By Fyllis Hockman
To many people, Monticello and Charlottesville, Virginia, are synonymous. Indeed, even more than his famous home, the presence of Thomas Jefferson the man can be felt throughout the quiet college town that is about a three-hour drive from Washington, D.C.
For any history buff, a tour of Monticello is heaven, but even those less historically inclined will be enthralled by fascinating displays of Jefferson the creative homeowner. In fact, Jefferson — governor, ambassador to France, secretary of state and the third president of the United States — when asked his profession, replied, "I'm a farmer." Indeed, gardening and architecture, two of his life-long passions, are reflected throughout his beloved home and grounds.
Few homes anywhere more accurately reflect the personality of their owners than does Monticello. From the time Jefferson's vision began as a young bachelor to his death as a widower with 12 grandchildren, Monticello remained at the center of his heart. He was responsible for almost every detail of its design, construction, furnishings and remodeling, a process that spanned more than 40 years.
The fact that about 75 percent of the furnishings are original helps bring to life the sense of Jefferson the private citizen. For example, handsomely adorning a wall of the front entrance are several sets of antlers that Lewis and Clark brought back as personal souvenirs from their famous Louisiana Purchase expedition — no easy task considering the travel conditions of the time — commissioned by then-president Jefferson in the early 1800s.
Many innovations designed by Jefferson, who was influenced by his years in Paris, were ahead of their time. Doors that automatically open continue to operate today, 190 years later. A seven-day wall clock that indicates both the day and the hour still chimes. Jefferson introduced dumbwaiters, first seen in a Paris cafe, to Virginian society, as he did skylights, 12 of which shed light throughout the mansion. And a desk constructed to display five open books at a time attests to Jefferson's renowned literary prowess.
Even the dinners he served, prepared by a slave who was trained by a French chef, reflected Jefferson's cosmopolitan tastes. A list of guests reads like a Who's Who of early American history. The statesmen, politicos and socialites who walked here — among them James Monroe, James Madison, Daniel Webster and, of course, the Marquis de Lafayette — wrote many a chapter in the country's history over coffee and brandy.
Interestingly enough, the many political positions he held meant little to Jefferson. Writing his own epitaph, he focused instead upon three accomplishments: author of the Declaration of Independence, author of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom and father of the University of Virginia. The latter becomes more than self-evident — to borrow a favorite Jeffersonian phrase - at the university.
A visit to the University of Virginia brings visitors back to modern times — but only for a moment. Jefferson's vision of his "Academical Village" became reality during 1817-1826, and the university continues to function much as its founder intended. In addition to offering arguably the finest education among public institutions available to capable students "regardless of wealth, birth or other accidental condition or circumstances" — producing more Rhodes Scholars than any other state university — UVA maintains a tradition of student self-governance that includes a student-run honor system.
Although the university has expanded since Jefferson's time — the initial student population of 40 has grown to more than 20,000 — Jefferson's original buildings remain much as they were. The Rotunda, a scaled-down version of the Pantheon in Rome, was designed to maintain architectural balance in harmony with the five pavilions on either side that house classrooms and faculty residences. The original library it housed was considered a temple to knowledge rather than religion.
Jefferson envisioned a scholarly community where students and professors would live in close proximity to share knowledge and together nurture a life-long commitment to education. To help achieve that goal, he intermingled students' rooms among the pavilions, connecting them with low colonnaded walkways.
The expansive lawn between the two rows of buildings and the serpentine walled gardens weaving in, out and around the pavilions provide quiet space for personal reflection and personal connections between teacher and student. This was a radical approach to education at the time.
Jefferson's "outdoor classroom" afforded both students and faculty the opportunity to experience firsthand examples of classical architecture not readily familiar to the American public. The stately columns forming the pavilion's facade reflect Ionic, Doric and Corinthian models of Greek and Roman temples. Attesting to the durability of Jefferson's forward-thinking aesthetics, the American Institute of Architects has proclaimed the Academical Village the most significant architectural achievement in the nation's first 200 years.
The 54 student rooms along the lawn are astonishingly unchanged since the university opened. The 15-square-foot rooms contain a wooden bed, an old-fashioned secretary's desk, fireplace and a small free-standing wooden closet that contains a sink. Other plumbing facilities — minor amenities such as showers and toilets — are located a bracing winter's walk away.
Upon first viewing, I assumed these quarters were just another historical attraction that re-creates living conditions — in this case, of students — in the early 1800s. Imagine my surprise to find that students today actually vie for the honor of living there. A select few fourth-year students are chosen for the opportunity to closely approximate the lifestyle of the scholars of the day who lived and studied in these same rooms.
It is not surprising that Jefferson invested so much heart and soul into his final triumph. The university embodies Jefferson's three greatest passions: his vision as an educator, his talent as an architect and his skill as a gardener — even more so than at Monticello.
The very essence of his dream — the interactive student-faculty community, the student-run university governance, the personal code of ethics — still permeates how campus residents think and act today. Thomas Jefferson is alive and well and still attending the University of Virginia, as he is throughout the rest of the area. Walking tours tread on streets where Jefferson no doubt frequently strolled, past businesses, taverns and other local establishments he patronized.
WHEN YOU GO
A stay at the venerable Boar's Head Inn, with a history that dates back to the 1800s and now owned by the university, continues the connection with Thomas Jefferson. Famous for his healthy lifestyle, Jefferson studied the healing properties of many herbs and botanicals, and these same plants are currently being incorporated into spa treatments designed to treat specific ailments. As promoted by the resort: "Where the past combines with the present to make a healthier future - while making your experience historic." For more information, visit www.visitcharlottesville.org or www.boarsheadinn.com.
Fyllis Hockman is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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