During the week of our elopement, we drove on a twisty turny road through Virginia’s wine country to the home of James and Dolly Madison of Montpelier.
Immediately one of the iconic Virginia LOVE signs greeted us…perfect for our week of beginning our lives together.
Surprisingly, I was encouraged to take photography of the interior, which was even more decorated than my earlier visits.
DRAWING ROOM
My favorite of the day was the drawing room, where color had gloriously arrived in bold grandeur.
Although I’m not always a bold color person, I loved these red walls and curtains which warmed the room while showcased the paintings and Houdon busts…while winter argued with spring outside the window, as a storm blustered and thundered through.
Lafayette on the left…Thomas Jefferson on on the right…
Benjamin Franklin on the left…George Washington at the center…
DINING ROOM
While the decor in the dining room was new for me to see, the display showcasing the Madison’s special dinner, honoring Lafayette during his 1824 tour of America was one I had seen on my first visit to this famous home in 2008.
Surprisingly, Napoleon topped the doorway…
BEDCHAMBER
This was the first I had seen this decor for the bedchamber…
LIBRARY
Meanwhile, the library was as I recalled, with white walls decorated with books…
….and a desk with a stellar view of the Blue Ridge.
LAFAYETTE TRAIL MARKER
As we left Montpelier, we stopped at the railway depot next to the property where I knew I’d find a special new historical marker…
Recently founded by Julien Icher and funded by the Pomeroy Foundation, the Lafayette Trail aims to mark the sites Lafayette visited on his 1824-1825 grand tour of America.
Visiting each of the twenty-four states, Lafayette was hailed by massive crowds who cheered him on…then named babies, streets, towns, and buildings after him…along with creating commemorative souvenirs.
As I stumbled upon Lafayette stories at every site I visited in Virginia on vacations from Texas, I began a journey of learning more about this Frenchman who was obviously more than a sentence in a history text.
…and that is ultimately my goal in what this blog is about…because my new hubby is encouraging me to take this journey! Stay tuned!
