Homes of U.S. Presidents, Part 1: The Federalist Period

As the number of vacationing American families who are hitting the road rather taking to the air continues to climb, we have an increased need for interesting yet inexpensive places to visit on the way to and from the vacation destination.

From half-day sidetrips to hour-long leg stretches, a visit to a presidential birthplace, family home or library is an interesting, relaxing way to break up those 6 or 7-hour stretches of highway. You can learn quite a bit about the different presidents when touring their homes as well as a great deal about how different socio-economic classes of people lived during different time periods.

Some visits work well as entertainment before stopping for the evening or as you set off in the morning on the next leg of your journey. I suggest following up a visit with a lunch or dinner at a local restaurant and sampling the area's cuisine. Other presidential sites are great for simply stretching your legs, taking a quick tour and continuing on your way. 

You do not need to be a history buff or big on politics to enjoy these homes. Many, such as Washington's Mount Vernon, offer beautiful views, carriage or hay rides, garden shows, and even dining. The volunteers or National Park employees who work at these sites are truly dedicated, informative people and are happy to answer a myriad of questions.

Because this is lengthy, I'm splitting this article up into several parts. Part I covers the homes of presidents Washington through John Quincy Adams (numbers 1 through 6). Four of these six presidents were all from Virginia, with the remaining two (Adams, father and son) from the same home in Quincy, Massachusetts. 

Where: Mount Vernon, Virginia (outside of Washington, DC)
Prices range from $7 to $15 and extra tickets are required for the Grist Mill/Distillery Tour. Check the website, mountvernon.org, for a calendar of events and to purchase tickets online (recommended).

Perhaps one of the most-visited presidential homes is Mount Vernon, George Washington's beloved Virginia plantation. His home is also one of the largest living-history homes of all of our U.S. Presidents. It is packed with events, hands-on activities that are perfect for people of all ages, as well as on-going archeological research. While many of the following homes are quick side trips, Mt. Vernon is an truly an all-day destination in itself.

Washington inherited Mount Vernon from his half-brother Lawrence. After retiring from the Army at the ripe age of 27 and marrying Martha Custis, the young widow of one of the wealthiest men in Virginia, Washington settled down as a gentleman farmer at Mt. Vernon where he made his home the center of his life from 1759 through 1775.

Washington was a successful, innovative and passionate farmer. He more than doubled the size of the plantation to 8,000 acres comprised of five farms, four of which were fully staffed working farms. Mount Vernon, one of 5 farms, was called the Mansion House Farms and allocated 500 acres. Even while commanding the colonial army during the Revolution and, later, as President, Washington was continually sending instructions to his staff back at Mt. Vernon. His letters and papers often mention his desire to be back at home with his crops and horses.

The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association took possession of the home in 1860 and began restoration work immediately. Over the next 150 years, the association was able to bring back thousands of Washington possessions and artifacts. Happily, when you visit Mount Vernon, you are visiting a home where 30% of the furniture is actually furnishings used by the Washingtons themselves. When decorating the house to reflect how it appeared in 1799, the Association was able to pull from Washington's probate inventory, oral histories, and more.

Mount Vernon is a perfect stop for any family while in Washington, D.C.

Where: Quincy, Massachusetts
Open: April 18-Nov. 11
Pricing: $5 / adult. Under 16 is free
web: nps.gov/adam/index.htm

The Old House at Peacefield was home to four generations of the Adams family, starting with John and Abigail Adams, who moved there from the Braintree birthplace of both John and John Quincy. The Adams Memorial Society, created by Adams family members, passed the Quincy home and the Braintree farm to the National Park Service in 1927, charging the service with the mission to inspire and educate current and future generations of Americans.

Since the Adams family directly handed over the properties to the park service, the number of original furnishings greatly outnumber other presidential homes. In fact, the Stone Library was built in 1870 to follow orders contained in John Quincy's will and houses the 14,000 books that were owned by John and / or John Quincy. This structure also contains the younger Adams' presidential papers.

The birthplace homes of the presidents, two neighboring New England salt box houses, are located down the road in Braintree. These homes are wonderful examples of middle-class farmhouses from early Colonial days. These are the homes where John was raised, practiced law, married and started his family. Abigail tended to the farms, John's mother and her children at these homes for most of the time that John was away in France and the Netherlands. For fans of the John and Abigail Adams, the Braintree farm homes are must-sees.

The Old House at Peacefield is the home John came back to after his years abroad were over. It was here that he heard he had been elected vice president--and it was here that he gladly retired after his presidency was over. Peacefield was also home to John Quincy and his family, Charles Francis Adams, and finally Henry and Brooks Adams. The home is beautifully decorated in the Federalist style, with 99% of the furnishings actually Adams family originals! The only replicas are upholstery, wallpaper and bedspreads. This is a must for any history buff--whether interested in the Adams or the Federalist period in general.

I recommend about a half day for the Birthplace and the Old House.

Where: Charlottesville, VA
When: Every day except Christmas Day
Pricing: Varies by age, season and tour. Please see website, monticello.org

Like Washington, our third president--the learned statesman, writer, innovator, philosopher/political scientist and all-round Renaissance man--Thomas Jefferson, adored and dedicated much of his life to the development and improvement of his home, Monticello.

Located outside Charlottesville, Virginia, this historic home is on the Worldwide Registry of Historic Places. Like Mt. Vernon, this is a side trip that can add a full day to your trip--but one so worth the time! Located southwest of Washington, DC, the plantation is open every day except Christmas Day and has special programs for different ages and interests. The website, monticello.org is invaluable, with a beautiful virtual tour, information and calendars of events.

The house that people tour is the same home that Jefferson lived in after his presidency, with his children and their families. The land for Monticello was originally bought by Jefferson's father, with Jefferson clearing the mountain top for the home in 1768. In 1770, construction on Monticello began. After his childhood plantation home was destroyed by fire in 1770, Jefferson moved into the finished South Pavilion of Monticello. It was here that he brought his bride, Martha Wales Skelton, in 1772, and where their children were born.

The first version of Monticello was complete in 1782, the same year Jefferson's wife died following the birth of his youngest daughter Lucy. Throughout his service in France as an ambassador, Jefferson bought books and furnishings for Monticello. Following his return to the U.S., he began enlarging and remodeling Monticello.

Like Washington's Mt. Vernon, Monticello is actually the mansion home of four farms that make up the entire Monticello plantation. The others include Shadwell, Tufton, and Lego. Also like Washington, Jefferson used these farms for crop rotation. But unlike Washington, Jefferson was a highly indebited businessman. At the end of his life, Jefferson had hoped his family would be able to continue living at Monticello, but his debt load was too large. His daughter, Martha Randolph, was forced to sell the home and furnishings. Despite this, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation has worked hard to bring back original Jefferson furnishings. The website states that 60% of the furnishings are original to Jefferson.

Where: Montpelier Station, VA (not the same as Montpelier, VA)
When: Everyday except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day
Pricing: $8 - $16. 
Visit montpelier.org for more information.

The home of our 4th president, and main author of the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights, is located about 45 minutes north of Monticello on the way to Washington, D.C. The Montpelier plantation was the birthplace and lifelong home of James Madison, along with his wife Dolley.

At 40-plus years, the quiet "Little Jemmy" Madison fell madly in love with 25-year-old widow Dolley while a resident in her mother's Philadelphia boarding house. Because the two were seldom apart, few letters survive that would describe the furnishings of Montpelier during their married years, which is a hardship for interior restoration efforts. The two never had children of their own, but James was known as a doting father to Dolley's surviving son John. Despite Abigail Adams' laundry famously drying inside the newly built White House, Dolley was truly the first residential First Lady in the White House, establishing the tradition of the inaugural ball. In fact, she was the first presidential spouse to be present at the actual Oath of Office.

The symmetrical, brick home was originally built in 1764 by James' father, then enlarged twice during James' ownership. After James' passing, his widow Dolley sold the estate in 1844. Thankfully, for historic purposes, the home was never allowed to fall into decay. Despite other enlargements, and in part due to the respect of the du Pont family, which owned the home from 1901 through 1983, James Madison's Montpelier has been easy to restore physically. In fact, when the du Pont heirs turned the estate over to the National Trust Fund, they noted that it was Mrs. du Pont Scott's will specified that it would be appropriate for Montpelier to be restored "in such a manner as to conform as nearly as possible with the architectural pattern which existed when said property was owned and occupied by President Madison."

Restoration was declared completed in 2008. However, the Montpelier Foundation is still seeking furnishings that belonged to James and Dolley Madison. The Foundation does display original Madison possessions in its collection and also has created three rooms at the visitors' center that recreate du Pont family rooms during the 1920 Art Deco era.

Based on this information, Montpelier is the first of our true side trips. Not as thoroughly interactive and extensive as Mt. Vernon or Monticello, it adds a side trip to the Monticello experience. Consider visiting in conjunction with James Monroe's home (see #5). Expect to spend a couple of hours.

Ash Lawn-Highland
Where: Charlottesville, VA
When: Every day except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day & New Year's Day
Pricing: $5-$10

Originally named Highland by James and Elizabeth Monroe when the couple purchased the land and began building the home on the 535-acre farm in 1793, Ash Lawn-Highland is now owned and operated by Monroe's alma mater, the College of William and Mary. Highland was owned by the Monroe family through 1826 but opened for tours as early as 1931 by the previous owners, philanthropists Jay Winston and Helen Lambert Johns.

Monroe was the first president to not be considered a founding father. Instead, he is known as a Jefferson protege. He read law under Jefferson and subscribed to his mentor's desires for a weak executive and limited federal government, but he also was at Delaware and Valley Forge with Washington as an 18-year-old soldier. He was the final negotiator of the Louisiana Purchase and served as our Secretary of State during the War of 1812 before being elected president for two terms, in 1816 and 1820.

Highland is a modest home, compared its Virginia neighbors, Monticello and Montpelier, and to Monroe's post-presidential home Oak Hill. However, the interior is elegant and beautiful. A wood-sided, rambling home, Highland offers a significant number of original Monroe furnishings, including the Hepplewhite dining set that he and his family used in the White House, bedroom furnishings, and decorative arts. A replica of the Monroe Doctrine desk at the Monroe Museum in Fredericksburg is on display in the study, along with early American furnishings and an original oil painting of Monroe's daughter Maria. Many of the furnishings were imported by the Monroes from Napoleonic France. In honor of their first granddaughter's christening as Hortensia Monroe Hay, Queen Hortense of Holland had three portraits sent to the Monroes: one of herself, one of her brother Eugene and one of Madame Campan, the headmistress of Eliza Monroe's school.

A visit could easily be fit into a day with Madison's home, either before or after viewing Monticello.

Oak Hill
Where: Leesburg, VA
When: Private Residence, not open to the public

Monroe built his post-presidential mansion, Oak Hill, between 1820-23 as an additional residence to his Ashland-Highland home. He sought advice and ideas from Jefferson and from James Hoban, the architect of the White House. Monroe lived here from after the home's completion in 1823 until a year before his death in 1831. Oak Hill features an unusual penta-style portico and is on the National Register of Historic Landmarks. Today, the home remains a private residence in Loudon County, Viriginia.