George Washington's Liberty Key

The exciting tale of two revolutions, the men who made them, and the key (now a national treasure) that connected them. Follow the fight for freedom - an idea whose time had come - taking two different paths, with two dramatically different outcomes, in what is definitely the Key Book about George Washington! This is the amazing story of how George Washington came by his Key "of" Liberty...and his wise counsel on the Key "to" Liberty that has made America great. The book links Mount Vernon's Bastille Key (and its tortuous travels through bloody, revolutionary France) to George Washington's character and his advice on the three key, crucial, and indispensable conditions for freedom to survive and thrive: "Character, Culture, Constitution." Specifically, this new book shines a bright light on the most interesting key ever made - America's premier symbol of liberty's victory over tyranny - which now hangs in the central passageway of George Washington's Mount Vernon mansion, helping to greet over a million visitors a year. The main key to the Bastille prison in Paris, it was given in 1790 to Washington, the patriarch of liberty, by his missionary, the Marquis de Lafayette, who took the "sacred fire of liberty" he discovered in America and tried to fan its flames in France. Become a history detective and uncover how this unique key was made, how the man who made it helped kill a king, and how it made its way to Mount Vernon. Along the way, experience the fascinating twists and turns made in unlocking the doors hiding the truth about the key, which some (incorrectly) argue is a counterfeit. Then distill what Washington and Lafayette each believed was the "key" to establishing and maintaining liberty, and what went right and wrong in their respective revolutions. Finally, learn how the key continues to inspire a worldwide devotion to freedom - with Washington's personal challenge to you.***** Author Bill Bahr brings to life FerrousTM the key and his improbable journey from the iron foundries of 18th century France to a Bastille prison gate and finally to the entrance hall of George Washington's home, Mount Vernon. FerrousTM once represented tyranny and oppression - synonymous with the fate of a prisoner condemned without trial or hope. Now FerrousTM stands for the idea of liberty, so cherished by George Washington - in his own words - "a token of victory gained by Liberty over Despotism." What a remarkable transformation!***** Version 1.14 Mar 2020. A "best seller" at Mount Vernon.
About the Author: Bill Bahr is a retired telecommunications executive. A graduate of West Point, he served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, working in Germany, Cambodia (the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh), and Korea before moving into commercial telecommunications. Along with earning three masters degrees and two patents, Bill held marketing/sales directorships at major corporations. His work helped spark the revolution in facsimile machines and the build-out in cellular systems and the internet, with both Bill and his products receiving many public accolades. For example, the prestigious magazine "Electronic Business" headlined one of his product developments as a "Secret Success Story." The American Management Association heralded this same effort as doing business "Japanese-style to beat the Japanese at their own game." Now volunteering in a number of community service organizations, Bill is an active participant in Rotary, VFW, and CHARACTER COUNTS!, where he has served in various leadership roles. In his spare time, Bill unabashedly admires George Washington. The new book "George Washington's Liberty Key" (autographed copies available at the Shops at Mount Vernon) is the result of Bill's curiosity and extensive reading about Mount Vernon's Bastille key and the extraordinary, enabling, and ennobling character of George Washington. Bill lives in Chicagoland. You can find out more about his research at LibertyKey.US Note: GWLK is Amazon fully "matchbook" eligible. Buy the Amazon print version and get the Kindle version free, along with, presumably, free access to future updates on Kindle. Copies of GWLK with autographed book-plates are available at the Shops at Mount Vernon. Unfortunately, those copies do not come with free Kindle access. If you like GWLK, check out Bill's other new book, "Strategy Pure and Simple: Essential Moves for Winning in Competition and Cooperation."