Story
“I cannot live without books.”
Endrina Tay, Fiske and Marie Kimball Librarian, explores Thomas Jefferson's decision to sell his beloved personal library to the Library of Congress.
Stories
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![A family of four is taking a photo on the West Lawn of Monticello with the house in the background.]()
StoryTips for Families
Perched atop a Virginia mountain, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is more than a historic house — it's a place where American history comes alive in ways that genuinely surprise people, young and old.
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![A person holding Thomas Jefferson's tiny notebook in their gloved hand.]()
StoryThomas Jefferson: A History in Lists
Evan Friss, 2026 Spring Cohort Fellow at Monticello’s International Center for Jefferson Studies, reflects on Jefferson's tiny ivory notebook—and finds in its meticulous lists of gooseberries, market days, and slippers a window into the mind of history's most compulsive record-keeper.
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![Image of Spring fellows MaKshya Tolbert, Tony Boll, Evan Friss, and Kori Price. Photo by Aleen Carey.]()
StoryBuilding Fellowship: Inside Monticello's Scholar Community
Nicole Brown, a historian at Monticello’s International Center for Jefferson Studies, shares how a reimagined fellowship program is cultivating the next generation of scholars—blending independent research with a rich, collaborative community of experts.
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Story5 New Features to Try on the New Monticello.org Website
Whether you’re planning your 2026 visit or diving into the history of America’s founding, check out these five new features in the latest version of Monticello’s website.
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![Stylized graphic of Monticello and surrounding grounds in shades of blue with the words "CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN/Discover America" in the top middle.]()
StoryClimb the Mountain, Discover America: Monticello’s Next Chapter
Dr. Jane Kamensky, President & CEO, Thomas Jefferson Foundation, discusses Monticello's new strategic plan: “Climb the Mountain, Discover America.”
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Story2025 Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony at Monticello with Ken Burns
On July 4, 2025, Monticello marked the 249th anniversary of the country with award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns as our keynote speaker.
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![Side by side images of the West Front of Monticello with a podium and American and Virginia flags on the left and a portrait of Bryan Stevenson on the right.]()
Story2025 Founders Day Celebration at Monticello
Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, gives the keynote speech at Monticello's annual Founders Day event.
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StoryDr. Kerri Greenidge on "The Grimkes: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family"
Award-winning historian Kerri Greenidge, discusses "The Grimkes" as part of Monticello's Pursuits of Knowledge series
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![Aerial photo from Monticello rendered in black and white.]()
StoryMonticello Blog Archive
An archive of Monticello blog posts saved as pdfs.
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![Lower jawbone of an American Mastodon]()
Story5 Surprising Facts About Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was a man of many interests and accomplished a lot in his lifetime. Here are a few things you might not know about this Founder.
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![Jane Kamensky speaking from the podium on Founder']()
StoryRoundabout with Jane Kamensky: First 100 Days as President of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation
A behind-the-scenes look at Jane Kamensky's first one hundred days at Monticello.
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![Side-by-side images of Monticello's West Portico with flags and podium and a headshot of Julieanna Richardson.]()
Story2024 Founders Day Celebration at Monticello
In 2024, Julieanna L. Richardson, the Thomas Jefferson Citizen Leadership Medalist, was the the keynote speaker at Monticello's annual Founders Day Celebration.
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StoryRemembering Daniel P. Jordan, 1938 - 2024
We at Monticello are deeply saddened by the passing of Dan Jordan, former President of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation.
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![A collection of several varieties of apples set out on a wooden bench.]()
StoryCider at Monticello
A quick primer for the history of cider and cider-making at Monticello.
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![A large leather-bound book with a number 2 pencil for scale. The book is at least 3 inches thick.]()
Story”My Ancient Friend and Classmate” - Honoring a lasting friendship
Thomas Jefferson and James Maury
