Virginia President's Tour - Home

Sunday October 21

We were up and on the road about 10 AM.  Driving south on I 81 is not particularly fascinating when you have traveled it as much as we have…but it was a pleasant day.  The kudsu had experienced some frost over the past two nights but still very little of any color on the trees.  We had thought we would drive down the Skyline Drive back to Roanoke but not worth doing with no color.  We will have to find another time for fall color this year!

It was nearing lunch time when we were approaching Wytheville.  There is a huge restored mansion at the intersection of I 81 and I 77 near Ft. Chiswell. We have discussed it numerous times as we come by.  It was built in 1840 by brothers Steven and Cloyd McGavock. Their family settled in the area in 1771 and the area was a stopping point on the Great Wilderness Road.  Ben had read about the family in his research on the Great Grants.  The home remained in the family until 1918 when it was sold.  Over the years we have been traveling I 81 it had fallen into disrepair.  About 10 years ago it was purchased by Chris Disibbio and has been restored.  It is open for tours and special events.  There is also a restaurant open on somewhat irregular hours.  By checking their web page it was open for lunch on Sundays 10-3.  So we were right on time!  

As we pulled in the parking lot we saw a tour bus and thought oh no – but when we went in the waitress offered to seat us in the bar upstairs.  Perfect – beautiful room and views.  We were served quickly too!  We had a chicken salad wrap (Jane) , a steak and cheese sandwich (Ben) , and we split a Signature Bread Pudding with Carmel Sauce.  Everything was good but that bread pudding was really excellent!  Plus we took home half of everything so have lunch for another day!

The Mansion at Fort Chiswell

Entrance From Rear

Ben at our table near the bar

Steak and Cheese Sandwich

Chicken Salad Wrap

After a nice lunch stop we continued on south arriving home middle of the afternoon. 

Over the past 2 months we have visited all the early presidential homes/museums/libraries with exception of the Adams – father John, and son John Quincy.  I will have to say regardless of party affiliation they were dedicated patriots who loved their country and wanted it to succeed. Their struggles were different than ours today; but they had them non-the-less.  Their farsighted planning certainly gave our country a good foundation that remarkably has survived many tests over the years.  Let’s hope it can survive all this crazy world is throwing at it today!  If we can learn from past history we just might make it.

Virginia President's Tour - Woodrow Wilson Museum and Library

Saturday October 20

After a good night’s sleep we had breakfast cooked by Steve – his special scrambled eggs and bacon.  Mmmm good.  Steve was up very early to help set up at their church for a Saturday sale – apple butter and Brunswick Stew cookoff along with bake and craft sale.  He then came back  home to cook and have breakfast with us! 

After breakfast we headed north about 30 minutes to Staunton. The Woodrow Wilson Library and Museum is located there where his parents lived during the years while Wilson was growing up.  His father was the minister for the Presbyterian Church in Staunton.  The home and surrounding buildings to house the museum are owned now by Mary Baldwin College. 

We arrived about an hour before the next tour of the home so again watched a movie and viewed exhibits while we waited for our tour.  We have jumped ahead in time from our other president homes; about a hundred years - to the early 1900’s - when Wilson was elected president during the years leading up to and during WWI. Wilson was also a well-educated man having served as President of Princeton University and Governor of New Jersey before entering political life. 

The exhibits included information on League of Nations which he hoped to start; political campaign materials, items from the White House, and World War I exhibits.  They did allow photography.  I was really impressed with my camera when it allowed me to take good photos in the dark WW I trench exhibit!

Phone used in White House

One of several posters and sheet music of the time

Replica of WW I Trench

Hospital Scene in Trench

After our visit to the museum we drove around Staunton looking for a good place for lunch.  There were numerous restaurants on the main downtown street but it was full of Saturday shoppers and no close parking places….so we drove out of town and stopped at Kathy’s where parking was easy and the food was good.  We had an Italian sub with fries.  Super good and again by splitting we had just the right amount.

A short drive back down US 11 and we were back in Fairfield.  We enjoyed visiting and catching up with our friends.  We had Brunswick stew (from the church festival) and cornbread for dinner.  We shared our favorite TV shows from Netflix, BritBox, etc and will both have a few new ones to watch in the future.

Virginia President's Tour - Monticello and Highlands

Friday, October 19

We were up and ready for an excellent breakfast by 9.  The English Inn had one of the best buffet breakfasts we have had recently.  Spoke with the black cook who explained what he was cooking – they had it all – bacon, scrambled eggs, gravy, grits, a breakfast casserole, oatmeal, and much more.  He seemed to really enjoy his job! 

Our plans were to visit both Monticello – Thomas Jefferson’s Home and James Monroe’s Highlands today before heading to Steve and Margaret’s home in Fairfield.  We found our way to Monticello by 10 AM and realized it was going to be like Mt. Vernon – lots of school children!  We got a ticket time for the house tour at 11:40. We watched the film, visited exhibits and the gift shop while we waited for our tour time. The exhibits were excellent – particularly the ones about the construction of the house.  A self-taught architect, Jefferson planned for and executed building Monticello not once but twice. The exhibits on the Declaration of Independence were also good – all electronic. 

Waiting for our house tour

Beauty Bush and a few flowers still blooming in gardens

They provided a shuttle bus from the visitor center to the house which was at the top of the mountainside. You could tour the kitchen wing and the cellar before your tour time.  The home is very interesting with many unique features designed by Jefferson.  All these colonial plantations now include exhibits featuring the contributions of the slaves who helped run the plantation.  It seems in their writing all these early presidents did not like slavery; but none could find a way to continue the countries growth and prosperity without slavery – indeed they did play an important role in the beginning and development of the USA. 

Kitchen

Wine Cellar

The home was very interesting and quite different from Montpelier.  Jefferson’s collections and the French designs made for interesting décor.  His bed chamber, library, and work room were the heart of the home where only he, his manservant, and his chambermaid – Sally Hemmings - were able to be in the rooms without a special invitation. This was in the years after the death of his wife.  She lived only 10 years after their marriage and never saw the completion of Monticello.

The entrance hall and other public rooms were fascinating with so many original furnishings. Jefferson kept very detail records and all the furnishings that have not been located, are exact copies made from notes and drawings.  Again, no photos inside the house and the tour did not include the second floor.  It was very enjoyable. We had an excellent guide who took us through the entire house. Luckily our tour group was all adults – I believe they gave separate tours for the children.  There were a number of children present; but it was not overrun as it seemed to be when we were at Mt. Vernon in May.  The only place there seemed to be a crowd was in the gift shop.  We were alone in the gift shop early when we looked around; but it was overrun with children when we came back before we left to make purchases.

Learned so many things I may or may not have known at one point – Jefferson was of course our 3^rd President,  also Vice President, Secretary of State, Diplomat, Ambassador to France, Governor of VA, Author of Declaration of Independence, Responsible for Louisiana Purchase, supported the Lewis and Clark Expedition and much more.  In his retirement he founded the University of VA.  His contributions to our country are numerous but he is best known for his philosophies for religious and political freedom as well as the importance of educational opportunities.  He was also a lawyer, self-taught architect, farmer and scientist.

The setting for Monticello is beautiful and like Montpelier has stunning views of the blue ridge mountains.  On the trip back down the mountain to the Visitor Center you could stop at the graves and then catch a later bus for the remainder of the trip.  We were hungry so after our tour we had a sub sandwich in the café, made a few purchases in the gift shop, and were on our way about 1:30.  Monticello like Montpelier was lost by the family soon after Jefferson’s death due to debts.  At that time the presidents did not receive any stipend or payments as they do today…so often these founding fathers served their country to their own personal financial loss.  

View towards the Blue Ridge - in Jefferson's time he could see the buildings at the University of VA being built

Front of Monticello

A short drive 10 minute drive from Monticello was the location of a home of James Monroe (our 5^th president from 1816 - 1824) – Ash Lawn or Highlands. The Monroe family lived at Highlands for 24 years. He was very good friends with his neighbor Thomas Jefferson.  The actual home is no longer;  having burned between 1830 and 1850.  Monroe sold Highlands to the Bank of USA in 1828 after his presidency and they lived nearer to Washington in a home that still exists today as a private residence.  A Jewish gentleman bought Highlands years later thinking the yellow home on the property had been the home of Monroe. He constructed elaborate gardens and acquired the statue of Monroe that graces the garden today to honor him.  He wanted the home to be open to the public.  It is today operated by a trust.   It was only in 2016 when a new curator began to ask questions and excavations were conducted that the true history of the buildings became known. The trust hopes to find records of the fire; but so far have only established that indeed the home did burn.  The only building currently existing here that was here in Monroe’s time was the Presidential Guest House, built in 1818. 

Lane as we enter Highlands

Another of Monroe's accomplishments - the National Road first National Highway
(this is the mold for the cement markers along highway) 

Boxwood Gardens

Monroe Statue 

The location is underwhelming after the other two homes;  but gives an understanding of Monroe’s 50 years of public service and true dedication to our country.  It was amazing to learn of all his accomplishments:  Served in Army crossing the Delaware with Washington in Revolution, Member VA general assembly, representative of Confederation Congress, US Senator from VA, Governor of Virginia twice, Minister to France twice, Minister to England, Minister to Spain, negotiated purchase of Florida from Spain, negotiated Louisiana Purchase from France, Secretary of State and Secretary of War.  He is well known as an early diplomat – known for the “Monroe Doctrine”.  I was certainly impressed with his accomplishments!

We then set the GPS for the Cathcarts’ in Fairfield and arrived there about an hour later. We enjoyed a wonderful visit with them and BBQ at Foothill Mama’s BBQ Joint. 

Virginia President's Tour - Montpelier

Thursday, October 18

We had been planning a short trip to visit the homes of some of the US President’s from Virginia.  Our plan was to combine this bit of history with beautiful fall colors and a visit to our long time friends Steve and Margaret Cathcart in Fairfield VA.  Well, two out of three was what we got - since the fall colors have not arrived this year.

We left at 8 AM so that we could visit Madison’s home Montpelier before arriving in Charlottesville.  We headed up I-81 in sunshine. The kudsu coming up I-81 showed no signs of frost so no way the trees could be turning. 

 After one rest stop we turned east on I-64 and a lunch stop. The mountains around Waynesboro were beautiful but no color.  We drove around the outskirts of Charlottesville and heading north of 231 to reach Montpelier Station. The trip up 231 was pleasant as we passed by numerous horse farms and country homes.  The rolling farmland probably not changed much since the days of Madison and Jefferson.

Montpelier is much less a major attraction than Mt. Vernon, The Hermitage, and Monticello.  However, we thoroughly enjoyed the visit to the home of James and Dolly Madison.  The emphasis is on the life and accomplishments of our 4^rd president; but also places significant emphasis on the
Constitution and its’ impact on our lives in America. There is ongoing study of the constitution at a nearby facility.  James Madison served in the VA legislature before serving as a representative to the Continental Congress where he was one of the primary authors of our constitution. He had studies governments around the globe and what had caused their downfalls.  When he drafted the VA plan which became the framework for our constitution;  James Madison was only 36 years old.  After the constitution was written it had to be ratified. The often discussed Federalist Papers, were 85 articles for newspapers explaining why our country needed the constitution – they were written by Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.  Madison then served as Secretary of State for Thomas Jefferson before becoming president.

James and Dolley Madison

Montpelier

View to the Blue Ridge Mountains

The setting for the plantation is lovely with views across the rolling farmland to the blue ridge mountains. Dolley Madison was a much loved first lady. She was known as a fantastic hostess and a true asset to her husband’s presidency.  She is also credited with saving the White House painting of George Washington during the burning of the White House near the end of the War of 1812. She lived long after her husband’s death in Washington because Montpelier was lost due to debts.  Photos are not allowed inside the home so my photos are from outside.  After his retirement from the presidency Dolley helped James complete his notes from the Constitutional Convention and these reside in the Library of Congress today.

On a side note – I love the camera on my (new to me) I-phone.  It is a I-phone 6 s and replaced my I Phone 4 that was about 5 years old.  The camera is really great and certainly does everything I need and more!

The home tour was excellent – in fact better than either Mt. Vernon or the Hermitage.  At both of those we were taken through the home in groups and as we went from room to room had different guides in each room.  Here the same guide took us through the entire home and related many interesting stories.  The movie was good and they had excellent exhibits about both the president and the constitution.

About 4:30 we headed back to Charlottesville.  The GPS took us on a different road again through some nice farmland.  Our hotel – The English Inn – was very nice. 

The English Inn

On trips through Charlottesville before we never quite understood the layout of the city.  Still not sure we do but we easily found the hotel and found a great restaurant nearby – the Aberdeen Barn – and we split a shrimp cocktail, an excellent prime rib, salad, and baked potato. 

Shrimp Cocktail

Almost half the Prime Rib

  Jane visited in the lobby of the hotel with a tour guide for the Roads Scholar Group.  We get promotion materials about their tours all around the country.  She was hosting a 3 President’s Tour – after chatting a bit told her we were on a 4 President’s Tour!