Detour to James Madison’s Montpelier!

I took a side trip yesterday I really hadn’t planned on.

I received a call from Pepper Cory to reschedule our quilt reference book drop off for the Quiltville Inn library – it was POURING at the coast and driving was just not safe for her, nor did I want her to make the trip to Durham in that weather.  We’ll do that NEXT Monday instead.

Which meant I could get a bit earlier start on my day – and I headed out to take the back roads home to North Carolina.

Those brown historic site highway signs ALWAYS catch my eye – and when I saw one for Montpelier, home of James and Dolly Madison, I pulled over – put it in my GPS to see how far off it was, and set my direction toward Orange, Virginia.

My inner history nut was doing a happy dance all the way --

My first view, just pulling in toward the visitor’s center.

Intermittent rain was spattering here too, but I grabbed my umbrella, headed in to the visitor’s center and purchased my ticket to see the house.

“Tour starts in 10 minutes on the front porch of the house….”  And off I went.

Oh those yellow doors!

And the cable “quilting design” in the side windows!

Our tour guide was knowledgeable and engaging, but unfortunately we were unable to take photos inside the house.  However, thanks to Youtube – I present to you the embedded following!

Tour of James Madison's Library!

From the porch looking toward the temple.

From the porch, Blue Ridge mountains in the distance.

Back side of the temple. looking toward the house.

Walking toward the temple from the house.

I was asked why the front pillar has been left the way it is.  I have no idea – perhaps it is in the midst of being restored?  Or perhaps they left it to show what the construction was during the time the column was made?  

All brick for the house, temple and surrounding buildings and walls were made here on the property by slave labor.

Archaeological excavation in progress.

I have to say that Montpelier is doing a great job of not sweeping the issue of slavery under the rug and saying things like “Well, it was a different time then.”  They have taken the issue head on.  There are many descendants of former slaves (There were a total of over 300 enslaved people on this plantation over its time – staggering!) who have come to connect with the lives of their ancestors.  Click to play:

This just touches my heart so much!

Reconstructed “house” slave quarters on the grounds.

Log quarters.

I took so many photos I don’t know what to do with them all.  I spent more than 3 hours seeing all of the exhibits, wandering the grounds, walking the trails.

It was mostly empty due to the rain.

This allowed me time to ponder as I walked.

Old barn.

I followed the trail you see between the fences on the left.

Formal garden gate.

All of this beauty -

Gorgeous color.

Inside of gate looking out.

But the one thing that stuck in my mind the whole time I was viewing this beautiful garden – “Who kept this up?”  Slaves.

Overlooking the farmland – more slave quarters in the distance.

Reaching the Madison family cemetery.

I’ll leave the rest of this tour in the following short video. Click to play:

I left Montpelier with a lump in my throat and an ache in my heart.

Lucie S

Wife of

John Willis Jr.

Died Feb 17th, 1869.

ALSO

Her daughter

Claudia

Born Feb 14th, 1869

Died March 14th, 1869

I can only guess what this story is – Mother dies 3 days after childbirth from complications.  Daughter follows her one month later.  Heartbreaking!

But at least this grave is marked.  There is a story here.

Here there is no story recorded.

Yesterday I learned more about James Madison - the man - and his struggle with humanity during the time period in which he lived. What would my perception of life and people and happiness be had I lived in that same time period?

Though he felt conflicted over the issue of slavery, he bequeathed his slaves to his wife Dolly instead of freeing them upon his death.

Finding herself indebted with no way to support herself otherwise, Dolly systematically sold off her slaves with no regard given to the breaking up of families and separating loved ones.

I cried at the difference between the Madison family cemetery, headstones and monuments aplenty - while the slave cemetery stands as an empty grove of green with nothing to mark the lives of those who are buried there.

I drove home in silence, my heart hurting for the stories that were lost and never told of the people upon whose toil and labor this land was really built.

The question remains, no matter the time and circumstance, how can people do this to people?

Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Vintage churn dash quilt found in Verona, Virginia.

Make today an experiment for kindness. Especially to those who are different than you.

See what happens!

Welcome to your Wednesday!