Video Views Where George Slept

Nov 1, 2003 12:00 PM

When George Washington inherited his Mount Vernon estate in Virginia in 1761, it was about 2,000 acres. When he died in 1799, he had expanded the property to almost 8,000 acres comprising five working farms. Today, protecting the historic site requires contemporary security.

Cernium Inc., St. Louis, working in conjunction with ISR Solutions, Chantilly, Va., has launched a pilot security program at the estate.

Cernium will supply its Perceptrak intelligent video system technology to enhance the institution's overall security system, and ISR Solutions will assist with integration and servicing of the facility's existing CCTV.

The national historic site includes the mansion house, two museums, an original greenhouse and gardens, a dozen outbuildings, and the tomb of George and Martha Washington. The Mount Vernon estate attracts more than one million visitors annually, and it is the country's first national preservation project.

“[The systems] will considerably enhance the ability of our security staff to monitor the estate,” says Frank Duley, director of security for Mount Vernon.

“The Mount Ver-non estate stretches over more than 500 acres on the banks of the Potomac River. Our visitors can experience 20 different structures, some of which exhibit invaluable 18th century objects. With all of this and 50 acres of gardens, you can imagine the security complexities of protecting it.”

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© 2012 Penton Media Inc.

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