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Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello home was built in 1772 upon a 5,000 acre property in Virginia just east of the city of Charlottesville. Originally intended as a plantation for the retiring 3rd President of the United States, Jefferson outfitted the house with many technical innovations that he himself invented. As an avid scientist and botanist, the interior of Monticello is laced with many fascinating details that would have astounded his guests in the late 18th and early 19th century.
Unfortunately no photography is allowed inside the house so the pictures I took were of the outside of the home and the surrounding property. Photographs taken July 5th, 2018. Enjoy. As you’ll see in the photos, the grounds of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello extend well beyond the main house and its 2 wings. There is the garden off of the back lawn which has a whole team of botanists and groundskeepers who offer daily tours.
If you go and visit Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello home, don’t forget to make time to visit the array of small couture shops that are just off of the parking lot and below Michie Tavern. Also, don’t forget to eat at Michie Tavern! They have the BEST fried chicken, ever, and it’s pronounced “Mickey” as in Mickey Mouse.
FACT: Thomas Jefferson penned the words “all men are created equal.”
FACT: Thomas Jefferson famously said “I cannot live without books.”
FACT: In Monticello’s main hall where he received guests, Thomas Jefferson displayed Native American artifacts collected from the Lewis and Clark expeditions – which he helped to plan.
FACT: Thomas Jefferson’s library, at its height, contained over 6,500 books!
FACT: Thomas Jefferson was an avid botanist and even has a species of plant named after him. He maintained a laboratory where he grew around “330 varieties of 99 species of vegetables and herbs.” He also planted over 160 trees over 40 years.
SOURCE: Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello visitor guide pamphlet.
WEBSITE: Visit the official Monticello homepage!
MONTPELIER: Check out my visit to Montpelier!
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