Wall, Charles Cecil, 1903-1995

After Dodge’s death in 1937, his assistant Charles C. Wall became the new Superintendent and later changed the position’s title to Resident Director. Wall described the Superintendent’s job in a book he coauthored with Gerald W. Johnson entitled Mount Vernon: The Story of a Shrine, saying the position required someone “not exactly a farmer, yet a man acquainted with soils, seasons, and the proper handling of growing plants.” He went on to say the director should have traits of a theatrical producer, an accountant, an antiquarian, a historian, and an ambassador, with some knowledge of engineering, carpentry, masonry, and domestic service. Wall also spent almost his entire career at Mount Vernon, retiring in 1976 after 43 years of employment at Mount Vernon. He is credited with impeccable hospitality of numerous VIP guests, overseeing major building and restoration projects, such as the reconstruction of the Greenhouse, and guiding the Estate through the years of World War II and other periods when visitation was down. He wrote extensively on George Washington and Mount Vernon, including several publications as well as internal reports and essays.