Montpelier

Visiting Montpelier, James Madison's home, was quite a shock. When you visit a historic site or famous home you envision rooms filled with period pieces and gorgeous antiques, classic styles of draperies, tables laden with exquisite china. What you get at Montpelier is metal scaffolding, walls stripped to the lathe strips and support studs and construction people in hard hats cutting through your tour group.

James Madison's home was originally an eight room square Georgian structure built by his father, James Madiosn Sr. in 1760. James and Dolly Madison added an additional four rooms after they married although the rooms were not open to the original house but maintained as a separate duplex. After James' father died and left him the mansion, James and Dolly added two wings to the home which were to be bedroom/sitting rooms for Dolly and her mother-in-law who remained at the house after the death of her husband. The Madison's only other change was to add stucco to the brick structure years later.

After the death of James and Dolly Madison the property changed hands several times until being purchased by the duPont family who added several wings until the mansion reached its final size of 55 rooms and 37,000 square feet. Marion duPont Scott bequeathed the property to the National Trust along with initial funding to return the mansion to its original size and proportions as the Madisons had built it. And so this is what one sees when you visit Montpelier today. There are archaeology excavations ongoing on the grounds, constant research is being done by reading old letters and documents and studying old paintings for clues as to what the interior of the home looked like during the period that the Madisons lived there since there were no photographs at that time. The duPonts made extensive renovations inside, bricking up entrances, cutting new doors and hallways through the original structures so that a lot of work needs to be done to restore the home to its former glory and original structure. All of this is being done with private funding and donations because the building and all the grounds are under the control of the National Trust which is a private organization.

Access to the main house is limited and you will be part of a group led by a tour guide who will be well versed in the history of the home and the current and on-going renovations. When you purchase your tickets you will be given the option of taking a free acoustiguide wand which is loaded with audio clips corresponding to a map of the grounds. These clips explain the history of the area, of the Madisons, of life on a plantation and much more. There are hiking trails you can explore and also on the grounds is the Thoroughbred Retirement Farm, where retired racehorses can live in peace after their careers or be rehabilitated as pleasure horses or hunt horses to be adopted and given a second chance at life. We spoke to a young man who not only owned two of the racehorses stabled here but rode the horses himself in local hunts and was able to explain a bit about the retirement farm.

All in all, it was a fascinating glimpse into history and the dedication of a large group of people interested in returning Montpelier to its original glory. Montpelier may not be what you expect when you arrive, but you won't walk away disappointed by what you see and learn on your visit.