Sept 21, 2023~ Monticello, Charlottesville, VA

 Monticello, Charlottesville, VA.....home to Thomas Jefferson, our third President of the United States(1801-1809). He was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence(1776 🎉💥).Breathtakingly beautiful.... from every angle.......

Below are photos of the East portico, where we began our inside tour (note the weathervane).

This masterpiece was designed and built by Thomas Jefferson over a period of many years(1769 and 1809). Monticello.......the historical landmark, means "Hillock" or "little mountain" in Italian. Our first encounter with the man himself was a life-size bronze statue appearing at the top of the steps at the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center. At nearly 6'2'3" tall, and probably 70 years old, he towered over both of us.

From this vantage point, the shuttle to the Monticello grounds was short and sweet. We had 45 minutes before our inside tour began, and we utilized every minute to explore the grounds. The 8-sided dome on Monticello is visible from the west portico(West Lawn), also the entrance where guests entered. It is ALSO visible on the back of the US nickel😮! The bricks were made with clay found on the property!

To the left of the photo above, on the corner of the North Terrace, sits a replica (produced in 2001 by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation) of Thomas Jefferson's Spherical Sundial, quite the novelty in its time.

 

Both of us were in awe of the genius of Jefferson's Monticello(even though he never formally trained as an architect). It was constructed in a neoclassical style. 

 Jefferson's great interest in horticulture was evident with the display of floral gardens as well as his extensive vegetable gardens.

Our second encounter with Thomas Jefferson (who by the way, does not have a middle name), greeted us on his way to a guided outdoor walking tour. He had quite the sense of humor! He, by the way, is the one and only veteran 1st-person interpreter Bill Barker! Watch him on YouTube channels or at monticello.org/live 

Welcome to the East portico Entrance Hall, where the floors in this room are covered with a grass-green floor cloth. The two story room has no staircase. Native artifacts, and trophies, as well an animal skin hang on the wall and balcony. (The many animal racks gave cause to laughter, as I've lost count in my own home, with the number that Ron has conquered😮). Jefferson's famous Great Clock is situated above the entrance, and is connected to the weathervane.  Maps of the world including one of Virginia  (as surveyed by Jefferson's father Peter) adorn the walls. Busts of Alexander Hamilton and Voltaire are also placed in the room. 

The clock is connected to the outside clock. (The outside clock has only an hour hand, while the inside clock has hour and minute hands.)

The Entrance Hall at Monticello was a museum in itself, and included Jefferson's portrait. 

Next room on tour, was the South Square Room, leading to the library(oh those books!), then to his cabinet(including polygraph and telescope) and then to his bedroom. 

The image below is Monticello first floor plan(Provided by The Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc). Our tour was limited to the first floor.

Of interest to us was Jefferson's bed(he died on July 4, 1826 in the bed next to his study at 83). Doors closing off his cabinet; the storage over his bed; door, with ladder next to bed for access to storage; he was a genius in designing tight quarters. He could get out of the bed on one side and be in his study(where he did most of his writing), or hop out on the other side, into his bedroom.
 

One of my personal favorite rooms was the angled Parlor, where people gathered for music, weddings, and important social events. The room opened up to the West portico. Much of Jefferson's artwork was displayed here, including portraits of many people whom he admired. (Did you know there are 35 rooms in this house? Each room is a different shape!) Jefferson is known for playing the violin throughout his life, and was a violin teacher in Williamsburg, VA . The parquet floor design was based on examples he had seen in France. 

Last on our interior tour was the dining room . WEAR SUNGLASSES! The room was painted in 'chrome' yellow. AND accessorized with my favorite BLUE PLATES! I was, however, caught off guard by the small size of the dining room. Our guide informed us that breakfast was at 9, dinner at 4. Each table had its own dumb waiter, in addition to the dumb waiter built in next to the fireplace(for wine from the cellar) . A revolving food service door(concealed in a niche along the wall), next to one of the kitchens made it easy to provide dishes for the waiters. Meals often times lasted for hours, due to the number of courses served. The small tables were folding tables. When meals were finished, the room could be used to entertain. What a genius! 

*Jefferson was not the first to introduce macaroni and cheese to America. However, a recipe in his own handwriting survives today(most likely dictated to him by one of his chefs or butlers😃).

*Legend has it that Thomas Jefferson brought 4 waffle irons back from a trip to Amsterdam, spurring a waffle craze throughout the colonies.

*No, he did not invent ice cream, but he can be credited with the first known recipe recorded by an American. His love for ice cream was evident in the lower kitchens. Here is his recipe! (seemed like a lot of trouble, compared to the famed 'party pail'🤣)

Our tour of the interior first floor ended. Last, but not least, was the lower portion of Monticello. The cellar of the South Pavilion housed the kitchens and wine cellars, the carriage room, and Sally  Hemings' windowless quarters.

The tour shuttle stopped for us to get off and view the cemetery. Being a graveyard junkie, we soaked in all of the graves, the markings, the odd shape stones, the quirky inscriptions, the wrought iron, brass fence.(while other people collect antiques, postcards and coffee mugs, I spend much of my spare time............ in graveyards 😲😲😲)

On a final note: Today was our FIRST visit to Monticello! (gasp!). With that admission, I think we were able to see a broader view of history and culture, by waiting 75/76 years to tour this incredible place! It's doubtful that I would have grasped the big picture 'back then'. Thanks for enduring this LONG blog!