ShareThisNext to the White House, Monticello may be the most recognized building in the United States, thanks to the fact that its image appears on almost every nickel minted since 1938.
The estate -- its name means "little mountain" in Italian -- was Thomas Jefferson's home, his creation. It was virtually a work in progress for much of his adult life.
Jefferson might be pleased that the work continues even today. A new welcome center, the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center and Smith Education Center, opened in late 2008. The 42,000-square-foot facility -- actually a collection of pavilions surrounding a courtyard -- features a welcome center, a gift shop, a cafe and classrooms. The formal dedication is scheduled for April 15, when a new introductory film, four exhibits and a hands-on discovery room will be unveiled.
Jefferson, the country's third president, was a multitalented individual. Most know him as the author of the Declaration of Independence, the president who expanded the country through the Louisiana Purchase and the man who sent Lewis and Clark on their cross-country exploration. But he also was an architect and an inventor who taught himself to speak several languages. He conceived the idea of the University of Virginia and then helped in its design and construction.
Jefferson's 11,000-square-foot estate just outside Charlottesville, Va., features neoclassic Roman architecture and boasts more than 40 rooms -- 33 of which are in the main house.
A tour shows Jefferson's skills as an architect, and his ingenuity.
"One of the best parts of working at Monticello is that the house and grounds themselves reflect Jefferson's mind," said Linnea Grim, manager of interpretive programs at the estate. "He was an optimist who always was tinkering and experimenting, trying to find improvements for the tools of daily living. Few other historic sites in the country are as illustrative of an owner's personality. I love seeing visitors' faces light up when they find something that is meaningful for them in the rooms at Monticello. Almost everyone finds something that amazes them."
The amazement starts just inside the front doors, where two sets of cannonball-like weights power Jefferson's immense clock. The weights hang on ropes and were labeled to indicate the days of the week. In the end, the clock was too tall even for the ornate entryway, so a hole was cut into the floor. Saturday descends into the cellar.
Guides don't hesitate to address the controversy surrounding Jefferson. He was a slaveholder, and guides speak freely about his relationship with his slave and alleged mistress, Sally Hemings. While there were reportedly many slaves with light skin and reddish hair at Monticello, the weight of DNA evidence seems to point to only one, Eston Hemings, as likely being the son of Jefferson -- although those tests, released in late 1998, are still contested.
If you go ...
Tours: Visitors to Monticello can choose to take a 30-minute guided House Tour, which includes access to the grounds. Other tours cover the plantation community along Mulberry Row and the gardens and grounds. Tours run daily April through October.
Tickets: Tickets for a specific tour time can be purchased in advance online at www.monticello.org, but visitors also can buy tickets when they arrive and then explore the visitor center while waiting for their tour to begin. Ticket prices are $15 for adults and $8 for children 6 through 11. Children younger than 6 are free.
For more information, visit www.monticello.org.
(Bill Wagner, as Babe Waxpak, also writes the weekly ASKBABE sports-collectibles column for Scripps Howard News Service.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
