Moving right along!

Friday,May 14

Drove to Monticello...about 1/2 hour away...Daras and I had visited about 15 years ago...but the system was totally different this time. Previously we were able to drive directly up the hill to the home and park nearby at a convenient parking lot...and then liesurely walk across the beautiful lawns appreciating the view of the house until we reached it to enter. But now, we had to park far down below, buy our admission ticket and take a shutlle bus to the summit...and it was so crowded. We joined a tour and tended to compare the interior and it's presentation to that at Poplar Forest, and we both concluded that the visit to Poplar Forest was superior. We had been informed that Jefferson had made changes that the thought were improvements in the newer home...and it was obvious. Not many of us get that type of "second chance"! I had the opportunity however to ask specific questions of the tour guide relative to Jefferson at that time of his life, and it was suggested that I visit the Jefferson Library Research Center which was about a 1/2 mile down the road, and she was kind enough to phone ahead assuring that I could gain entrance. It was raining when we left, but an easy drive and when I entered was warmly greeted, which was very kind. It was necessary to fill out identification papoers and then I was ushered into the very spacious and obviously copiously stocked library shelves of what appeared to be every book published about Jefferson..A librarian took my requests, and walked with me to the proper locations, allowing me to inspect the books and then suggesting that if I desired having anything copied she would be pleased to accomodate me...How nice, but I suggested that if I jotted down the names of the books, it would most likely be more beneficial for me to attempt to purchase them for my personal use..She agreed and it was done.
We left in the rain again and drove toward the Ashland/ Highland Farm home of President James Monroe. It was an attractive, somewhat more modest appearing frame house, and upon entering we found the furnished rooms smaller than Monticello. There wer many portraits of his friends and members of his family hung on all the walls. There were pictures of Franklin, Washington, Adams and himself noted among those of family. He evidently had a family relationship with the then Queen of Holland. We were then escorted down 3 steps into a lower level of an attached building in the rear. We were informed that this indeed was the original portion of the house which in it's origin was probably much larger. The forward section evidently had been added more recently after a catastrophic fire had damaged that portion. It was so obvious when it was pointed out to us, since the ceiling height in the older section was much lower, and in fact there was tunnel-like low ceilinged pass through which entered via a doorway into a room with sloping floors. This had been an open porch which had been closed-in.

James Monroe was about 6 feet, one inch in height and his wife was apparently quite dainty, pretty, slim and under 5 feet, weighing less than 100 pounds! We were shown one of her dresses on a form in one of the bedrooms and Daras' mentioned that "she was born bigger than that"! James Monroe dropped out of William and Mary University during the beginning of the Revolutionary war and joined the Continental Army. Following the war he became an apprentice in Law to Thomas Jefferson, and it was during this time that their warm friendship commenced. It was Jefferson who subsequently induced the younger Monroe to but the plantattion adjacent to his, and build his house there. As a result their plantations bordered each other.
Monroe's wife was sickly during the latter part of her life, while he was President, which is suspect today of having Epilepsy., since she suffered of "seizures". Therfore his daughter, Eliza substituted for her as hostess in the White House.
Her youger sister had the distinction of being the first one wedded in the White House when she married her 1st cousin, Samuel L. Goveourner( sp?) . Since Monroe had spent much time abroad as Ambassador to France, he developed a strong relationship with France, and as a result the majority of the furnishings and art in the house were of French design.. .. Indeed, it was said that he and his wife frequently had conversations with each other in French.

When this visit terminated we attempted to return to the Rotunda of the University of Virginia for a tourist visit, but the combination of rain, busy commuter traffic and the lack of a parking space dissuaded the visit....so we set the Gps and headed for the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. We arrived near closing time...found a suitable nights lodging, had dinner and to bed!