8/14/2014Trip

 

This was a one day Abbott bus tour on August 14th to Monticello and Ash Lawn with lunch at Michie Tavern in Charlottesville, Virginia. 29 members and DAR members participated.

 

Monticello was the primary plantation of Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the USA, who, after inheriting a large tract of land from his father, started building Monticello around 1772 when he was 26 years of age.  The house which Jefferson designed was based on neoclassical principles from Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio.  The name of the house comes from the Italian "little mount" and is situated on an 850 foot mountain peak.  What started as a mainly tobacco plantation switched over to a self-sustaining operation with special functions such as a factory to manufacture nails, farm for raising mixed crops and animals, vineyards, and gardens for flowers and plant breeding.  Monticello has 11,000 square feet of living space. The house was the center of plantation life tended by 150 slaves.  Jefferson's library formed the nucleus of the Library of Congress.  Monticello's image appears on US Currency and postage stamps.  Much of Monticello's interior decorations reflect the personal ideas and ideals of Jefferson.  The ceiling of the portico incorporates a wind plate connected to a weather vane, showing the direction of the wind.  Also there are re-creations of items collected by Lewis and Clark on their cross country expedition. 

 

Ash Lawn-Highland was the home of President James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States, and is located also in Charlottesville, Virginia.  Ash Lawn-Highland is owned and operated by the College of William and Mary, Monroe's alma mater.  Today visitors can stroll through the lovely 200 year old boxwood gardens and tour the charming frame and brick house or admire the views in all directions as they walk the grounds.  Of particular interest are the newly refurbished interiors, lovely herb and vegetable gardens, and a statue of James Monroe is at one end of the boxwood garden. 

 

They dined at Michie Tavern, savoring a hearty meal in a rustic tavern setting offered by servers in period attire.  This historic restaurant provides a lunch dining experience rich in southern culture and hospitality.  The buffet lunch was based on 18th century recipes and included beverages such as hot mulled apple cider, traditional lagers, ales and wine along with coffee or tea.