Exploring Central Virginia’s History: Spotlight on Poplar Forest
Thomas Jefferson built Poplar Forest on land his wife inherited from her father.
Poplar Forest: An Overview and What to Expect
the man behind poplar forest
A man of the Revolution and a man of the Renaissance all in one, Thomas Jefferson was a man uniquely of and beyond his time. In some of his most public actions, Jefferson was the primary author and signatory of the Declaration of Independence. Whenever I think about the Declaration of Independence, I try to remove the lens of history through which I look and through which the outcome appears inevitable: the permanent separation of the American colonies from Great Britain. At the time of the document’s writing and as each signer affixed his name in wet ink, each was risking no less than life and limb, would be judged by friends and family who were British patriots, and was setting a path for their fellow colonists that would lead to destruction of property, relationships, and the severing of cultural ties. This was no small feat. Jefferson would also go on to serve as the infant nation’s third president from 1801 to 1809.
In his private and personal life - which Jefferson is said to have enjoyed most of all, away from the public life and pursuing his own interests - he pursued architecture, developed fascinating inventions, was a prolific writer of the Enlightenment, and was a planter on his lands in Virginia.
In his architectural pursuits, Jefferson left behind some public buildings (The University of Virginia) as well as two private residences: Monticello and Poplar Forest. You can read our post about Monticello here. Monticello is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, and is a popular spot for visitors. We also have a separate post that tackles the complexity of Jefferson as a very imperfect man and one of his times, most notably for his participation in slavery and also for fathering children with Sally Hemings, one of his enslaved, a relationship that began when Hemings was a mere 14 years old to Jefferson’s 44 years. For more on that topic, check that post out here.
As you might guess from his architecture, Thomas Jefferson LOVED bricks. He decried the use of wood, the more conventional building material of his time.
A long covered walkway served to protect people from the elements and housed many individual rooms beneath the large deck.
an overview of poplar forest
Located about 20 minutes from Lynchburg, this spot was a nice day trip from our long weekend in that city. Poplar Forest is located a bit out of the way from other things, which is just fine, since the house is the thing.
To get even further away from it all compared to Monticello, Jefferson built Poplar Forest as his personal retreat. His wife, Martha, had inherited the land from her father, and it provided him with a blank canvas for a new architectural creation. One of the most notable aspects of the home is that it is octagonal-shaped and believed to be the first such house in the United States. The site has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As was typical of Jefferson’s tinkering style (and financial limitations), Poplar Forest was never fully finished.
A mere two years after Jefferson’s death, his nephew sold the home. Over the course of the next 155 years, the house was privately owned. The families who owned the property made significant renovations and additions to make the house more livable and comfortable, rendering it quite different from the original home Jefferson built and envisioned. In 1983 the house was finally purchased for purposes of renovation and history, and the long work began. Partially because the house is in a less-visited part of the state, the progress has been very slow going, and significant research had to be conducted to understand how to approach the house in a way that would not do any damage and be true to its original form. The restoration itself began in earnest in the mid-1990s after the research phases.
When we visited in 2012, one of the most interesting aspects of the house renovation is that the restoration is being done as true to its time as possible, meaning that modern craftsmen are using techniques that would have been used when it was built. During our visit, the house looked largely like a construction site with the walls pulled back to the underlying ribs, providing a unique window into the core composition of the house, unlike many historical renovations that are in a complete stage. This is definitely a spot I want to go back to again to see the progress being made over time. You can read more here about the restoration history and process. Our tour guide also spoke about the research going in to understanding the landscaping. At that point, they had removed very old plantings that were not original to Jefferson’s design, a small example of the complicated decisions that have to be made during the renovation of important historical homes.
If you’ve ever been to Monticello, Jefferson’s more well-known home, seeing this one in juxtaposition is well worth it. There are certainly some similar styles that show through but overall there is a very different feel to the house and architecture.
Light cloud cover threatens to obscure the beautiful blue sky.
Bright mid-day sun can wash out colors and almost makes this look antiqued.
slavery at poplar forest
While this topic was certainly raised during our visit, due to the significant archaeological work still in progress, the foundational knowledge wasn’t as extensive then as it is now. For the most part, the people enslaved at Poplar Forest were inherited by Jefferson from his father-in-law when Jefferson received the property overall. Since I have written on the topic of Jefferson and slavery previously, I won’t revisit that at length here, but I will refer you to Poplar Forest’s website that houses information on slavery there, shares the information of specific individuals enslaved, and includes a broader overview on Jefferson’s views on the topic. You can find all of that information here.
The Stars and Stripes hang near the entrance.
Looking out past the columns of the porch, a pretty cool view!
what to expect when visiting poplar forest
Visitors must purchase tickets for admission. As of this writing in October 2020, adult ticket prices are $18, and there are other price levels for children, seniors, military, and other groups. You can purchase tickets online here for specific dates and times. Note that there are more frequent tours during the warmer months, and the house is open less frequently in the winter so check in advance if you are visiting from out of the area.
A ticket provides a guided tour of the main floor of the home, and visitors can then explore the rest of the site on their own. This includes the basement of the home (which is quite larger and not what you’d expect from a basement) which houses exhibits, slave quarters, and the grounds.
At the time of our visit (and possibly still), we were not permitted to photograph the inside of the house. If you would like to check out a video tour of the house virtually, they have created one that is about 14 minutes in length and viewable here on YouTube.
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