Ann Pamela Cuningham Chapter
Columbia, South Carolina
South Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
South Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution
The DAR, founded in 1890 and headquartered
in Washington, DC, is a volunteer women's service organization dedicated
to promoting and preserving American history, and securing America's
future through the education of children. Any woman is eligible for
membership who is not less than eighteen years of age and can prove
lineal, bloodline descent of an ancestor who aided in achieving American
independence.
We are located in Columbia, South Carolina, and would love to talk with
you about becoming a member of the Society. If you would like more
information about the DAR, including membership requirements, please
email us!
Who was Ann Pamela Cuningham?
Ann Pamela Cuningham was a daughter of a prominent South Carolina family. Although healthy and active as a young woman, she suffered a riding accident at age 17 that left her an invalid, often confined to her bed. Despite that, she became one of American's first preservationists and founded the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, in order to save President George Washington's home.
In 1853, the mother of Miss Cuningham passed by Mount Vernon, and was shocked at its neglect. Mrs. Cuningham realized that unless an effort was made to preserve Mount Vernon, it would be lost. Her daughter immediately began a campaign to save the home by writing to the Charleston Mercury, asking Southern women to save Mount Vernon. The story was picked up by other newspapers and the American preservation movement began. As the first historic preservation group in America, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association was the stimulus for other efforts to identify and save significant historical sites.
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Last
updated October 29, 2009