No lie: Perfectly preserved centuries-old cherries unearthed at George Washington’s Mount Vernon

By MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press

MOUNT VERNON, Va. (AP) — Dozens of bottles of centuries-old, impeccably preserved cherries and berries from the cellar of George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in northern Virginia have been discovered during an archaeological dig. Officials from Mount Vernon say the discovery of so much perfectly preserved food from more than 250 years ago is essentially unprecedented. Whole cherries with pits were found in some of the bottles. Other bottles held what appear to be gooseberries or currants. Mount Vernon is partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct DNA testing on the fruit. They are also examining more than 50 cherry pits to see if any of them can be planted.