The morning after a full day in Washington DC, we packed up the van to drive to our next hotel in Charlottesville.
But first Montpelier where we found Lafayette!
Beautiful Drive
En route we drove through the rolling hills of Virginia while we drove past several Civil War Battlefields: Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania.
As we drove by the now empty fields with lonely cannons, I told the kids to imagine the battles…
The rolling hills deepened to the entrance of Montpelier, home of the Father of the Constitution, author of the Federalist Papers and Bill of Rights, and our fourth president, James Madison.
Undergoing renovations for the last few years, Montpelier will open to the public through their grand Restoration Celebration on Sept 17, the anniversary of the Constitution.
Like HGTV’s If Walls Could Talk, our excellent tour presented fascinating details on the restoration process.
DuPont Family Ownership
In 1901, the famous DuPont family purchased Montpelier from the fifth owner after Madison.
Although one/some of the previous owners renovationed the home, the DuPonts added their own style.
Extensive renovations included doubling the size of the house with new floors and wings.
Chandeliers, mirrors, and furniture arrived from England to decorate the home.
Infamously the newly painted pink house hosted horse races!
Conveniently Mr. DuPont built a depot at the foot of the property near the tracks, arranging for the train to stop just for him to travel for business in Delaware and back.
In the 1980s, the DuPonts bequeathed the property to the National Historic Trust.
In 2003, a $25 million restoration to the 1820s, reflecting the retirement years after Madison’s presidency, began.
If Walls Could Talk at Montpelier
During demolition, additions were demolished.
Stucco removal revealed the original bricks. Amazing!
As more layers were removed, either more original structures were found, or major clues were found to properly replace the old.
Newspaper advertisements requested neighbors look for any artifacts on their property that might have been purchased at the known auction after the Madison’s passed away.
Surprisingly, several neighbors indeed discovered Montpelier treasures! Stored in attics and barns, mantle pieces and more, original to Montpelier, returned home for the restoration.
Advertisements extended to the world, resulting in paintings and furnishings from nearby and abroad returned to Montpelier.
So many originals were found that comparatively little reconstruction was needed.
Imagine Our Founding Fathers Remodeling 18th Century Homes on HGTV?
No stranger to remodeling, himself, James Madison enlarged his former boyhood home when it became his own.
Madison incorporated design ideas from his good friend, Thomas Jefferson, another who liked to remodel homes.
Blue Ridge Views from Montpelier
Stunning views from the house stunning include a protected forest in the back and the Blue Ridge Mountains in the front.
Landscaped in typical 18th century manner, the mansion sits amidst the flanking of beautifully tall trees.
Lafayette Visited Montpelier
The Marquis de Lafayette visited the Madisons here on his Grand Tour in 1824.
Giant placards representing life-sized cardboard figures of James and Dolley Madison, the Marquis de Lafayette and his son, George Washington Lafayette, recreate a special dinner given in the Marquis’ honor when he visited on his Grand Tour in 1824.
Knowing how much the Madisons enjoyed plants, the Marquis gave them three Cedar of Lebanon seedlings, which all survive to this day!
When the tour guide told us about this, my son pointed out to him that those trees were used to build Solomon’s Temple.
The tour guide was surprised to hear that from him. From then on the tour guide relied on my son to answer all of his questions!
Archaeology at Montpelier harming the Trees
Sadly, these beautiful trees are suffering, because archaeological digs are disturbing the sensitive root structure.
The Montpelier Foundation is trying to work with the archaeologists to resolve this problem.
One of the most amazing items recovered in one of the archaeological digs was a piece of china from Marie Antoinette, which James Monroe apparently brought it back from Paris with him.
James and Dolly Madison Gravesite
Garden Tour
After lunch we toured the pleasure garden behind the house. Named the Annie DuPont Garden, the DuPont’s turned the old Madison garden into an early 20th century garden.
When we saw the ha-ha wall at Montpelier a tourist asked why it was called a haha wall and the tour guide didn’t know…so my kids told her what they had learned at Mount Vernon!
Madison Temple at Montpelier
One of my favorite places was the Madison Temple, where James Madison often came in the summer time to sit, study, and write.
Underneath this lovely feature is the ice house.
Forest at Montpelier
James Madison did not like seeing all the development going on and the trees being chopped down, so he left the forest behind his house untouched, which the Madison Foundation continues that tradition today.
However thunder and lightning prevented our hike through the forest when a storm blew in for the rest of the afternoon.
One of my son’s favorite things to do was to play in the children’s tent where he could whack away at wood with old fashioned tools.
To see more photos from this trip, click on any of the pictures or click here to access my Flickr set.
