Charming Charlottesville, VA

 Charlottesville, VA, KOA June 1-9, 2021

Despite not leaving until almost 10 AM, we were in our Charlottesville KOA with mom feeding us lunch by 1:15. A new record for us!!!

All I can say is we are in another gorgeous campsite tucked into the woods, but getting here...the last 8 miles almost made me sick. The major road is Scottsdale. It’s very narrow, hilly with tons of sharp curves. UGH! My stomach! 

They left me at 2 PM to see Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello…Bummer!

Here’s what my folks had to say about Monticello. Since they were last here; this historic site added a beautiful visitors center below Monticello’s hilltop.

More recent historians discovered more relevant facts thanks to excavations, journals and historical observations from former slaves and craftsman. He didn't believe in wasting space on a grand staircase, so you see this narrow stairs tucked into the one side of his house...where both staff, family and friends had to use. They think it wouldn't be unusual for 24 or more family members or friends staying there at any one time...M & D had no idea where they put them all because the house isn't that large.

During Jefferson’s lifetime he was forever talking about equality and freedom, but in his lifetime, he had somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 slaves. Insane!

Here you see the main entry where he would have greeted guests. 

Many of the Native American items are replicas of the ones sent to him by Lewis and Clark whose expedition he sponsored.

 He only freed 10 of his slaves; 4 were his children through Sally Hemings. 

According to current information, Sally’s genetics were half or more white, as black. In fact her children with Jefferson passed as white in later years.It turns out his agreement with a 16 year old Sally was that any children of theirs would be taught a trade, educated and freed at 21. While she would have light duties like sewing while under his ownership. (She was able to make this bargain when they were in France because she was free there and didn't have to return with him.) While working for Jefferson a number of large black families formed. Heartbreakingly, they had to be sold at his death to pay for his debts. ...Resulting in the family units being sent everywhere. Too sad! 

His library, I can't quite remember???

In his study or library on the table is his copy machine invention.

This large kitchen is in an outbuilding below the house...notice all the individual burners. They were needed because the wealthy of this time period so admired the French in style and cuisine. 

You can see this especially in their furnishings, art and dress.

Here is the main salon where he entertained, you see the various musical instruments and games...He had skylights added to his house in the rooms he could to add more light. Jefferson added mirrors opposite the windows to increase the lightness in each room.

Skylight in his first floor bedroom with incredibly high ceilings over the entire first floor.

He favored this French style alcove bed arrangement providing easy access to his bedroom and his study. He was a very early riser and usually made his own fire.

They had rearranged the dining room since we had been here last...

A reenactor walking around the grounds providing more information and taking photos with visitors...
Since mom and dad weren’t able to see the newly decorated and remodeled second and third floors, mom found this Condé Nast article & photos about the redone upper two stories of Monticello 

The children's bedroom upstairs, notice how much lower these ceilings are...

                 One of the bedroom views out the second story

       One of the other bedrooms upstairs...think they said it was Thomas' sister

A attic stairs that was one of the escape places they had to get away from all the hubbub.

"Historic Cat Doors

Before the invention of doggie doors, Jefferson installed round holes in the upper story doors in order to allow mouse-hunting housecats to easily go from room to room."

"Hidden retreat

Accessed through a doorway in the dome room, a rustic hidden attic space called “the cuddy” sits directly above the rear portico of the house. It was used by Jefferson’s adult granddaughters to escape the hubbub of the highly social household. The demi-lune (half-moon) window looks out over the back lawn and flower gardens."

Jefferson's gardens were not only beautiful, but many of his flowers and plants were used for additional purposes as well...Mom and dad seemed to enjoy strolling through Monticello’s grounds again, reading and seeing some of the latest updates.

Dad decided today we would drive the southern half of the Skyline Dr in the Shenandoah National Park. Mom downloaded the NPS app to use. 

They are sorry they didn’t think of doing this drive months ago, so we could have gotten a tour of President & Mrs Hoover’s Retreat, Rapidan Camp. It was their tranquil retreat away from Washington when he was in office. Park interpreters take you through the buildings and museum there.

Ah well, another trip? As with so many other National parks, the CCC left their mark here from 1933-1941. 

Dad had never seen this Rock Rivers information before, you see some of them here in dad's photos

Dad put my windows halfway down, so I’m on sensory overload. Just pointed out a deer to them, but I had no idea what it was? We went to check out camping but we would need a generator and bring water with us. Easier to stay at one of the lodges when you could get in. Our friend Ike Knox came through here when he was hiking the Appalachian Trail. We just can’t imagine that trek!!!

Looking back towards Skyline Dr while to the right the Appalachian Trail

Almost halfway through the park, we jumped off Skyline Dr to go see James Monroe's Highland plantation. Now, that was a curvy, stomach-upsetting ride out of the park, even my ears hurt! I was “white pawing” it at every sharp, downhill turn!!! Thank goodness for good brakes and my dad’s skillful driving!!! 

What a mix of old and new cabins and homes along this road! Some barely looked like they could stand! Then, I spotted a brilliant homemade quilt hanging from the crumbling porch railings. WOW

As we got closer to President Monroe’s home we started driving by very large beautiful, lush looking farms with lyrical names and fancy entrances or gates. 

Highland. (It’s under William and Mary College's patronage.) M & D took turns going through the buildings since I wasn't allowed inside. (I don’t want to see any of their old stuff anyway, the outside is much more exciting!!!) Dad and I hung out on the Visitor’s Porch enjoying the views and the smells…As it turned out, mom ended up on a Jeff Butler's guided tour. Mom was raving about how incredibly knowledgeable and amusing Jeff was. 

He explained that only the guest house remains of President Madison’s time there. The current William and Mary College curator realized that past history of this site didn't make sense. She brought in archeologists and scientists to test the buildings and start searching the grounds for the original Presidential house…

Shockingly, it imploded in a massive fire and there is no saved record of the fire…Crazy! As much as they can piece together, it happened after Madison had left the property and it was up for sale…

Once again, to pay his debts, many of his large slave families were split up to be sold at auction. 

These photos show the reconstructed out buildings built on top of the old foundations....The upper house was used for extra guests while the other house is the overseer's house

Under the white guest house they found the kitchen and storage rooms, the upper right photo is a toe toaster...Something new for mom...She loved the big wooden dough bowl

In this photo, you see the different building dates of the guest house, kitchen. Finally, the guest room decorated for Lafayette. The actual bed was one in which he supposedly slept in... 

                     More views of the inside rooms and outside gardens

One of the curious coincidences among the early Presidents, is that Adams and Jefferson died on July 4th, 1826, 50 years after signing the Declaration while Madison, who was younger than them, died on July 4th, 5 years later… Weird…

Montipelier, James and Dolley Madison’s home was a working plantation whose land was given to them by James's family. James Madison was barely 5'2" tall and incredibly well educated for that time period. He was the Father of the Constitution, fourth President and Secretary of State.

It turns out this site has a horse racing track and a steeplechase course that draws huge crowds when the races are happening...


The front and back views of this lovely home that was enlarged over time.
This place started in 1723 with the Knights of the Golden Horseshoe expedition. Madison's family was given app. 13,000 acres by the King. James inherited 2400 acres which he grew to 5,000. All they had to do to keep the land was improve it in someway. 


In 1809 Thomas Jefferson designed the last home enlargement. We see his influence in the exterior, small staircase, the mirrors, huge windows, tall ceilings and Federalist mixed with Empire style

James Madison at 10 went to boarding school. As a teen he was off to W & M for college, but was too sick to stay.  He was tutored by a Princeton grad and eventually went to Princeton. Although at that time Princeton was called the "College of New Jersey". He was taught by the broad thinking Presbyterian Minister Winterspoon, who was also the President of Princeton. He was the only minister to sign the Declaration of Independence.

The entire house is remodeled to the period and has some of the Madison's own furnishing, art and silver.

Madison became Colonel in the militia and later a politician at Williamsburg in the VA Assembly. Dolley was seventeen years younger and considerably taller than him. She had the social skills to broadened the introverted James contacts and network. (Dolley was married before and lost her first hubby and child to yellow fever.) While working at her mom’s boarding house she met James. Dolley always set at the head of all tables while her hubby sat in the middle. Even during Jefferson’s Presidency when his daughter was absent, she would be called on to be the hostess.

In 1786 this room was important to the "critical period". ("The period from the adoption of the Articles to the adoption of the Federal Constitution (1781-89) has been labeled the “critical period” of American history.") For over a year at 35 years old Madison researched various countries governments before coming up with the Virginia Plan for the Constitutional Convention. ("The Virginia Plan was a proposal to establish a bicameral (two-branch) legislature in the newly founded United States. Drafted by James Madison in 1787, the plan recommended that states be represented based upon their population numbers, and it also called for the creation of three branches of government.")

Madison wasn’t really happy with the final Constitution, but he passed and signed it.. Later, Madison got elected to Congress to write the what is referred to as the Bill of Rights. ("The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document, and the Bill of Rights was not ratified to become part of the Constitution until the end of the following year.")

Their land turned out to be very fertile, so they Initially prospered until James went into politics. During our government's early years politicians were expected to host huge dinners/parties and take in large numbers of guests...all on their dime. Mom discovered it was possibly the biggest reason most of them died poor even if they started out wealthy...

The top photo is their son's bedroom and the lower one is theirs. Sadly, Dolley's only son was a charming gambler and addict who despite being educated and well connected was a huge disappointment and embarrassment to them.

As James became older and struggled to use the stairs, they moved their bedroom downstairs next to the drawing room. "Colored Man’s Reminiscences of James Madison" by Paul Jennings. Jennings was James long time personal slave. His book was the definitive history particularly in his later years.

This beautiful temple structure was to the left of the house and hid a icehouse. A pine alley originally led the way there from the house.

When James passes Dolley Madison moves back to Washington to be involved in politics once again. She sold Montpelier in 1844 because she needed money and they had so much debt. Dolley had a state funeral attended by all. President Zachary Taylor said, Dolley was the First Lady for the First 50 years of our country. Lynn Cheney recently wrote a really good book about James Madison. While the book, Plain Honest Men, is the definitive book about writing the constitution. M & D are listening to that one...They are finding it fascinating. 

When they redid the gardens, they kept them mainly ornamental but in reality, there would have been a very large produce garden...

We decided to drive to see the historic, small town of Orange, VA

The Montpelier Railroad Station, an old Esso station and downtown Orange.

                    They hadn't parted with this confederate soldier statue...

                      Mom so wanted to check out this place...too funny!

As always, we ended up with two meals from one...they were both delicious!

Barboursville Vineyards

The estate of wine which Thomas Jefferson foresaw taking root in his own ground at Monticello would far from disappoint him to discover here at his friend’s plantation, for whom he designed the historic landmark mansion. That construction commenced in 1814, while James Barbour held office as Virginia’s Governor, and was completed in 1821, as Casa Vinicola Zonin was being founded in Palladio’s home province, the Veneto. 

"The assimilation of this plantation within the viticultural traditions of the Zonin family has conferred upon our work a heritage of agricultural passion and purpose through 8 generations."

This place was so cool to run around, but M & D wouldn't let me go inside...

They didn't share their wine with me but they did share their snacks...so it wasn't an all bad visit.

We went on a quick drive through Charlottesville and the University of Virginia

Despite having a sad reason to go home, Don's Celebration of Life, we did manage to have some fun seeing family and friends...and remembering Don...

Meanwhile our grandgirls were having fun with their bounce house and Rosie was dying to get in with them...At least she was allowed to get the bubbles...