07/15/11

Let me take you on a trip to Montpelier... and I am not talking about Vermont!

Here is the last stop of the "Road Trip with the bestie" ~ 

James Madison's home - Montpelier.

For those of you that don't remember, he was the fourth President of the United States and also the "Father of the Constitution"

This is his home.  It was not this original size when his parents first built it.  He and Dolley added on to it at different times in their lives to make it what it is today.  Of course, what you see today is not what it was a few years back!  This house was sold after James died and right before Dolley died because she didn't have the money to keep it.  There were different families along the way, and the last family that had it took care of it, but totally took this house to another level..... added on to it a lot of "wings" and gave it some interesting home decor....

It has taken a lot of money and around 6-7 years to get the house back to what you see here.   It is still in a state of remodeling.

 The view from the roof patio area.  How would you like to sip coffee looking at that every morning?

 We weren't allowed to take pics in the house again.... just like Monticello.  However, when we got to this room, which was not a part of the main house tour, there was a replica of James Madison's favorite chair.  The tour guide had already told us to sit in it and see how it felt.  I wasn't so sure if this was still considered part of the house but we wanted a memory... so I took this picture.  My poor bestie just KNEW someone was going to come in and yank my camera out of my hands.  This is probably my favorite picture of the trip for that reason.  She is probably going to kill me again for including it, but she knows I love her.

 This is James Madison's "Temple"...... I wonder if UNC got an idea from him???  HMMMM....

 Front of the house.  I wish I could explain all of the changes that transpired in the building of this house.  It was just a lot to take in for our afternoon before heading back home.

 The back of the house.

 The garden area... it was just beautiful!

 The graves of James and Dolley Madison.  James was a quiet yet well-thought-of man.  He and Dolley spent his last moments together... she didn't like to leave his side.  She was well-loved and a wonderful hostess.  She also was like the Jackie Kennedy of her day.  She loved to wear turban hats and started quite the trend.  There was an exhibit, upstairs in the house, of her clothing that had been re-made to show her fashion.  She WILL be one of my "Famous Americans" that I will read about next year to my students.

 James, Dolley and I became close friends on our tour.  I hope to go back to see them some day.  If you get a chance... you need to go see them, too.

 Me in the "Temple'

 Me in the garden sitting on a lion. 

 The said lion.

It was such a wonderful time with my bestie.  We are so busy that these trips have become a highlight of spending time together where we don't have to talk in code because children are around.  ha!  She is a blessing to me in so many ways.

I'll have to share our adventures we have had recently with our kids.  That will have to wait till another day.  I'm tired from all of this traveling!