Aug 2ndMonticello

Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello, is one of our favorite places to visit. The atmosphere and ambiance, from the moment you leave the shuttle bus that takes you up the mountain, ignites a feeling of going back in time. Visitors walk the same grounds that Jefferson did when he lived there. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation, the owners of 2500 acres of the original plantation strive to hold true to Jefferson’s memory with all restorations. They do an excellent job.

We, of course, have visited Monticello many times, but each visit is unique. It seems like each time you get to experience something new, or learn something new about the home or the grounds. This trip was not different. Our tour was one of their special evening tours that takes visitors on a behind the scenes look at the house. We visited the public rooms and then moved on to the second and third floors. On those floors, restorations are being done to allow a glimpse into the lives and bedrooms of those who lived there. A visit to the dome room is enjoyable as the views from the windows are breathtaking. Our guide, Jim Pippen, was knowledgeable and helpful in answering all questions.

After the tour, we were treated to the opportunity to have a glass of wine from the vineyards of Gabrielle Rausse, the vitaculturalist at Monticello. His vineyard is just a few miles from Monticello. During the time we spent on the grounds we were lucky to chat with both Jim Pippen and Marianne Cole, another guide. Marianne showed us something we had never seen before on the outside of the house — marks on the brick made by finger prints of a child when the bricks were being made and a bullet hole from a bullet fired during the Revolutionary War.

Monticello is an amazing place to visit. If ever you find yourself in central Virginia, or if you are looking for an interesting place to vacation, I recommend a visit. You will be impressed.