and funding to conserve the artifact for future generations and promote heritage conservation in general. Tudor Place is asking the public to vote today through August 29th to help Martha's wedding gift reach the top spot. Voting is unlimited, and participants can vote for one or more of the contestants.

Ten honorees and a "People's Choice" winner will be announced in September, based on the public poll and subsequent review by an expert panel convened by the Virginia Association of Museums (VAM), the contest's organizer. Click here to cast your vote and read about the trunk's full story.