Red Devon Cattle (Historical Marker)

Here follows the inscription written on this trailside historical marker:

Red Devon Cattle
In the years following the American Revolution, George Washington had between 300 and 350 head of cattle at Mount Vernon. This herd, which included different breeds, provided the estate with meat, milk to make butter, leather for clothing and shoes and working animals for the fields. The estate's cattle grazed in surrounding woodlands and neighbors. In order to identify his stock, Washington had his cattle marked with a "GW" brand.

The cattle on the estate today are Red Devons, a heritage breed that was present in Virginia during Washington's time. Mount Vernon currently owns several pairs of Red Devons that are trained to pull wagons and perform other 18th-century agricultural tasks.