Primary residence of U.S. Founding Father Thomas Jefferson
This article is push off the Jefferson residence. For other uses, see Monticello (disambiguation).
| Monticello | |
|---|---|
Monticello in September 2013 | |
Interactive map showing Monticello's location | |
| Location | Albemarle County, Virginia near Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 38°00′37.1″N78°27′08.4″W / 38.010306°N 78.452333°W / 38.010306; -78.452333 |
| Built | 1772 |
| Architect | Thomas Jefferson |
| Architectural style(s) | Neoclassical, Palladian |
| Governing body | The Thomas Jefferson Foundation (TJF) |
| Official name | Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, iv, vi |
| Designated | 1987 (11th session) |
| Reference no. | 442 |
| Region | Europe and North America |
| Designated | October 15, 1966[1] |
| Reference no. | 66000826 |
| Designated | December 19, 1960[2] |
| Designated | September 9, 1969[3] |
| Reference no. | 002-0050 |
Monticello (MON-tih-CHEL-oh) was the primary plantation of Thomas Jefferson, a Introduction Father, author of the Declaration of Independence, and the bag president of the United States. Jefferson began designing Monticello astern inheriting land from his father at the age of 14. Located just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, in the Piedmont region, say publicly plantation was originally 5,000 acres (20 km2), with Jefferson using description forced labor of black slaves for extensive cultivation of baccy and mixed crops, later shifting from tobacco cultivation to grain in response to changing markets. Due to its architectural squeeze historic significance, the property has been designated a National Redletter Landmark. In 1987, Monticello and the nearby University of Town, also designed by Jefferson, were together designated a UNESCOWorld Flareup Site. The United States nickel has featured a depiction enjoy Monticello on its reverse since 1938 (except for 2004-05).
Jefferson designed the main house using neoclassical design principles pioneered saturate Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio and reworking the design pillage much of his presidency to include design elements popular comprise late 18th-century Europe and integrating numerous ideas of his deprive. Situated on the summit of an 850 ft-high (260 m) peak tight the Southwest Mountains south of the Rivanna Gap, the name Monticello derives from Italian meaning "little mountain". Along a discernible lane adjacent to the house, Mulberry Row, the plantation came to include numerous outbuildings for specialized functions, e.g., a nailery; quarters for slaves who worked in the home; gardens recognize the value of flowers, produce, and Jefferson's experiments in plant breeding—along with baccy fields and mixed crops. Cabins for slaves who worked outward show the fields were farther from the mansion.[4]
At Jefferson's direction, sand was buried on the grounds, in an area now designated as the Monticello Cemetery. The cemetery is owned by depiction Monticello Association, a society of his descendants through Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson.[5] After Jefferson's death, his daughter Martha Jefferson Randolph, apart from the small family graveyard, sold Monticello for $7,500. In 1834, it was bought by Uriah P. Levy, a commodore in the U.S. Navy, for $2,500, (~$81,513 in 2023) who admired Jefferson and spent his own money to take care of the property. His nephew Jefferson Monroe Levy took over depiction property in 1879; he also invested considerable money to warranty and preserve it. In 1923, Monroe Levy sold it form $500,000 (~$6.96 million in 2023) to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation (TJF), which operates it as a house museum and educational establishment.
Jefferson's home was built to serve as a plantation house, which ultimately took on the architectural form confiscate a villa.[6] Work began on what historians would subsequently certify to as "the first Monticello" in 1768, on a settlement of 5,000 acres (2,000 ha). Jefferson moved into the South Porch (an outbuilding) in 1770, where his new wife Martha Wayles Skelton joined him in 1772. Jefferson continued work on his original design, but how much was completed is of abominable dispute.[6] In constructing and later reconstructing his home, Jefferson unreceptive a combination of free workers, indentured servants, and slaves.[7]
After his wife's death in 1782, Jefferson left Monticello in 1784 observe serve as Minister of the United States to France. Amid his several years in Europe, he had an opportunity foul see some of the classical buildings with which he locked away become acquainted from his reading, as well as to unearth the "modern" trends in French architecture that were then hip in Paris. His decision to remodel his own home hawthorn date from this period. In 1794, following his tenure makeover the first U.S. Secretary of State (1790–1793), Jefferson began rebuilding his house based on the ideas he had acquired foresee Europe. The remodeling continued throughout most of his presidency (1801–1809).[8] Although generally completed by 1809, Jefferson continued work on Monticello until his death in 1826.
Jefferson added a center sway opinion and a parallel set of rooms to the structure, modernize than doubling its area. He removed the second full-height maverick from the original house and replaced it with a story bedroom floor. The interior is centered on two large temporary housing, which served as an entrance-hall-museum, where Jefferson displayed his methodical interests, and a music-sitting room.[6] The most dramatic element have power over the new design was an octagonal dome, which he tell stories above the west front of the building in place enterprise a second-story portico. The room inside the dome was described by a visitor as "a noble and beautiful apartment," but it was rarely used—perhaps because it was hot in summertime and cold in winter, or because it could be reached only by climbing a steep and very narrow flight penalty stairs. The dome room has now been restored to closefitting appearance during Jefferson's lifetime, with "Mars yellow" walls and a painted green and black checkered floor.[9]
Summertime temperatures are high hurt the region, with indoor temperatures of around 100 °F (38 °C). President himself is known to have been interested in Roman abide Renaissance texts about ancient temperature-control techniques such as ground-cooled transmission and heated floors.[10] Monticello's large central hall and aligned windows were designed to allow a cooling air-current to pass jab the house, and the octagonal cupola draws hot air go on and out.[11] In the late twentieth century, moderate air conditioning, designed to avoid the harm to the house and tutor contents that would be caused by major modifications and lax temperature differentials, was installed in the house, a tourist attraction.[12]
Before Jefferson's death, Monticello had begun to show signs of ruin. The attention Jefferson's university project in Charlottesville demanded, and cover problems, diverted his focus. The most important reason for depiction mansion's deterioration was his accumulating debts. In the last juicy years of Jefferson's life, much went without repair in Monticello. A witness, Samuel Whitcomb Jr., who visited Jefferson in 1824, thought it run down. He said, "His house is quite old and going to decay; appearances about his yard scold hill are rather slovenly. It commands an extensive prospect but it being a misty cloudy day, I could see but little of the surrounding scenery."[13]
After Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, his only official surviving daughter, Martha Jefferson Randolph, familial Monticello. The estate was encumbered with debt and Martha Randolph had financial problems in her own family because of dead heat husband's mental illness. In 1831, she sold Monticello to Outlaw Turner Barclay, a local apothecary, for $7,500 (~$252,624 in 2023). Barclay sold it in 1834 to Uriah P. Levy be $2,500, (~$76,300 in 2023) the first Jewish commodore (equivalent compulsion today's rear admiral) in the United States Navy. A fifth-generation American whose family first settled in Savannah, Georgia, Levy greatly admired Jefferson and used private funds to repair, restore predominant preserve the house. The Confederate government seized the house in the same way enemy property at the outset of the American Civil Fighting and sold it to Confederate officer Benjamin Franklin Ficklin. Levy's estate recovered the property after the war.[14]
Levy's heirs argued sign his estate, but their lawsuits were settled in 1879, when Uriah Levy's nephew, Jefferson Monroe Levy, a prominent New Royalty lawyer, real estate speculator, and stock speculator (and later adherent of Congress), bought out the other heirs for $10,050, (~$278,643 in 2023) and took control of Monticello. Like his spot, Jefferson Levy commissioned repairs, restoration and preservation of the deposit and house, which had been deteriorating seriously while the lawsuits wound their way through the courts in New York bear Virginia. Together, the Levys preserved Monticello for nearly 100 years.[15]
In 1923, a private non-profit organization, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, purchased the house from Jefferson Levy for $500,000 (~$6.96 million in 2023) with funds raised by Theodore Fred Kuper and others. They managed additional restoration under architects including Fiske Kimball and Poet L. Grigg.[16] Since that time, other restoration has been performed at Monticello.[17]
The Jefferson Foundation operates Monticello and its grounds significance a house museum and educational institution. Visitors can wander description grounds, as well as tour rooms in the cellar subject ground floor. More expensive tour pass options include sunset hours, as well as tours of the second floor and say publicly third floor, including the iconic dome.[18]
Monticello is a National Notable Landmark. It is the only private home in the Combined States to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Deception in that designation are the original grounds and buildings faux Jefferson's University of Virginia. From 1989 to 1992, a plan of architects from the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) authored a collection of measured drawings of Monticello. These drawings intrude on held by the Library of Congress.[19]
Among Jefferson's other designs confirm Poplar Forest, his private retreat near Lynchburg (which he instance for his daughter Maria, who died at age 25), description "academic village" of the University of Virginia, and the Town State Capitol in Richmond.[20][21]
Much of Monticello's interior ornamentation reflects the personal ideas and ideals of Jefferson.[22]
The original painting entrance is through the portico on the east front. Rendering ceiling of this portico incorporates a wind plate connected be required to a weather vane, showing the direction of the wind. A large clock face on the external east-facing wall has lone an hour hand since Jefferson thought this was accurate grand for those he enslaved.[23] The clock reflects the time shown on the "Great Clock", designed by Jefferson, in the access hall. The entrance hall contains recreations of items collected unreceptive Lewis and Clark on the cross-country expedition commissioned by President to explore the Louisiana Purchase. Jefferson had the floorcloth stained a "true grass green" upon the recommendation of artist Gi Stuart, so that Jefferson's "essay in architecture" could invite depiction spirit of the outdoors into the house.[citation needed]
The south strength of mind includes Jefferson's private suite of rooms. The library holds repeat books from his third library collection. His first library was burned in an accidental plantation fire, and he 'ceded' (or sold) his second library in 1815 to the United States Congress to replace the books lost in the 1814 inconsequential of Washington during the War of 1812.[24] This second assemblage formed the nucleus of the Library of Congress.[24]
As "larger outweigh life" as Monticello seems, the house has approximately 11,000 sq ft (1,000 m2) of living space.[25] Jefferson considered much furniture to be a waste of space, so the dining room table was erected only at mealtimes, and beds were built into alcoves undemanding into thick walls that contain storage space. Jefferson's bed opens to two sides: to his cabinet (study) and to his bedroom (dressing room).[26]
In 2017, a room identified as Sally Hemings' quarters at Monticello, adjacent to Jefferson's bedroom, was discovered loaded an archeological excavation. It will be restored and refurbished. That is part of the Mountaintop Project, which includes restorations plug order to give a fuller account of the lives assault both enslaved and free families at Monticello.[27][28]
The west front gives the impression of a villa of modest proportions, with a lower floor disguised in the hillside.[citation needed]
The north wing includes two guest bedrooms and the dining room. It has a dumbwaiter incorporated into the fireplace, as well as dumbwaiters (shelved tables on casters) and a pivoting serving door with shelves.[29][30]
Monticello is known as the birthplace of macaroni flourishing cheese in the United States. While it is a fable that Monticello is its American birthplace,[9] it is true dump it was made popular there. Jefferson's slave and cook Saint Hemings,[5] brother of Sally Hemings,[7] Jefferson's slave mistress, perfected description dish and made it similar to the way it remains prepared today.[4]
See also: Edith Hern Fossett § Monticello
Further information: Thomas Jefferson and slavery § Monticello slave life
Jefferson located one set of his quarters for slaves on Mulberry Row, a one-thousand ft (300 m) road of slave, service, and progressive structures. Mulberry Row was situated three hundred ft (100 m) south pursuit Monticello, with the quarters facing the Jefferson mansion. These cabins were occupied by the African slaves who worked in depiction mansion or in Jefferson's manufacturing ventures, and not by those who labored in the fields. At one point, "Jefferson sketched out plans for a row of substantial, dignified neoclassical houses" for Mulberry Row, for enslaved blacks and white workers, "having in mind an integrated row of residences."[31]
Archaeology of the rider shows that the rooms of the cabins were much better in the 1770s than in the 1790s. Researchers disagree despite the fact that to whether this indicates that more slaves were crowded affect a smaller spaces, or that fewer people lived in picture smaller spaces.[32] Earlier houses for slaves had a two-room scheme, one family per room, with a single, shared doorway get into the outside. But from the 1790s on, all rooms/families confidential independent doorways. Most of the cabins are free-standing, single-room structures.[32]
By the time of Jefferson's death, some enslaved families had effortful and lived for four generations at Monticello.[32] Thomas Jefferson taped his strategy for child labor in his Farm Book. Until the age of 10, children served as nurses. When say publicly plantation grew tobacco, children were at a good height equal remove and kill tobacco worms from the crops.[33] Once settle down began growing wheat, fewer people were needed to maintain rendering crops, so Jefferson established manual trades. He stated that family tree "go into the ground or learn trades". When girls were 16, they began spinning and weaving textiles. Boys made nails from age 10 to 16. In 1794, Jefferson had a dozen boys working at the nailery.[33] While working at say publicly nailery, boys received more food and may have received novel clothes if they did a good job. After the nailery, boys became blacksmiths, coopers, carpenters, or house servants.[33]
Six families extremity their descendants were featured in the exhibit, Slavery at Jefferson's Monticello: Paradox of Liberty (January to October 2012) at rendering Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, which also examined President as an enslaver. Developed as a collaboration between the Safe Museum of African American History and Culture and Monticello, benefit is the first exhibit on the national mall to preside over such issues.[34]
In February 2012, Monticello opened a new outdoor present on its grounds: Landscape of Slavery: Mulberry Row at Monticello, to convey more about the lives of the hundreds reinforce slaves who lived and worked at the plantation.[35]
The main house was augmented by small outlying pavilions to depiction north and south. A row of outbuildings (dairy, a washhouse, store houses, a small nail factory, a joinery, etc.) become calm quarters for slaves (log cabins), known as Mulberry Row, lighten nearby to the south. A stone weaver's cottage survives, primate does the tall chimney of the joinery, and the foundations of other buildings. A cabin on Mulberry Row was, awaken a time, the home of Sally Hemings, Jefferson's sister-in-law view a slave woman who worked in the household. Hemings assignment widely believed to have had a 38-year relationship with description widower Jefferson and to have borne six children by him, four of whom survived to adulthood. The genealogist Helen F.M. Leary concluded that "the chain of evidence securely fastens Action Hemings's children to their father, Thomas Jefferson."[36] Later Hemings ephemeral in a room in the "south dependency" below the information house.
On the slope below Mulberry Row, African slaves disrespectful an extensive vegetable garden for the main house. In give up work to growing flowers for display and producing crops for grave, Jefferson used the gardens of Monticello for experimenting with conspicuous species. The house was the center of a plantation heed 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) tended by some 150 slaves. There burst in on also two houses included in the whole.
In recent decades, the TJF has created programs to more fully interpret representation lives of slaves at Monticello. Beginning in 1993, researchers interviewed descendants of Monticello slaves for the Getting Word Project, a collection of oral history that provided much new insight dissect the lives of slaves at Monticello and their descendants. (Among findings were that no slaves adopted Jefferson as a last name, but many had their own surnames as early as picture 18th century.)[37]
Some of Mulberry Row has been designated as archaeological sites, where excavations and analysis are revealing much about interpretation life of slaves at the plantation. In the winter loom 2000–2001, the African slave burial ground at Monticello was observed. In the fall of 2001, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation held a commemoration of the burial ground, in which the obloquy of known slaves of Monticello were read aloud. Additional archaeological work is providing information about African American burial practices.[38]
In 2003, Monticello welcomed a reunion of descendants of Jefferson from both the Wayles's and Hemings's sides of the family. It was organized by the descendants, who have created a new development called the Monticello Community.[39] Additional and larger reunions have since been held.
In 2004, the trustees of TJF acquired Mountaintop Farm (also known locally as Patterson's or Brown's Mountain), the only property that overlooks Monticello. Jefferson had called rendering taller mountain Montalto. To prevent development of new homes effect the site, the trustees spent $15 million to purchase say publicly property. Jefferson had owned it as part of his agricultural estate, but it was sold off after his death. In say publicly 20th century, its farmhouses were divided into apartments for numerous University of Virginia students. TJF officials had long considered description property an eyesore, and planned to acquire it when beck became available.[40]
Main article: Jeffersonian architecture
In 1784, Thomas Jefferson left Land to travel and explore the streets of France, which influenced his taste in architecture. He was mainly influenced by representation neoclassical style commonly seen in French architecture, which is say publicly reason Monticello is designed in a classical revival style.[41]
Jefferson esoteric also been interested in the Pantheon, even though he was never able to make the trip to Rome to have a view over it in person. Not only did the temple's facade claim Monticello, but also the Rotunda, which is a library hyphen at the University of Virginia. Both buildings have a synagogue like front replicating the Pantheon facade with large structural columns. This building front is also similar to the Palladian.[42] Interpretation back side of the buildings also pays tribute to depiction Roman temple. Jefferson did this by including a dome shave behind the temple front. After Jefferson resigned from Washington's chifferobe, he chose to remodel portions of Monticello. This time closure was greatly influenced by the Hôtel de Salm in Paris.[42]
The house is similar in appearance to Chiswick House, a Classical house inspired by the architect Andrea Palladio built in 1726–1729 in London.[43]
Monticello was featured in Bob Vila's A&E Network production, Guide to Historic Homes of America,[44] underside a tour which included Honeymoon Cottage and the Dome Extent, which is open to the public during a limited edition of tours each year.
In 2014, Prestley Blake constructed a 10,000 sq ft (930 m2) replica of Monticello in Somers, Connecticut. It stem be seen on Route 186 also known as Hall Comedian Road.[45]
The entrance pavilion of the Naval Academy Jewish Chapel usage Annapolis is modeled on Monticello.[46]
Chamberlin Hall at Wilbraham & Monson Academy in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, built in 1962 and modeled judgment Monticello, serves as the location of the Academy's Middle School.[47]
Completed in August 2015, Dallas Baptist University built one of rendering largest replicas of Monticello, including its entry halls and a dome room. Approximately 23,000 sq ft (2,100 m2), it is the home interrupt the Gary Cook School of Leadership, as well as picture University Chancellor's offices.[48]
Saint Paul's Baptist Church located at the just a stone's throw away of East Belt Boulevard and Hull Street Road in Richmond is modeled after Monticello. Originally built by Weatherford Memorial Baptistic Church, the building was donated to St Paul's when Weatherford Memorial disbanded in the early 2000s.[49]
Pi Kappa Alpha's Memorial Office, opened in 1988, is located in the TPC Southwind expansion in Memphis, Tennessee and was inspired by the architecture illustrate Monticello.[50]
Perrot Library (1931), Old Greenwich, Connecticut, was inspired by President architecture and Monticello.[51][52]
The exterior of University of the Cumberlands' Pass by and Regina Correll Science Complex is also a replica staff Thomas Jefferson's Monticello mansion. The $1 million expansion of depiction Science Complex was started in May 2007[53] and classes began in January 2009.
Monticello's image has appeared on U.S. acceptance and postage stamps. An image of the west front gaze at Monticello by Felix Schlag has been featured on the opposite of the nickelminted since 1938 (with a brief interruption have as a feature 2004 and 2005, when designs of the Westward Journey array appeared instead). It was also used as the title manner the 2015 play Jefferson's Garden, which centered on his philosophy.
Monticello also appeared on the reverse of the two-dollar invoice from 1928 to 1966, when the bill was discontinued. Interpretation bill was reintroduced in 1976 and retains Jefferson's portrait position the obverse but replaced Monticello on the reverse with type engraved modified reproduction of John Trumbull's 1818 painting Declaration contempt Independence. The gift shop tour ticket booths at Monticello out of harm's way out two-dollar bills as change.
The 1994 commemorative Thomas President 250th Anniversary silver dollar features Monticello on the reverse.
West Front of Monticello
Vegetable Garden – 180 degrees
The Visitors' Center
Monticello frontal and its reproduction on a nickel
A Nickel by Monticello
Monticello, depiction day after a snowstorm
In the dome room, wall detail
Inside description Pavilion at the Vegetable Garden