Tour Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia, from Monticello to the Blue Ridge Mountains and beyond, with a guide that “mixes historical background with how-tos” (Daily Press). Few prominent Americans are as associated with a place as Thomas Jefferson is with Virginia. The heart of “Jefferson Country” is his house and plantation at Monticello, but Jefferson traveled the breadth of his home state, from his time at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg to the new state capital at Richmond and his retreat and plantation at Poplar Forest, near Lynchburg. While spending time in the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Jefferson was inspired to write his only book, Notes on the State of Virginia. Jefferson’s life story, and his many endeavors as a scholar and statesman, are illustrated in this guide to the state he held dear. “This book mixes historical background with the how-tos of visiting the places Jefferson spent time, including the Wren Building at the College of William and Mary, which he attended, and the George Wythe house, where he studied law in Williamsburg.” —Daily Press

For the first time, Monticello has an official guidebook that reflects the unique statesman and inventor Thomas Jefferson, his home, and his world. Showcasing the recent restoration of the home and plantation, it features information about the slaves of Mulberry Row, as well as the state-of-the-art visitor and education center. Each of the guide's 144 pages is designed to showcase the topics in its five chapters: Thomas Jefferson, Before Your Visit, The House, The Plantation, and the Neighborhood. Photographs, art and cutaways, and maps accompany featured stories both iconic and little-known from Monticello's curators.

Few prominent Americans are as associated with a place as Thomas Jefferson is with Virginia. The heart of "Jefferson Country" is his house and plantation at Monticello, but Jefferson traveled the breadth of his home state, from his time at William & Mary in Williamsburg to the new state capital at Richmond and his retreat and plantation at Poplar Forest, near Lynchburg. In the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Jefferson was inspired to write his only book, Notes on the State of Virginia. Laura A. Macaluso demonstrates the many facets of the man, the scholar and the statesman in this guide to the Virginia he loved.

A pictorial look at Thomas Jefferson's historic Virginia estate, Monicello.

Thomas Jefferson was, by any reckoning, one of the most remarkable men ever to have crossed America's political stage. In 1776 he drafted the Declaration of Independence, and throughout the Revolution and in the posts he held thereafter - governor of Virginia, minister to France, secretary of state, vice president, and president - Jefferson's responsibilities were enormous and his accomplishments profound. Yet during those years he also was able to design his own house, Monticello, the magnificent Palladian mansion in central Virginia, and later to establish the University of Virginia and to plan its principal buildings. And, through all this, Jefferson made purchases for a lifetime. Needing to furnish not only Monticello but also the ministerial residence in Paris - the Hotel de Langeac - and the President's House in Washington, Jefferson bought with consummate taste and an extraordinary eye for the newest in American, English, and French styles. Fascinated by science and the growing field we now call "technology", Jefferson procured or had built devices for copying letters, telescopes for exploring the stars, and even dumbwaiters to minimize dependence on servants at mealtimes. He was keenly curious about his native land and devoted to promoting its virtues, and he acquired examples of its fossils, flora, and fauna and studied its indigenous peoples. Determined that the former colonies should both enjoy their cultural patrimony and preserve their own history, he purchased original paintings and had copied what could not be bought. He commissioned busts of his intellectual heroes, as well as of the heroes of the American struggle for independence. The Worlds of Thomas Jeffersonassembles more than 150 of the objects Jefferson acquired - the first time they have been seen together since the contents of Monticello were dispersed at his death. This astonishing collection reveals the limitless range of his curiosity and the acuteness of his taste, portraying not only Jefferson the statesman but also Jefferson the architect, amateur scientist, connoisseur, farmer, and historian. The articles pictured and described range from priceless historical treasures, such as the lap desk on which the Declaration of Independence was composed, to the personal and homely, such as the wrist strap and dumbbell Jefferson was obliged to use after an injury; from precious objects of art, such as Gilbert Stuart's portraits of Jefferson, to the shards of porcelain found in excavations at Monticello; from the finely worked silver tumblers known as the "Wythe-Jefferson Cups" to the Mandan buffalo robe that was part of his collection of Native American artifacts; from the great Entrance Hall clock he designed for Monticello to the silk damask-upholstered chairs he purchased in Paris. In all, it is a collection that mirrors both the mind of America's greatest statesman and the tastes and styles of the time in history when the American people secured their own independence and offered the world an example of a free people in a democratic state. The Worlds of Thomas Jefferson is written by Susan R. Stein, curator of Monticello, who provides an introduction placing Jefferson's acquisitions within the context of his political career, family life, and intellectual pursuits. In the catalogue each object is described individually with details about its history as well as its importance toJefferson.

The first edition of Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia to be based on both the 1785 first edition and the original manuscript "Forbes provides excellent context for Jefferson's writing of the Notes, exploring in depth the most controversial passages concerning race and slavery. This, along with careful editing of the text, allows scholars to appreciate and engage with the Notes in new ways."--Frank Cogliano, University of Edinburgh Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia has been called the most important book written in America before 1800. In the first edition to be based on both the 1785 first edition and the original manuscript, Robert Pierce Forbes uncovers Jefferson's extensive revisions, situating the work in the context of transatlantic debates over slavery and shedding new light on Jefferson's shocking disparagement of African Americans. This comprehensive annotated edition is a rich and valuable study of the work that catapulted the once little-known former governor and diplomat to international fame.

This visually stunning volume explores Monticello, both house and plantation, with texts that present a current assessment of Jefferson’s cultural contributions to his noteworthy home and the fledgling country. Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States, designed his Virginia residence with innovations that were progressive, even unprecedented, in the new world. Six acclaimed arts and cultural luminaries pay homage to Jefferson, citing his work at Monticello as testament to his genius in art, culture, and science, from his adaptation of Palladian architecture, his sweeping vision for landscape design, his experimental gardens, and his passion for French wine and cuisine to his eclectic mix of European and American art and artifacts and the creation of the country’s seminal library. Each writer considers the important role, and the painful reality, of Jefferson’s enslaved workforce, which made his lifestyle and plantation possible. This book, illustrated with superb photography by Miguel Flores-Vianna, is a necessary addition to the libraries of those who love historical architecture and landscape design, art and cultural history, and the lives of prominent Americans.

Thomas Jefferson once called his plantation Poplar Forest, "the most valuable of my possessions." For Jefferson, Poplar Forest was a private retreat for him to escape the hordes of visitors and everyday pressures of his iconic estate, Monticello. Jefferson's Poplar Forest uses the knowledge gained from long-term and interdisciplinary research to explore the experiences of a wide range of people who lived and worked there between the American Revolution and the Civil War. Multiple archaeological digs reveal details about the lives of Jefferson, subsequent owners and their families, and the slaves (and descendants) who labored and toiled at the site. From the plantation house to the weeds in the garden, Barbara Heath, Jack Gary, and numerous contributors examine the landscapes of the property, investigating the relationships between the people, objects, and places of Poplar Forest. As the first book-length study of the archaeology of a president's estate, Jefferson's Poplar Forest offers a compelling and uniquely specific look into the lives of those who called Poplar Forest home.

Prepared in 1821. Apparently first published in the Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies, from the papers of Thomas Jefferson, Charlottesville, 1829.