NPS Gallery Philip Hough was the first superintendent appointed to George Washington Birthplace National Monument, arriving on Feb 16, 1932. Hough was the first superintendent, and the only employee at first. He oversaw the beginnings of the Interpretive programming at the new national monument. In the first years, it began with the Wakefield National Memorial Association (WNMA) providing costumed docents in the Memorial House Museum. Services expanded to include a Log House tearoom, a post office, picnic area and a refurbished Memorial House Museum thanks to the work of Mrs. Crowninshield. The National Park Service gradually took over all the duties at the Monument. Although the infrastructure of George Washington Birthplace National Monument was already planned, and in many cases finished when Hough assumed his duties, the disparate visions between the WNMA and National Park Service about how the monument was to commemorate George Washington continued. The lingering Building X controversy, the question of the veracity of the Memorial House and its furnishings, the disposition of the Log House, and the relationship between the National Park Service with the WNMA were issues at various times during his 21 years of administration. He passed away from an apparent heart attack near Christmas, 1953 as superintendent. |
Last updated: March 14, 2025