Montpelier

Having just weathered a week that was brimming with rollercoaster emotions and exhausting events, I was never more grateful for the quiet and solitude of an empty house. Also, with the boys on their annual South Carolina visit, frolicking on the beach, eating themselves silly, and being spoiled by their paternal grandparents, I was free to plan my own yearly Solo Educational Overnight Field Trip. Since I’d recently checked off several presidential estates in Virginia (Mt. Vernon, Monticello), I decided to complete the M-trio and hit Montpelier, former home of James and Dolley Madison.

So off I drove, into the Southland, where I was treated to lovely views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, lush green hills…and many, many cows. And horses. Maybe a few goats thrown in for good measure. Yes sirree, this was what you’d call “Farm Country”. Upon arrival, I of course had to watch the informational video before touring the grounds (I suppose, technically, it’s not required, but who wants to miss all that learning…and whatnot?) For example, did you know that James Madison was considered the Father of the Constitution? (Don’t worry, neither did I, before the film. See? Good stuff!) He researched political theory and forms of government for months before presenting his ideas to the Constitutional Convention. (A fellow…nerd…after my own heart!) He served two terms as Secretary of State while his friend Thomas Jefferson was the Chief Executive, then two terms of his own as our 4^th President. During his time in office, the young United States battled the British in the War of 1812, which tested whether our democratic system and the personal freedoms established by the Constitution and Bill of Rights could withstand a conflict situation. (They did…pshew! Otherwise we might be answering to Queen Elizabeth and drinking afternoon tea with crumpets and wearing funny hats…) And Dolley herself was much more than just a fashionable, entertaining hostess. She reportedly displayed her own sparkling wit and sharp intelligence, and is credited with establishing the modern role of the First Lady. (Okay, AND she had pretty dresses.)

The Montpelier mansion itself belonged to the Madison family for generations before James and Dolley used it. Its architecture follows the Federalist style of the period, with similar features to Jefferson’s Monticello…blah blah blah. Honestly, I made it through two rooms of the inside-the-house tour before bailing. It was a gorgeous day outside, and I don’t care that Mrs. Madison enjoyed cards (see a set over there!) or that Mr. Madison collected artwork (Look! A painting of George Washington! zzzzz…) I instead chose to wander out onto the grounds, where I immediately spotted evidence of the Presidential Paradox I’ve come to expect: yet another leader of our country—the man who fought for religious freedom and citizens’ rights, for crying out loud—owned over a hundred slaves himself. All over the grounds, you could see remains or reconstructions of the house slaves’ quarters and the artisans’ lodgings and the field hands’ rooms. Funny how the ideals of liberty and equality only applied to the rich white plantation owners, right? Oy.

But I did have a chance to meander through a charming flower garden, and stop by the cemetery where both James and Dolley are buried, and take a stroll in a forest preserve, beneath the shade of towering, century-old trees. All quite enjoyable. (Oddly enough, I stumbled across a small plot where—I kid you not—a couple of HORSES are buried. Jeesh, what is it with Virginians and their equine pals? At the end of the day, I got a satisfying dose of history and a pleasantly-scenic-and-tiring hike…and as a bonus, I finished up under blackly-threatening skies, amid frequent growls of thunder…about ten minutes before the storm hit. Win!