After 55 years on the job, Dean Norton is still having fun.
But in December, the director of horticulture and livestock at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate on the Potomac River will retire.
Norton likes to tell the story of how at 16, he got a job that was described to him as picking up trash, mowing the grass and chasing sheep on the historic estate. He jumped at it.
“First job, I rode my bike to work,” Norton said. “Little did I know, 55 years later, I would be retiring from this amazing, amazing place.”
Norton’s knowledge about the plants, landscaping and livestock on the property — past and present — is considered legendary by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. He’s lectured extensively across the country and abroad, and in 2023, was appointed to the Committee for the Preservation of the White House by President Joe Biden.
Norton’s manner was relaxed as he drove with WTOP along the paths at Mount Vernon, pointing out plantings, the vistas on the property, and showing off the rare-breed sheep — similar to what Washington had. He often stopped to chat with colleagues or point out a notable fact.
At one point, he spotted historic interpreter and fife player Don Francisco and asked if Francisco had his bugle with him. An animated Francisco said he did, and added, “Perfect timing!”
In a flash, Norton jumped from the seat of the golf cart, bugle in hand. The two have a running challenge: who can play the fastest version of “Reveille.” It looked like a draw.
“It’s awesome being able to work with Dean!” Francisco said. “He’s about to go out — he’s worked at Mount Vernon longer than George Washington lived at Mount Vernon.”
Francisco’s not alone in his regard for Norton.
Lisa Pregent, senior livestock manager at the estate, has been working at Mount Vernon for nearly 30 years.
“He called me the summer of 1995 and got me hooked,” Pregent said.
She described him as “happy, and has a good attitude, very supportive and makes us all laugh.”
“He’s created a really great work environment,” she added.
Norton shared information, injecting humor along with fun facts, as he pointed out features of the landscape, including one of the outhouses not far from the kitchen garden.
“It’s a three-seater — very plush! You can think of Washington, Jefferson and Adams all right there,” he said.
He pointed out the gardener’s tool room at the end of the garden: “And what’s historically important about that is that I proposed to my wife there.”
And no, she didn’t say yes immediately, “But it all worked out in the end,” said Norton.
Norton said his favorite season is fall, and when asked what he’ll miss most of all when he retires: “Seeing Mount Vernon. I mean, just being here. It’s so historic.”
“I’m George Washington’s current head gardener. And it’s an honor to be that. So I’m going to miss not being able to say that, but I’ll be very proud to say that I served him for 55 years, that’s pretty cool,” he said.
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