Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed and leading Jefferson scholar Peter Onuf discuss their new book, “Most Blessed of the Patriarchs”: Thomas Jefferson and the Empire of Imagination during the national launch of their book at Monticello. From April 19, 2016.
One of the emotional insights of the hit musical Hamilton is its portrayal of the passionate friendship between the protagonist and his brilliant, self-assured sister-in-law—Angelica Schuyler Church. What the show doesn't mention is that Church also pursued a long-term friendship with one of...
Happy Birthday, Garden Book! On March 30, 1766, Jefferson wrote, "Purple hyacinths begin to bloom" at Shadwell, initiating a 50-year journal of his gardening hopes, observations, successes and failures. Monticello's Curator of Plants, Peggy Cornett, and Monticello guide Bill Bergen introduce this...
The Chinese-inspired railings around Monticello’s terraces date to ca. 1940. After almost 80 years the elaborate wooden panels have weathered to the point where repairs are no longer feasible. While the existing railings will be missed, the project is an exciting opportunity to accurately...
This year’s Mandela Washington Fellows have officially arrived on the grounds at Monticello. The 25 young, bright African leaders arrived early yesterday morning. Their first stop at Monticello: a tour of the house! The Fellows eagerly listened as they were guided through the house by Mr. Ed Imhoff...
A wood chip by itself is very modest. Small in size, light-weight, it could easily be lost or thrown away. Happily, the wood chip Thomas Jefferson cut from William Shakespeare’s chair during his 1786 trip to Stratford-upon-Avon comes with an explanatory note. "A chip cut from an armed chair in the...
The Huffington Post and Southern Living both included the 8th Annual Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello to lists of upcoming "buzzworthy" events in the South this Fall. Check out what they had to say about this lively and family-friendly festival: Food and Music Mix It up at These Southern...
On Friday, July 4, 2014, David M. Rubenstein, co-founder and co-CEO of the Carlyle Group, gave the keynote address at the 52 nd Annual Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony on Monticello's West Lawn before a crowd over 2,800 people in attendance, including 70 individuals who...
One summer a few years ago I visited New Jersey, to do some work in the repository at the Morristown National Historical Park . Morristown served as the winter quarters for the Continental Army during the winter of 1777-78 and again during the “Hard Winter” of 1779-80 and the site is now part of...
