Virginia Mountains - Vistas, History, & Wineries

[giradman]

Well w/ the post above, we returned to Keswick Hall and decided to eat in the bar area which has a small room w/ the bar and adjacent rooms (one w/ a pool table - tried to see if my skills were still present from 40 years ago - I was TERRIBLE!) - some pics below (there is a luncheon brunch which we did not try).

Because of a decent sized lunch, we both started w/ a half dozen Chesapeake Bay oysters on the half-shell w/ a fennel infused creme fraiche, followed by salads (Cobb salad for Susan - the chicken was a disappointment, so a fresh breast was grilled and her two cocktails were not charged - classy place); I had a mix field greens salad w/ a delicious crab cake - nice last day.

NOW - we've been going to the Shenandoah Valley & Charlottesville for decades, so I plan to continue this thread w/ more posts of the attractions in the area for those who are nearby and may want to visit? Of course, the most famous and visited house in the Charlottesville area is Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's jewel of a structure (I've been there a half dozen times so was not a visit recently) - this will be the topic of my next post! Dave
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[giradman]

Monticello - Jefferson's Main Home - Part 1

As promised, I wish to cover other attractions in the Charlottesville area and the Shenandoah Valley which will be of great interest to those who may wish to visit the area. In the next two posts, Monticello will be the topic of discussion - this was Thomas Jeffersons's, third president of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence, main house/plantation which he designed and built over many years - beginning description quoted below (Source).

Monticello is the most famous and most visited of the early President's homes in the Charlottesville area - the first three images show aerial views of the property w/ the house on top of a 'little beautiful mountain'; in the second pic the gardens and reconstructed slave quarters are to the left of the house; the third view shows the L-shaped dual extensions containing many different rooms (some of which will be shown in the following post). The following images of Jefferson himself in middle-age and the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. - so far, only 4 USA Presidents have memorials in D.C. - the others are Washington, Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt - quite a quartet!

The next pics show the outside of the gorgeous building and and first floor plan - take a look HERE and click on the rooms for a virtual tour of the place. The final images show most of the first floor rooms, including Jefferson's alcove bed and his personal study, which included his polygraph machine to duplicate his letters. Next up, some more about the house and grounds, plus a few comments on the Michie Tavern. Dave

Monticello was the primary plantation of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, who began designing and building Monticello at age 26 after inheriting land from his father. Located just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, in the Piedmont region, the plantation was originally 5,000 acres (20 km2), with Jefferson using slaves for extensive cultivation of tobacco and mixed crops, later shifting from tobacco cultivation to a wheat in response to changing markets.

Jefferson designed the main house at the plantation, also called Monticello, initially using neoclassical design principles described by Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio; subsequently reworking the design through much of his presidency to include design elements popular in late 18th-century Europe and ultimately integrating numerous of his own design solutions. Situated on the summit of an 850-foot (260 m)-high peak in the Southwest Mountains south of the Rivanna Gap, the name Monticello derives from the Italian for "little mountain". Along a prominent lane adjacent to the house, Mulberry Row, the plantation came to include numerous outbuildings for specialized functions, e.g., a nailery; quarters for domestic slaves; gardens for flowers, produce, and Jefferson's experiments in plant breeding — along with tobacco fields and mixed crops. Cabins for field slaves were located farther from the mansion.

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[scifan57]

Monticello - Jefferson's Main Home - Part 1

As promised, I wish to cover other attractions in the Charlottesville area and the Shenandoah Valley which will be of great interest to those who may wish to visit the area. In the next two posts, Monticello will be the topic of discussion - this was Thomas Jeffersons's, third president of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence, main house/plantation which he designed and built over many years - beginning description quoted below (Source).

Monticello is the most famous and most visited of the early President's homes in the Charlottesville area - the first three images show aerial views of the property w/ the house on top of a 'little beautiful mountain'; in the second pic the gardens and reconstructed slave quarters are to the left of the house; the third view shows the L-shaped dual extensions containing many different rooms (some of which will be shown in the following post). The following images of Jefferson himself in middle-age and the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. - so far, only 4 USA Presidents have memorials in D.C. - the others are Washington, Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt - quite a quartet!

The next pics show the outside of the gorgeous building and and first floor plan - take a look HERE and click on the rooms for a virtual tour of the place. The final images show most of the first floor rooms, including Jefferson's alcove bed and his personal study, which included his polygraph machine to duplicate his letters. Next up, some more about the house and grounds, plus a few comments on the Michie Tavern. Dave


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A very nice post about Jefferson's home. It was full of modern innovations for its day, many designed by Jefferson himself. One of the most interesting was the hidden mechanism for opening both doors in a double doorway by only pulling on one door.

 

[giradman]

Monticello - Jefferson's Main Home - Part 2

The Monticello complex includes a large visitor's center and gift shop w/ buses that transport you to the mansion - a number of tours are available so if you plan a visit check ahead. The house is of course a MUST but self-tours of the 'wings' (the L-shaped extensions shown in the previous post) and a look at the gardens (faithfully duplicated from historic records) and the reconstructed slave quarters is also of great interest - Jefferson's wife (Martha Jefferson) died in her early 30s in 1782 - his later mistress was Sally Hemings, a slave and the mother of a number of his later children - Sally's and Martha's father were the same, i.e. John Wayles, Tom's father-in-law - BOY, isn't this an interesting relationship for one of the Founding Fathers of the United States!

The first image below shows just one of the two wings which contain passageways (tunnels) and many different types of rooms related to storage (e.g. wine & beer) and other purposes (kitchen). On the grounds are the 'historically' restored gardens and slave houses; finally, a short walk will take you to the Monticello graveyard where Thomas Jefferson is buried.

Near the entrance to the Monticello Visitor's Center is the colonial Michie Tavern, ca. 1784 - beginning description quoted below (and last two images below) - click on the link - another MUST visit if in the area. Dave

MICHIE TAVERN, located ½ mile below Jefferson’s Monticello, accommodated travelers with food, drink and lodging more than 200 years ago. Today, visitors experience the Tavern’s past through an historical journey which recreates 18th-century tavern life.

Servers in period attire offer bountiful Colonial Midday Fare. The rustic restaurant setting renders a lunch dining experience rich in southern culture and hospitality for families to enjoy. Get a taste of the 18th-century as we feature a buffet of southern fried chicken, marinated baked chicken, hickory-smoked pork barbecue, stewed tomatoes, black-eyed peas, buttermilk biscuits and so much more.

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[scifan57]

Monticello - Jefferson's Main Home - Part 2

The Monticello complex includes a large visitor's center and gift shop w/ buses that transport you to the mansion - a number of tours are available so if you plan a visit check ahead. The house is of course a MUST but self-tours of the 'wings' (the L-shaped extensions shown in the previous post) and a look at the gardens (faithfully duplicated from historic records) and the reconstructed slave quarters is also of great interest - Jefferson's wife (Martha Jefferson) died in her early 30s in 1782 - his later mistress was Sally Hemings, a slave and the mother of a number of his later children - Sally's and Martha's father were the same, i.e. John Wayles, Tom's father-in-law - BOY, isn't this an interesting relationship for one of the Founding Fathers of the United States!

The first image below shows just one of the two wings which contain passageways (tunnels) and many different types of rooms related to storage (e.g. wine & beer) and other purposes (kitchen). On the grounds are the 'historically' restored gardens and slave houses; finally, a short walk will take you to the Monticello graveyard where Thomas Jefferson is buried.

Near the entrance to the Monticello Visitor's Center is the colonial Michie Tavern, ca. 1784 - beginning description quoted below (and last two images below) - click on the link - another MUST visit if in the area. Dave



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I've seen television documentaries about Monticello, but they didn't cover the cellar rooms or the cemetery. Thanks for those photos. I hadn't known about the Michie Tavern. It's quite a survivor, when most of its contemporaries are long gone.

 

[giradman]

A very nice post about Jefferson's home. It was full of modern innovations for its day, many designed by Jefferson himself. One of the most interesting was the hidden mechanism for opening both doors in a double doorway by only pulling on one door.

I've seen television documentaries about Monticello, but they didn't cover the cellar rooms or the cemetery. Thanks for those photos. I hadn't known about the Michie Tavern. It's quite a survivor, when most of its contemporaries are long gone.

Hi Scifan.. - yes, Jefferson was quite an innovator and his many practical ideas are shown and explained on a tour - another is his entry clock - double faced w/ weights going through the floor (two images below).

Michie Tavern is certainly worth a visit (and a lunch!) - for those who may be wanting to visit, I would say plan about a half day for the tavern (and a meal) and a visit to the house, lower rooms in the wings, garden, slave quarters (believe there may be another tour offered - has been a while since our last visit), and of course the cemetery.

I'll continue in the Shenandoah Valley along and off highway I-81 w/ some more posts - there is plenty more to see and do in this beautiful and historic part of Virginia. Dave
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[giradman]

Luray Caverns & Other Caving Attractions

For those who enjoy caverns and caves, the Shenandoah Valley and the Smoky Mountains National Park (on both the North Carolina & Tennessee sides) offer plenty of experiences - quoted below, I've listed a bunch of options - we've visited about a half dozen over the years, so just another different experience when touring the area.

Luray Caverns is the most spectacular one in my first listing - click the link for some larger and dramatic pics (I've added some below). The caverns can be easily reached off I-81 or from the Skyline drive discussed previously - see the map below which shows the relative location of the towns of Staunton & Charlottesville covered in my previous posts. Dave

Shenandoah Valley
Grand Caverns
Luray Caverns*
Natural Bridge Caverns*
Shenandoah Caverns*

Smoky Mtns National Park
Black Bear Hollow Cave
Forbidden Caverns
Loss Sea Adventure*
Tuckaleechee Caverns*

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[scifan57]

Luray Caverns & Other Caving Attractions

For those who enjoy caverns and caves, the Shenandoah Valley and the Smoky Mountains National Park (on both the North Carolina & Tennessee sides) offer plenty of experiences - quoted below, I've listed a bunch of options - we've visited about a half dozen over the years, so just another different experience when touring the area.

Luray Caverns is the most spectacular one in my first listing - click the link for some larger and dramatic pics (I've added some below). The caverns can be easily reached off I-81 or from the Skyline drive discussed previously - see the map below which shows the relative location of the towns of Staunton & Charlottesville covered in my previous posts. Dave


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Amazing! You could spend several days there and not see everything.

 

[giradman]

Amazing! You could spend several days there and not see everything.

Hi Scifan.. - those views of Luray Caverns are certainly spectacular - the one showing the organ (called a lithophone or a stalacpipe) actually plays (quote below from a Wiki article) - we've only visited a few times back in the 1980s, so I cannot remember the sound, sorry?

Of those other caverns on the list are the Craig Caverns and the Lost Sea (description below from their Website - located in Sweetwater, Tennessee (not far south of Knoxville and close to the Smoky Mtns Park) - tour includes a walk through the caverns and a boat ride on the underground lake - blind fish can be seen (can't remember the types, maybe trout?). Dave

The Great Stalacpipe Organ is an electrically actuated lithophone located in Luray Caverns, Virginia, USA. It is operated by a custom console that produces the tapping of ancient stalactites of varying sizes with solenoid-actuated rubber mallets in order to produce tones. The instrument's name was derived from the resemblance of the selected thirty-seven naturally formed stalactites to the pipework of a traditional pipe organ along with its custom organ-style keyboard console. It was designed and implemented in 1956 over three years by Leland W. Sprinkle inside the Luray Caverns near Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, USA.

Your Lost Sea adventure begins with a guided tour of the caverns. This involves a ¾ mile round-trip walk on wide sloping pathways. While touring the caverns and underground lake our guides will tell of the cavern’s exciting and colorful history. They will also explain the fascinating geological development of the immense cavern rooms and rare formations. At the bottom of the cave you will board a glass-bottom boat for an exciting trip on the Lost Sea, America’s Largest underground lake.

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[scifan57]

Hi Scifan.. - those views of Luray Caverns are certainly spectacular - the one showing the organ (called a lithophone or a stalacpipe) actually plays (quote below from a Wiki article) - we've only visited a few times back in the 1980s, so I cannot remember the sound, sorry?

Of those other caverns on the list are the Craig Caverns and the Lost Sea (description below from their Website - located in Sweetwater, Tennessee (not far south of Knoxville and close to the Smoky Mtns Park) - tour includes a walk through the caverns and a boat ride on the underground lake - blind fish can be seen (can't remember the types, maybe trout?). Dave




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Yet more excellent reasons to visit the caverns. I've heard of other caves with the special organ.

 

[giradman]

Yet more excellent reasons to visit the caverns. I've heard of other caves with the special organ.

Below is a close-up pic of the organ at Luray Caverns - also for those interested, follow This LINK for more information and go to the video clip to hear the organ 'in action' - Dave
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[giradman]

Shenandoah Valley & Attractions

From Charlottesville, Virginia, there are two main ways back to North Carolina (NC) for us: 1) Via HW-29 though Lynchburg to Danville and into NC; or 2) I-64 west to I-81 south which connects to I-77 about an hour from our home.

There are many other places to visit and historic sites to see - below on the map, I've highlighted a number w/ arrows/names and will dedicate a post to most - the famous mountain resort The Greenbrier, which is in West Virginia was discussed throughly in my travelogue for that state. SO, more discussions & pics to come soon - Dave
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[scifan57]

Shenandoah Valley & Attractions

From Charlottesville, Virginia, there are two main ways back to North Carolina (NC) for us: 1) Via HW-29 though Lynchburg to Danville and into NC; or 2) I-64 west to I-81 south which connects to I-77 about an hour from our home.

There are many other places to visit and historic sites to see - below on the map, I've highlighted a number w/ arrows/names and will dedicate a post to most - the famous mountain resort The Greenbrier, which is in West Virginia was discussed throughly in my travelogue for that state. SO, more discussions & pics to come soon - Dave
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I've seen a documentary about Greenbrier and the nuclear bunker that was secretly built beneath the hotel. I wouldn't mind a tour of it.

 

[scifan57]

Below is a close-up pic of the organ at Luray Caverns - also for those interested, follow This LINK for more information and go to the video clip to hear the organ 'in action' - Dave
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Simply amazing!

 

[giradman]

I've seen a documentary about Greenbrier and the nuclear bunker that was secretly built beneath the hotel. I wouldn't mind a tour of it.

Back in my West Virginia Travelogue from last year (starting w/ post #55), I mentioned the Bunker and showed some pics - believe that you had participated w/ a post or two - the entrance is like from a sci-fi movie and the interior is well preserved - certainly worth a visit - now, I cannot remember if you have to be staying at the resort to do the tour - WELL, just checked HERE and quoted below, so seems likd a reservation is all that would be needed. Dave

Bunker Tours at The Greenbrier

Bunker Tours are offered daily to registered hotel guests as well as the general public. Tours are approximately 90 minutes in length and are available for guests 10 years of age and older.