In the summer of 1801, Elder John Leland persuaded the ladies of his Baptist congregation in Cheshire, Massachusetts, to manufacture a "mammoth cheese."[1] He intended to present it to President Jefferson in honor of his republicanism and his support of religious liberty.
Guests to Monticello noted that the first dinner bell customarily rang at three o'clock, and the second called them to the table at four. When they arrived in the Dining Room, they quite likely found Thomas Jefferson reading. Having a self-described "canine appetite for reading" and hating to waste even a moment waiting for others to gather, he kept books on the fireplace mantel.
"A Greater Eye To Convenience "
Jefferson filled Monticello with gadgets designed with "a greater eye to convenience," and the dining room contains many examples.
It's a topic that has proved endlessly fascinating for a long time (and has inspired quite a body of writing): Thomas Jefferson and his love of wine. It's probably because a lot of us can sympathize.
Explore Thomas Jefferson's longstanding interest in wine and his pioneering experiments in grape-growing through our special tours that focus on Jefferson's exposure to European wines, his attempts to grow wine grapes at Monticello, the storage and service of wine at his home, and related topics.
