This past Sunday we took a trip down the road and back in time to tour James Madison’s home, Montpelier. I’ve wanted to go there ever since we moved here last summer. It’s really a lot closer than Monticello and I’ve been there three times already! In fact, every time I drive to church, the post office or even Walmart, I pass a sign that reads “James Madison’s Montpelier, 15 miles”. Not only that, I’ve passed within five miles or so of the estate each time we head down towards Richmond. All we needed was a decision to go there. Since Maggie and Jan were coming up for the day, I thought they’d enjoy the outing. Decision made.
My first thought as we caught our first glimpse coming down the drive was that it didn’t look like an old house at all. It is a pristine Georgian mansion surrounded by manicured green lawns and mature trees. It is the trees that really give away the true age of the property. Our tour guide who led us through the house provided an enthusiasm for the Madison family that really brought life to the home.
We learned that the home was originally built in 1760 by President Madison’s father, James Madison, Sr., and remodelled a couple of times by Mr. Madison, Jr. Today it reflects how the home looked when the James and Dolley returned to Montpelier following their time in the White House.
One thing I hadn’t realized about this area of Virginia is that in 1760, when the home was built, this was the frontier. Standing on the front porch and looking west there is an unencumbered view of the rolling green fields and lines of trees leading the eye west to the Blue Ridge and what lay beyond the Blue Ridge was the wilderness. Daniel Boone wouldn’t even head through the Cumberland Gap for another fifteen years. In a nutshell, the gorgeous English home sat on the frontier. Imagine, the first successful English settlement in the New World, Jamestown, VA was first settled in 1607. One hundred and fifty years later, civilization had only moved about one hundred and thirty miles west.
My sister Ann once said Denver was settled because the pioneers, after enduring months of hardships of prairie crossing in covered wagons took one look at the Rockies and said, “To hell with that, we’re staying here!” Maybe it was the same for the early Virginians. Most likely there wasn’t the necessity to go any further with such fertile land here in the Piedmont.
For me, it would have been the view. To be able to walk out on my porch each with my coffee morning and see the rising sun kiss the mountains or in the evening to see it retreat behind them would be enough reason for me. As a matter of fact, it is one of the reasons I love my life here on the frontier. No, I don’t have an immediate view of the mountains the way James and Dolley did, but I am graced by their constancy on the horizon as I go about my daily errands. They never disappoint.
I’m glad we finally made the short trip down the road to Montpelier and look forward to going back. After all, the eighteenth century terms, I guess we would be considered neighbors to the Madison’s and it would be right rude not to drop by from time to time.
We haven’t made it there yet, but look forward to the visit.