On our way southward to pick up our children from a weeklong visit with the Grandparents, we decided to stop at Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson in Charlottesville, Virginia. Being a huge history buff, I felt that walking in the footsteps of one of our Founding Fathers would be worth the 1 1/2 hours it added to our trip...and I was right!
We left Central New York at 4:30am and drove straight through, arriving at the ticket booth just after the noon hour. It was gray and misting rain, but we boarded the shuttle bus and climbed the steep mountain on which Jefferson built his home. Arriving at the top, we could see the home through the trees and it was...well, it sounds silly, but it was almost breathtaking. I've seen this structure in so many documentaries and history book photos...not to mention the back of every nickel I've ever owned! Seeing it in person was really something.
We toured the interior of the home with a very pleasant, very southern gentleman who showed us such things as the clock over the door that is run by weights that hang so low he had to cut holes in the floor; twin dumb-waiters on either side of the dining room fireplace that allowed empty wine bottles to be sent to the cellar...and full ones to be sent back up; and a set of Don Quixote books written in Spanish that Jefferson used to teach himself the language on a trip across the ocean.
But more than anything else, we were moved by the beauty of the place and significance of the home, who's owner and designer was such an important player in the creation of this country.
Our visit, which included a guided tour of the gardens and time to wander around and walk down to the cemetery, took about 3 1/2 hours. It is well worth the time....and yes, even with an 8-hour drive!!
To the right is a slide-show of some of the photos I took of the grounds (we were not allowed to take photos inside). For anyone who is interested in visiting or learning about Thomas Jefferson, please click on the following link.
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