Monticello

From Ashland we pushed west, landing in a lovely KOA in Charlottesville, VA. The KOA book warns guests to follow their directions and NOT the GPS as the latter will send you under a 10’6” bridge. This is not conducive to safe passage by a 12’6” vehicle! The campground, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, was in the midst of a beautiful woodland and, with few campers, it felt very private.

East facing entrance

West entrance and back porch (deck)

Our first day trip in this locale was to Monticello which turned out to be one of the highlights of the entire “Bucket List Tour”.  Thomas Jefferson’s home sits atop a high hill and overlooks the entire Shenandoah Valley. 

View from the west entrance.

Mulberry Row

We were allowed the run of the grounds and wherever you stand, the beauty that is Virginia is at your feet. A feeling of peace and tranquility pervades and it is easy to understand why Jefferson hated leaving this very special retreat. 

Tea Room

Touring the inside of the home was a special treat. We learned that Jefferson served as minister to France and lived in Paris for the four years he held this position. 

Wine Cellar

While there, he acquired a love for many things French, not the least of which was French Wine (a man after my own heart if ever there was one).

It was interesting to learn that Jefferson, who was a self-taught architect, designed the home himself and included many unusual touches. 

Alcove bed.

Beds were built into alcoves, thus creating much more useable space in the room. A dumbwaiter was installed from the wine cellar directly to the dining room. 

The dining room was brilliant yellow.

Rooms were painted bold, bright colors…something I never expected in a home built in the 1700’s. There are skylights everywhere so the rooms are flooded with light.

On the floor of the east entry porch is a compass rose and above the door is a unique clock with a face both outside and in. The outside face has only an hour hand while the one inside is complete including a second hand. The clock also has a gong on the roof which bongs hourly. The whole shebang is driven by a system of long ropes and weights which hang in the corners on each side of it and descend, through holes in the floor, to the basement. It runs for a week at a time and is hand wound every Sunday.

Library

Everywhere in the home are bookcases filled with books on every possible subject. Jefferson was a voracious reader and I loved learning that he was a Bibliophile like me. I couldn’t resist buying a coffee mug with one of his quotes on it: “I can’t live without books.”

Stables

Beneath the house and large back porch is a long passageway to the wine cellar, the stables,  a large storage area that was filled with ice & snow during the winter months in order to have ice during the summer, the kitchen and bakery and some of the living quarters for the house slaves.

The grounds surrounding Monticello are a symphony of color. Flowerbeds ring large grassy areas. 

A large terraced vegetable and herb garden is still intact and contains plants that are descendants of the original stock grown when Jefferson lived here. There is even a fish pond just off the west entrance which was kept stocked so fresh fish could be regularly included in the menu.

A small, glass enclosed, pavilion sits at the edge of the vegetable garden and overlooks the entire valley. Jefferson loved to come here to read and to think. Standing inside and taking in the beauty…and realizing that you might be standing in the exact spot where Jefferson stood is truly breathtaking.

Just down the hill from the house is the Jefferson family cemetery where Thomas Jefferson rests.  

It was an unforgettable day for us. 

Note: We were not allowed to take photos inside the house so the pictures of those rooms are stolen from the internet.