Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

We had one full day at the Outer Banks, exploring the area a bit more. It is truly beautiful and different. The Outer Banks of North Carolina Though everything we saw and all the places we ventured to were beautiful. And everywhere we went there was so much history just waiting to to be discovered and learned.

On the last day of our trip, we toured around more of the Outer Banks and the Crystal Coast area. Our first stop for the day was Fort Macon. Fort Macon is surrounded by water on three sides and it is located outside of Beaufort, North Carolina. The Carolina waters and inlets provided a safe haven for sailors, seafarers and pirates alike, which meant there was often danger lurking about in the surrounding waters. The inlets were in constant danger of being raided by pirates or hostile nations. The need for protection for the area first became evident in 1747, when Spanish raiders attacked the British Colonists and captured the town of Beaufort for several days. Beaufort was captured once again, this time by the British, in 1782. Plans for construction of a fort were first started in 1756, but were not completed until 1808, meaning the coast was left unprotected and vulnerable for all those years in between. The first fort was Fort Dobbs. Unfortunately, however, Fort Hobbs was destroyed by a hurricane in 1825. Fort Macon was constructed a year later, and still stands today.

Fort Macon was constructed after the Revolutionary War, but was used as a fort during the American Civil War. Depending on which side you were fighting for, it was either good news or bad news, when at the start of the Civil War, Fort Macon, which is located in the South or the Confederate States, was seized by the Union or Northern soldiers. The Confederates regained control of the fort, only to have it be seized once again by the Union soldiers in 1862. The fort served as a coaling station for the Union Navy for the duration of the war.

After the Civil War, Fort Macon was used as a Federal Prison from 1867-1876. Like Alcatraz, off the coast of San Francisco, the warden and some of the prison guards and their families lived on the premises. They lived in what was called “collapsible houses”, which just meant they were easy to construct and take down, and they were not fancy or elaborate at all.

The local “grocery store” for the residents was located in one of the cells.

Because of the isolation everything was made on site as much as possible. Certainly all the food was made and/or grown on site as much as possible. Here is the bakery oven used to bake all the bread. Rumor has it, the bread was like bricks and if not eaten right away, could be used as a brick or like a weapon.

Out tour guide was “convinced” this was the actual bread from the day, rather than just replicas, because the bread was notoriously so bad and so hard.

Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and informative which made the tour very interesting.

Fort Macon was officially recruited for service one more time, during WWII. Unofficially though, it is still used for “battles” today. On the day we were there, there was a Star Wars photo shoot taking place, so we got to see some Star Wars and intergalactic action too, which made our visit even more fun and unique.

Fort Macon is located in Carteret County on the eastern end of Bogue Banks, between US 70 from Morehead City and South of N.C. 58, crossing the bridge to Atlantic Beach, at 2303 E. Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach, N.C. 28512. You can contact them either by phone at (252) 726-3775 or online at fort.macon@ncparks.gov or http://www.ncparks.gov. You just never know what you are going to see or who you are going to meet and that always makes life much more interesting.

We are now on the last legs of our trip, and will soon be heading home (per this recitation. We have already been home for about 2 weeks in reality). We flew in and out of Charlotte North Carolina. At the beginning of our trip, we took the Blue Ridge Parkway through the Blue Ridge Mountains heading into Virginia First Stop – Charlotte, North Carolina. Going back to Charlotte, we took the coastal route, known as the Outer Banks. They were very beautiful, and they too are filled with a rich and colorful history, from Indians, to European settlers to the first flight made by the Wright Brothers to pirates, Blackbeard in particular.

The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a 200-mile (320 km) string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separating Currituck Sound, Albemarle Sound, and Pamlico Sound from the Atlantic Ocean. 

I called this island “Bird” or “Frigate” Island, but I have no idea if this is really the name or not. There were 1000’s of frigate birds out on the island. Before getting onto the ferry, I tried and tried to get some good shots of the frigates, not knowing that in a very short time, I would see 1000’s of them.

Before bridges were built in the 1930s, the only form of transport between or off the islands was by boat, which allowed for the islands to stay isolated from much of the rest of the mainland.

Getting onto the ferry at Hatteras Island. This ferry ride took a little over an an hour. We were headed to Okracoke Island. Once on Okracoke Island, we took another ferry to get us back over to the mainland. That ferry took about 2 1/2 hours. We even saw some dolphins on that part of the journey, but they were too fast and I could not get any pictures of them.

This day was a VERY long day of nothing but travel. We were completely frazzled by the end of the day. We left Richmond, VA about 8:30 AM and did not arrive at our hotel in Jacksonville, NC until about 10:30 PM. We barely had time to stop and enjoy things because we had the two ferries to catch that we had reservations for. The pictures I got were all from just along the way.

The outer banks have unusual weather patterns because of their unique geographical location. As the islands are jutted out from the eastern seaboard into the Atlantic Gulf Stream, the Outer Banks has a predisposition to be affected by hurricanes, Nor’easters (usually in the form of rain, and rarely snow or mixed precipitation), and other ocean-driven storms. Because of the propensity for heavy rains, storms and hurricanes, all of the homes are built up high on stilts.

Here are some shots I got while island hopping. I would have loved to have spent a lot more time here, and gone diving too. This is a diving location known for all its wrecks. Maybe next time. I did get to see a lot of pelicans though.

These are brown pelicans, unlike the American white pelicans we have here at home.

Some residents of the Outer Banks, known as wreckers, made part of their living by scavenging wrecked ships—or by luring ships to their destruction. Horses with lanterns tied to their necks would be walked along the beach; the lanterns’ up and down motion would appear to ships to represent clear water and a ship ahead; the unsuspecting captain would then drive his ship ashore following this false light.^[21] Ocracoke was the last refuge of pirate Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard. It is also where the infamous pirate was killed November 22, 1718, in a fierce battle with troops from Virginia.

The Outer Banks were sites of early settlement in the United States and remain important economic and cultural sites. Most notably the English Roanoke Colony vanished from Roanoke Island in 1587 and was the first location where an English person was born in the Americas, Virginia Dare was born.^[2] The hundreds of shipwrecks along the Outer Banks have given the surrounding seas the nickname Graveyard of the Atlantic. The Outer Banks were also home to the Wright brothers‘ first flight in a controlled, powered, heavier-than-air vehicle on December 17, 1903, at Kill Devil Hills.

Once we got off the ferries, we drove along the marshes for quite some time.

We hit some heavy rain, but it didn’t last too long, and it gave a us a beautiful rainbow too. At the end of the day, we were presented with a gorgeous sunset. It was a great ending to a very long day of travel.

From the American Revolutionary Museum Learning Our History – Part 2 – Yorktown we ventured out to the actual battlegrounds of Yorktown. Here at Yorktown, in the fall of 1781, General George Washington, with allied American and French forces, besieged General Charles Lord Cornwallis’s British army.  On October 19, Cornwallis surrendered, effectively ending the war and ensuring independence.  We downloaded the app that gave us the history of each location as we toured around the sites. It was very interesting and informative.

I had taken a whole bunch of pictures from the area, but somehow, they got lost in the shadows of cyberspace. I have no idea where they went, but I will give your some generic shots and re-enactment shots to help with visuals. I really felt like I was reliving those Revolutionary days.

The battles were fought both on land and sea.

The grounds of Yorktown, as well as so many other places around the Colonial parts, are hallowed grounds indeed. But here at Yorktown, battles were fought for freedom during both the Revolutionary War as well as in the Civil War. Much thanks and gratitude to all the brave men who fought and sacrificed in the name of freedom. Long live freedom. Long live the land of the free and the home of the brave.

After visiting Williamsburg, Learning Our History – Part 1 – Williamsburg and feasting at Dog Street Pub Lunch in Williamsburg we were ready for more explorations into our early American and Revolutionary history. Next stop, Yorktown.

Yorktown was established by Virginia’s colonial government in 1691 to regulate trade and to collect taxes on both imports and exports for Great Britain. By the early 1700s, Yorktown had emerged as a major Virginia port and economic center. A well-developed waterfront boasted wharves, docks, storehouses and businesses. But Yorktown will forever go down in history as the place where British General Lord Charles Cornwallis and his army surrendered to General George Washington’s American force and its French allies at the Battle of Yorktown on October 19, 1781, it was more than just military win. The outcome in Yorktown, Virginia marked the conclusion of the last major battle of the American Revolution and the start of a new nation’s independence. Yorktown is the official birthplace of the then new country, America. Today, it is a historic tourist destination, visited by millions every year.

Our first stop in Yorktown was the American Revolutionary Museum, located at 200 Water St, Yorktown, VA 23690. Their phone number is (757) 253-4838. It was fascinating to learn more about the makings of America. The museum presented everything beautifully. There were videos, artifacts and living history portrayals and re-enactments too. We felt like we had stepped back in time, back to the days of the Revolutionary War.

These are all the flags from the original 13 colonies.

When you first walk in, you are greeted by “The Wings of Victory”. The Winged Victory of Samothrace, also called the Nike of Samothrace, is a marble Hellenistic sculpture of Nike (the Greek goddess of victory), that was created in about the 2nd century BC. 

The display and presentation of the Revolutionary War uniforms, from both the British and the Colonials, was very impressive and informative.

We learned how George Washington and his men got secret information out without it being detected by the British. Ingenious secret codes were used by everyone to help spread the information. When the women were doing the washing, if they put red out on the clothing lines it meant the Red Coats were near. Each red item represented a troop. For instance, one red sock meant there was one troop, two red socks meant there were two troops near by, and so on. We also got to see some of the secret code keys and learned how they were used to relay information. Only the messenger and the recipient had the keys to unlock the codes. Without the keys, they just looked like regular letters. There were many other ways of dispersing the information too. All of these crafty ways of spreading the word helped us win the war. Without them, who knows what might have happened.

As fascinating as all of this was though, I was really impressed with the living portrayals and re-enactments.

The encampments. Each encampment had around 400-500 men. Six men to a tent. Talk about tight quarters.

The largest tent was for the most senior ranking officer. They were easy to spot.

The General’s tent was the largest of all.

Each tent assigned one person to cook for the rest of their tent mates. This was a typical war time “kitchen”. I have cooked in many different kitchens in my day, and am comfortable in them all, but I think even I would be very challenged to cook in this “kitchen”. A big fire pit was created, with a moat around the hot spot to keep the flames away from the tents and the munitions. A lot of women followed their men from camp to camp and a lot of women did some of the cooking as well. We don’t realize how much the women contributed to the war efforts as they actually did. If you look behind the lady (at Larry’s foot), there is a box. These boxes were used to cook the food during the day, since it often took hours to cook. There was a box for each tent and they would be inserted into the hot spots to cook the food.

The surgeon’s tent was where all the medical needs were taken care of. They were very rudimentary, offering little in the form of medicines or equipment. There was usually only one “surgeon” per encampment, if they were lucky enough to even have one.

The munitions tent was where all the weapons were stored.

And the weapons themselves. These muskets were considered the best of their time. These were built for “speed” and not necessarily for accuracy, but their speed, at best, would be about 15-30 seconds in between each firing, all the while each soldier was being fired at and was in a constant cloud of smoke and confusion.

The typical life of the times was harsh and brutal at best. No one had an easy time of life in the Revolutionary days.

The homes people lived in were usually just one room homes, with either an attic or basement or both that served as sleeping quarters. These houses were often for very large families too.

The kitchens were separated from the house. Based on the look of it, they were communal kitchens too. Everyone grew their own food and shared it with the community.

Tobacco was the main cash crop of Virginia. This is a typical tobacco barn.

The Colonials were made of strong fibers in those days. They had so little but fought so hard and over came all obstacles that were thrown their way. And because of those battles fought and the hardships that were endured and the obstacles that were overcome, we became the United States of America. Thank you to all and for all your efforts.

All that walking around through history Learning Our History – Part 1 – Williamsburg gave us quite an appetite, so it was time to eat. We found a little place in town that served “traditional” English fare as well as other fine eats as well. It was called Dog Street Pub. Being the dog lover that I am, I love the name too. Dining at Dog Street Pub will allow you to step back in time to the days of Colonial America without being to far removed from the modern world. You will be sitting on the corners located between yesterday and today.

Dog Street Pub is an American Gastropub with an English accent. It was a bank building that was converted to a restaurant in 2012. “It is in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg and has been serving craft & elevated British influenced fare in a family friendly environment” since its inception.

I just love all the attention to detail here.

The night depository. Again, I just love all the attention to detail. I wish we paid so much attention to all the details today.

All this attention to detail was found in all the food and libations as well.

We have all heard of the Periodic Table of Elements used in chemistry and science, but here at Dog Street Pub, they also have a Periodic Table of Beers and Ales.

The Dog Street Pub specializes in traditional English food with a “revolutionary” American attitude. Everything was so good, AND there was so much of it. I think Larry was the only one who actually finished his food, plus he got quite a bit of mine as well. We all ordered something different and it was all scrumptiously delicious.

Larry ordered traditional fish & chips. I just had to try some as well. Perfect!

Marvin ordered Shepherd’s Pie with a dark ale on the side.

Lori feasted upon a brat burger with a homemade mustard sauce and a light lager.

And I ordered bangers and mash that came with collard greens. And of course, I had to sample a glass of Virginia red as well. Everything just hit the spot perfectly. We were all very full and completely satisfied after our British feast.

Dog Street Pub is located at 401 W. Duke of Glouchester Street in Williamsburg, VA. You can call them at (757) 293-6478 or contact them online at http://www.dogstreetpub.com. Either way, stop by and enjoy the food and stepping back in time to the early days of Colonial America.

After the wedding, A Wedding in West Virginia we spent a couple of days with one of Larry’s sisters and her husband, who live outside of Richmond, VA. They took us to Williamsburg first and from there we went to Yorktown. Both are so full of history, both Revolutionary and from the Civil War.

Williamsburg is the “Colonial Capital” of Virginia and is internationally known for its restoration activities and re-creation of 18th-century America at Colonial Williamsburg. Williamsburg was founded in 1632 as Middle Plantation, a fortified settlement on high ground between the James and York rivers. The city was the capital of the Colony and Commonwealth of Virginia from 1699 to 1780 and the center of political events in Virginia leading to the American Revolution. 

Today, Williamsburg is a tourist destination for those who love history, and particularly those who love history about the early days of America. Everything has been restored to represent what life was like in Revolutionary times. The city does a great job of re-enacting the history of the times. There are plenty of shops and restaurants and other buildings you can wonder through as well. You can stroll at leisure on your own, or you can take a guided tour. Either way, you will learn what life was like in the 18th century.

Life in 18th century Williamsburg was torn between the Loyalists, who wanted to remain part of England and still live under the Crown rules and the Patriots who wanted to break free.

This flag was known as the Grand Union flag, which was the first true U.S. flag .

The rise of the patriots. This gentleman was saying he can trace his roots back to the colonial days and his ancestors were part of the founding colonials of Williamsburg.

Life in the early colonial days. The women were out tending to the gardens.

The public transport of the day.

Everyone was on high alert and ready for action. This is the armory. It was always guarded by centuries.

Everyone was armed and many people had their muskets always at the ready.

While under British rule, a Governor was appointed and sent from England. This is the Governor’s mansion.

I believe this was the customs house.

The church was a central figure in everyone’s life. Bruton Parish Church is one of the oldest churches in America and it has been in continual service since 1715.

The Revolutionary War was a war fought for freedom for many, not just the Colonials. This is “Rochambeaux”, the famous French officer who aided the Patriots. There were also plenty of Germans who helped with the war efforts as well.

Only the educated elite knew how to read. Most people were illiterate. The signs to the businesses were in pictures so people knew where to go to attend their daily business.

The “Colonials”. Larry with his sister Lori and her husband Marvin.

I could have easily spent a lot more time here. I love history and I love to learn. I can only speak for myself, but spending the day here, and seeing how people lived, I gained even more appreciation for everything that people went through and the sacrifices they made for our freedoms that we enjoy today. Long live FREEDOM!

Last week was the first time I saw the goslings for the season. I saw them again today, and some of them already look like they are quickly growing into toddlers already. I thought I had better share them with you before the got all grown up and flew the coop.

These were the goslings last week.

The goslings today.

I have SO many good pictures from my walks to share, but I also still have a lot of other good stuff to share as well. I don’t want to inundate you with pictures all at one time. So have patience. You WILL get to see everything, just not all at once. 🙂

Virginia is rich with history, so it’s no surprise that the practice of winemaking in the Commonwealth dates back to 1609, when the earliest settlers of Jamestown planted vines in an attempt to produce a cash crop utilizing the vital soils of the New World.

But the journey to great vino didn’t happen overnight, and like a true American success story, Virginia wines overcame several disheartening failures over a 400 year span to become one of America’s leading wine producers. Today, the Commonwealth’s quality wines earn the respect of great winemakers and sommeliers all around the world, and with over 300 wineries, Virginia comes in 6th for the most wineries per state.  But Virginia’s first vintages and those to come for nearly three centuries were far from the respected quality of Virginia wines today.

Three distinct failures marked the Virginia wine industry since its inception. Early colonists, commissioned European winemakers, and even Thomas Jefferson, one of the most accomplished Americans, encountered difficulties that stalled the early settler’s plans to establish wine-making grapes as a cash crop in the New World. These failures and other significant roadblocks never deterred the spirit of innovation and drive to make Virginia a successful wine country, but rather pushed the Virginia wine industry to try again each time.

After giving up on utilizing Virginia’s native vines, the colonists decided to import a variety of French vines. In 1619, during the meeting of the first legislative assembly of the New World, the House of Burgesses passed Acte 12**, which required every male households in Virginia to plant ten vines of the imported vinifera grapes for the purpose of growing and making wine. One of the first settlers to follow, and even surpass, the requirements of the law, John Johnson, planted 85 acres on the land that is currently occupied by Williamsburg Winery. The vineyard recognizes the history of the region with their Acte 12 Chardonnay, a popular vintage for the winery. Several laws over the following 50 years attempted to coerce settlers into the cultivation of vineyards, but none were successful in the long run.

Thomas Jefferson, noted as America’s first wine connoisseur, was passionate about making Virginia a great wine-growing state. Along with George Washington, George Mason, and approximately 25 other early influential leaders, Jefferson started the Virginia Wine Company, whose aim was to finally establish vineyards as a cash crop in the state. But while Andrew Estave dealt with the vine crop failures on the eastern side of the state, Jefferson began experiencing his own frustrations with viticulture.

In 1773, he gave 2,000 acres of land adjacent to his home at Monticello to Italian viticulturist, Filippo Mazzei, and worked with him to plant the European Vitis vinifera vines. After careful study and research, they found some early success in their cultivation efforts, but this positive turn was unfortunately short-lived. Although there is some disagreement in the Virginia history community whether it was the start of the American Revolution or an infestation of pests, the vines were wiped out once again by misfortune. Today, you can still visit the grounds where Jefferson and Mazzei attempted to grow the vines, which are now home to the aptly named Jefferson Vineyards.

Jefferson’s failure to establish a successful vineyard did not discourage his passion for wine. In 1801, he was elected president and is said to have spent $10,000 on wine during his administration, considered a vast fortune in that time. He continued to persevere, pursuing his passion to see Virginia wines becomes successful. While his own personal crops did not find success, the influence and tenacity he brought to Virginia viticulture helped the winemaking industry gain momentum and recognition.

We did not stop at nearly as many wineries as I would have liked while on our journey through Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina, and in fact, we only went to two wineries, Parker-Binns in North Carolina First Stop – Charlotte, North Carolina and Jefferson Vineyards in Virginia. Both were very good wineries and I enjoyed the wines at both places very much. My only complaint was there were to many wines and not nearly enough time to try them all. I guess that just means I will have to go back again. 🙂

At Jefferson Vineyards I did a flight of wines that included a 2019 Viognier, a 2018 Rose, a 2018 Meritage and 2018 Vin Blanc. The Viognier was my favorite.

Jefferson Vineyards was beautiful with colorful flowers all around. It was definitely a taste of the good life indeed to sit in the gardens while relaxing with a glass of wine.

Jefferson Vineyards is celebrating its 4oth anniversary as a family owned and operated Virginia vineyard. It is owned by the Woodward Family. The Patriarch and Matriarch of the Vineyard, Stanley and Marie Jose Woodward, both lived in Europe for many years before settling in Virginia in 1992 and opening Jefferson Vineyards. It was in Spain and France where they both learned to love and appreciate the Old World vintages, and it is these old world vintages they specialize in today at Jefferson Vineyards. Jefferson Vineyards specializes in Old World wines and they try to stay as close to the flavors and traditions as Jefferson himself would have liked with his wines.

There’s a movement growing in Virginia vineyards…

A community of farmers perfecting their own agricultural art. They don’t bend to trends. They listen to their land, drawing out the story in every vine and every vintage. Crafting wines that embody the grace, grit and experimental spirit of Virginia.

Jefferson Vineyards is located at 1353 Thomas Jefferson Parkway, Charlottesville, VA. You can find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or at jeffersonvineyards.com. You can also give them a call at 434-977-3042. They are open Wed-Sunday, from 11-6.

Monticello is the estate and plantation of Thomas Jefferson. It sits at the top of the mountain overlooking 5000 acres of land. The Italian word Monticello translates to “little mountain”. In 1768, Jefferson began constructing his primary residence Monticello and construction did not finish until 1809. During those years, the house was built and torn down many times in the interim.  Jefferson spent most of his adult life designing Monticello as the architect and was quoted as saying, “[a]rchitecture is my delight, and putting up, and pulling down, one of my favorite amusements.” The actual construction was done mostly by local masons and carpenters, assisted by Jefferson’s slaves.

The garden view from the back of the house. There is a semi-circle around the house filled with beautiful, brightly colored flowers and plants that are the same kinds of flowers that were there in Jefferson’s day.

The wine cellar, beer cellar and kitchen, as well as some of the slave quarters and other buildings are located under the main house.

There were lots of irises lining the grounds,

as well as many other beautiful plants and flowers, some of which were quite exotic.

The kitchen.

The wine and beer cellars.

Monticello was a working plantation, as they all were, and almost everything was made on site.

This was the dressmakers hut.

Thomas Jefferson, as well as every other plantation owners at the time, owned slaves. Over his lifetime, he probably owned close to 200 or more slaves. This was a typical slaves’ hut.

There was also a working garden, but it was more of an experimental garden because Jefferson was trying to see what plants would grow in the region. It was called the 1000 yard garden.

Like most other wealthy families, a family graveyard was on site as well.

Thomas Jefferson himself is buried on his beloved grounds of Monticello.

Thomas Jefferson was a very complex man, filled with many dualities. As with most people, he had many extremely worthy qualities and talents, as well as some that were not. We cannot judge the man from then by the standards of today. He lived his life in accordance to the standards of his time. He accomplished many great things, and for those, we as a society will be forever grateful.

Monticello. Monticello is located outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. It means “little mountain” in Italian and it was the home and plantation of Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States. It was his home and pride and joy from 1770 until his death, in 1826. Thomas Jefferson inherited 5000 acres of land from his father, and this is the land that his beloved Monticello rests upon today. Thomas Jefferson is buried on the property that he loved so much as well. After retiring from public office, Jefferson founded the University of Virginia. Jefferson and his colleague John Adams both died on Independence Day, July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. 

Thomas Jefferson was very important man. He accomplished many things in his life, before, during and after his time as the third President of the United States. He was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father of our country, who served as the third President of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He had previously served as the second Vice President under John Adams between 1797 and 1801. The principal author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson was a proponent of democracy, republicanism, and individual rights, motivating American colonists to break from the Great Britain and form a new nation; he produced formative documents and decisions at both the state and national levels.

As president, Jefferson pursued the nation’s shipping and trade interests against Barbary pirates and aggressive British trade policies. Starting in 1803, Jefferson promoted a western expansionist policy, organizing the Louisiana Purchase which doubled the nation’s land area. To make room for settlement, Jefferson began a controversial process of Indian tribal removal from the newly acquired territory. As a result of peace negotiations with France, his administration reduced military forces. Jefferson was reelected in 1804. His second term was beset with difficulties at home, including the trial of former vice president Aaron Burr. In 1807, American foreign trade was diminished when Jefferson implemented the Embargo Act in response to British threats to U.S. shipping. The same year, Jefferson signed the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves.

Jefferson, while primarily a planter, lawyer and politician, mastered many disciplines, which ranged from surveying and mathematics to horticulture and mechanics. He was an architect in the classical tradition. Jefferson’s keen interest in religion and philosophy led to his presidency of the American Philosophical Society; he shunned organized religion but was influenced by Christianity, Epicureanism,^[1] and deism. A philologist, Jefferson knew several languages. He was a prolific letter writer and corresponded with many prominent people, including Edward Carrington, John Taylor of Caroline and James Madison. Among his books is Notes on the State of Virginia (1785), considered perhaps the most important American book published before 1800.^[2] Jefferson championed the ideals, values, and teachings of the Enlightenment.

Today, Monticello is a National Monument. It is a part of the living history of both the State of Virginia and the United States of America. It is an absolute beautiful work of design and architecture, designed by Thomas Jefferson himself, and everything is pretty much the same today as it was back when Thomas Jefferson resided there, due to his meticulous notetaking and archives.

While the main house on Monticello was being built, believe it or not, this tiny house was the original house where Thomas Jefferson and his first wife, Martha, lived during the construction. Because of the brickwork on the house, this was considered a luxurious home in the day.

The first room you walk into at Monticello is decorated with gifts and artifacts from the explorers Lewis and Clark, from their western explorations.

Thomas Jefferson’s private apartment and sleeping quarters. He slept in what was known at the time, especially all through Europe, as a sleeping alcove. It was a bed that was fitted in a closet-like compartment of two adjoining rooms and closed off by either doors or curtains or both.

The parlor also served as the music room.

I think this was the first thermometer that Jefferson was working on.

The dining room is painted in this bright yellow, which was considered a luxury and was only found in homes of the very wealthy. Look at the open door right beside the fireplace. It is the dumbwaiter for wines that were brought up from the wine cellar. Thomas Jefferson was quite a wine lover and wine connoisseur and was one of the first to introduce wines and winemaking to the newly formed United States.

Like all the houses at the time, the kitchen was separated from the main house. It was located outside with all the other outside structures and buildings.