Along with the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, this is one of the great preservation stories in American history! Uriah Levy and his appropriately named nephew, Jefferson Monroe Levy, knew that Monticello was important, unique, and needed saving. It was a pilgrimmage destination long...more »
Elizabeth Chew– Curatorial & Restoration, Monticello Staff
This is one of my favorite objects in the Monticello collection and it allows me to go off on one of my favorite topics. Among the Founders, Jefferson was basically unique in his understanding of the importance of how things look. He knew that form and style, whether of cities, buildings,...more »
Elizabeth Chew– Curatorial & Restoration, Monticello Staff
I have always been fascinated by the stories behind historic house museums (perhaps that's why I'm in this field) and Fiske Kimball and his wife Marie Kimball are major characters in the Monticello story. Our curatorial files are filled with copies of his letters, redolent of an era of...more »
Elizabeth Chew– Curatorial & Restoration, Monticello Staff
I like this image of the Tea Room for its simplicity. Along with the Greenhouse on the opposite end of the house, the Tea Room is my favorite space inside Monticello. Unfortunately,because of the demands of visitation, we have never really shown it properly. We use the Tea Room as the place to...more »
Elizabeth Chew– Curatorial & Restoration, Monticello Staff
Virginia is my favorite of Jefferson's six granddaughters. While not the most scholarly of the bunch, she was a lively and witty observer of life at Monticello and I think she would have been the most fun! Her letters are invaluable sources for family and material life at Monticello both...more »
Elizabeth Chew– Curatorial & Restoration, Monticello Staff
I completely agree with Anna. The Greenhouse and the Tea Room at the opposite end of the house are my favorite places inside Monticello. I think Jefferson was a genius (and I use that word REALLY sparingly) in the way he conceived the perimeter of the house as an extension of the living space....more »
Elizabeth Chew– Curatorial & Restoration, Monticello Staff
I think the first two statements uttered by the narrator in "Thomas Jefferson's World," our introductory film at the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center, go a long way towards a concise summary of TJ: "Thomas Jefferson believed human reason was the surest path to human progress....more »
Elizabeth Chew– Curatorial & Restoration, Monticello Staff
I have to pat myself on the back for this. The 90 second animation (found in the "To Try All Things: Monticello as Experiment" exhibition in the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center) was my idea, brought to perfect realization by the brilliant Salvatore Raciti of A More Perfect Union. We...more »
Elizabeth Chew– Curatorial & Restoration, Monticello Staff
One of the things I love about working at Monticello is being able to learn from the expertise of my colleagues. Before I began working here 10 years ago, I knew nothing about gardens or garden history. Many projects I have been involved with have required me to delve into this fascinating chunk...more »
Elizabeth Chew– Curatorial & Restoration, Monticello Staff
I think this is one of the most exciting research initiatives at Monticello. Our colleagues have located and interviewed numerous descendants of those who lived in slavery at Monticello to learn about what happened to individuals and families after Jefferson died and Monticello, as it had been,...more »
Elizabeth Chew– Curatorial & Restoration, Monticello Staff
This has got to be one of the more obscure chapters in the history of Monticello, but you could not make it up any better!more »
Along with the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, this is one of the great preservation stories in American history! Uriah Levy and his appropriately named nephew, Jefferson Monroe Levy, knew that Monticello was important, unique, and needed saving. It was a pilgrimmage destination long...more »
This is one of my favorite objects in the Monticello collection and it allows me to go off on one of my favorite topics. Among the Founders, Jefferson was basically unique in his understanding of the importance of how things look. He knew that form and style, whether of cities, buildings,...more »
I have always been fascinated by the stories behind historic house museums (perhaps that's why I'm in this field) and Fiske Kimball and his wife Marie Kimball are major characters in the Monticello story. Our curatorial files are filled with copies of his letters, redolent of an era of...more »
This is a fantastic example of our learned and witty librarians at work!more »
I like this image of the Tea Room for its simplicity. Along with the Greenhouse on the opposite end of the house, the Tea Room is my favorite space inside Monticello. Unfortunately,because of the demands of visitation, we have never really shown it properly. We use the Tea Room as the place to...more »
Virginia is my favorite of Jefferson's six granddaughters. While not the most scholarly of the bunch, she was a lively and witty observer of life at Monticello and I think she would have been the most fun! Her letters are invaluable sources for family and material life at Monticello both...more »
I completely agree with Anna. The Greenhouse and the Tea Room at the opposite end of the house are my favorite places inside Monticello. I think Jefferson was a genius (and I use that word REALLY sparingly) in the way he conceived the perimeter of the house as an extension of the living space....more »
I think the first two statements uttered by the narrator in "Thomas Jefferson's World," our introductory film at the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center, go a long way towards a concise summary of TJ: "Thomas Jefferson believed human reason was the surest path to human progress....more »
I have to pat myself on the back for this. The 90 second animation (found in the "To Try All Things: Monticello as Experiment" exhibition in the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center) was my idea, brought to perfect realization by the brilliant Salvatore Raciti of A More Perfect Union. We...more »
One of the things I love about working at Monticello is being able to learn from the expertise of my colleagues. Before I began working here 10 years ago, I knew nothing about gardens or garden history. Many projects I have been involved with have required me to delve into this fascinating chunk...more »
I think this is one of the most exciting research initiatives at Monticello. Our colleagues have located and interviewed numerous descendants of those who lived in slavery at Monticello to learn about what happened to individuals and families after Jefferson died and Monticello, as it had been,...more »