Monticello Podcasts

June in the Monticello gardens offers a rich array of plants in bloom from Bachelors Buttons and Canterbury Bells to Chives and Cardoons. This time on “A Rich Spot of Earth” we focus in on another star of June, Amaranths, and discuss how to manage garden pests and diseases. We also take a special look at one of the oldest tree species in existence, the Ginkgo. Featuring Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

History has remembered the Election of 1800, pitting John Adams against Thomas Jefferson, as a bitterly contested—some might say nasty—affair. Historian Edward Larson shares the story of this unprecedented campaign, the surprising results that nearly tore our young nation apart, and the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that ultimately led to the first peaceful transfer of power in American history.

The Hamilton musical has helped popularize early American history, and one of the most famous numbers from the musical details a compromise between Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton. In this episode of Mountaintop History, Monticello Guide Kyle Chattleton talks about "The Room Where It Happens" and the "Compromise of 1790."

Author Andrew Smith gives a quick primer on the history of the 'American' turkey as well as a quick review of the validity of story of the First Thanksgiving.

While living at Monticello during her father’s retirement, Martha Jefferson Randolph played many roles: daughter, wife, mother, and a hostess who welcomed her father’s frequent guests while directing the work of his enslaved domestic servants. But there was period in her of her life when she was away from most of that, away from the social confines and expectations for women of her status in Virginia. As a teenager living in Paris with her father, who was then serving as the U.S. Minister to France, she attended school at a nearby convent and socialized in the highest circles of European society. Known even then for her brilliance, Martha found many admirers and friends, among them the Marquis de Lafayette, whose grand gesture toward her during a parade not long after the storming of the Bastille became the stuff of family legend. On this episode of Mountaintop History, Monticello guide Alison Kiernan looks at how a seemingly innocuous object—a small, decorative cockade given to a young Martha at party in Paris—reveals a story that spans two continents and three and a half decades, from revolutionary France to a joyful reunion at Monticello..

We often describe Monticello as the best documented plantation in America. Partly that's because of the remarkable historical record left by Jefferson and his family that gives us not only the personal details -- names, birth dates, occupations, movements, and family relationships -- of hundreds of enslaved individuals, but information about plantings, harvests, work sites, dwellings, and the workings of a thriving internal economy at the plantation. But historical documents only tell a partial story, based on the perspectives and interests of their authors. In this episode of Sharing History, we look at another historical record, one literally hidden in the ground -- the archaeological record -- and how, in ways not always expected, it revolutionized our perception of Jefferson, Monticello, the surrounding plantation landscape, and the lives and labors of Monticello's enslaved community. Joining the discussion are Fraser Neiman, Monticello's Director of Archaeology, Jillian Galle, Project Director for the Digital Archaeological Archive of Comparative Slavery, and Doug Sanford, a former Monticello archaeologist and retired professor in Historic Preservation from the University of Mary Washington. They tell the story of how archaeology transformed history at Monticello, and how their and their colleagues’ work in turn helped transform the field of historical archaeology.

Years later, a retired Thomas Jefferson later reflected that at least for Virginia the series of British laws in 1774 that came to be known as the Intolerable Acts, or Coercive Acts in Britain, played a crucial role to the path to independence and the American Revolution. But what were the Intolerable Acts? What made them so charged for Jefferson and his fellow Virginians? And how did the acts shape British colonists’ opinions on Great Britain, their relationship to the British Empire, and their ideas about government and rights?

Americans today celebrate July 4th as the birthday of the country, but how about in 1776? In this episode, Monticello Guide Kyle Chattleton presents a belated holiday episode to reflect on how slowly news of independence spread in July of 1776, and how John Adams thought our parades and fireworks would fall on July 2nd.

In this episode of In the Course of Human Events, historians from Monticello's Getting Word African American Oral History Project share the recent rediscovery of Robert Hemmings’s signature, a revelation confirming the literacy and the agency of the man that Thomas Jefferson enslaved as his valet. As a teenage boy, Hemmings was at Jefferson's side in Philadelphia when he wrote the Declaration of Independence, and later gained his own freedom, becoming the first of very few to be freed by Jefferson. Listen as Andrew Davenport, Auriana Woods, and Bernetiae Reed discuss this discovery and describe the life of Robert Hemmings whose story inspired “Descendants of Monticello,” a new exhibition that recently opened at Independence National Historical Park's Declaration House in Philadelphia, PA. By moving Hemmings to the center of this moment in history, this project explores the entangled legacies of freedom and enslavement at the core of our nation’s founding. Since 1993, the Getting Word African American Oral History Project has collected and preserved the oral histories of Monticello’s enslaved community and their descendants, creating an archive of freedom and a fuller story of Monticello and the United States. Getting Word and other staff from the Thomas Jefferson Foundation worked with Monument Lab, the National Park Service, and other organizations to present “Descendants of Monticello,” which was conceived and developed by artist Sonya Clark.

Chess, dominoes, running races, and “royal” games of Goose — these were among the many different games played at Monticello during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In this episode of Mountaintop History, Monticello guide Kyle Chattleton shares a few stories of entertainment from Monticello’s past.

Monticello guide Holly Haliniewski shares the story of one of America’s most famous rivalries. Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson played instrumental roles in the creation of America, and had completely different visions for the future of the country. But while a lot of recent attention has been paid to their disagreements, an object found at Monticello today might point to a deeper level of respect between the two.

Thomas Jefferson once wrote, "the state of medicine is worse than total ignorance." Yet, he did not completely reject medical ideas and practices, and was an early advocate of smallpox inoculation. In this episode, part-time Monticello guide, David Brown looks at Jefferson's health habits and beliefs with an eye to how they stack up with contemporary medical ideas.

In 1924 Monticello’s new owners began the process of restoring the gardens Jefferson had designed for his mountaintop home. But after a century of differing uses—and sometimes outright neglect—by various owners and caretakers, very little evidence remained of Jefferson’s original plans and plantings. It was a daunting task, and it could have ended quite differently were it not for the perseverance, personalities, and ingenuity of several individuals committed to restoring Jefferson’s vision. In this episode of our “In the Course of Human Events” podcast, Monticello’s Curator of Plants, Peggy Cornett — with help from colleagues Monticello Senior Historian Ann Lucas and guide Elizabeth Lukas — tells the story of how two relatively young organizations, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation and the Garden Club of Virginia, worked together to restore Jefferson’s unique vision for his flower gardens and laid the groundwork for future historic landscape restoration projects at Monticello and elsewhere across the United States.

Journey through the remarkable life of Critta Hemings, an enslaved woman at Monticello, who, late in life, gained her freedom and was finally able to live with her long-time husband, Zachariah Bowles, on his family's farm, "Free State," in central Virginia. Monticello guide Alice Wagner shares the Hemings-Bowles story and uncovers powerful narratives of love, resilience, and survival in the face of immense adversity.

This month we focus on a classic: the garden rose. We also talk tiny strawberries and look at two native trees that are flowering right now. Featuring Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

In 1804, the adventurous Prussian naturalist Alexander von Humboldt made a pivotal stop in the young United States to meet President Thomas Jefferson. On this episode of Mountaintop History, we look at this momentous encounter between two revolutionary thinkers, and explore Humboldt's groundbreaking theories on the "web of life," his awe-inspiring travels across the Americas, and his contrasting views with Jefferson on topics like slavery and democracy. Discover how Humboldt's trailblazing journey helped shape American identity and introduced ideas centuries ahead of their time.

Every object tells a story, right? So, imagine what 5,000 might have to say. In this episode, Monticello curators Susan Stein, Diane Ehrenpreis, and Emilie Johnson discuss the extensive collection of objects they and their predecessors have amassed over the past 100 years related to Thomas Jefferson and his famous Virginia home and plantation. They highlight some of the most significant items belonging to Jefferson and his family, and objects connected to the enslaved people who lived and worked at Monticello. The curators explore how the collecting priorities and interpretive approach have evolved over time to provide a more complete picture of Jefferson as a thinker and founder, but also the complicated reality of slavery and the diverse lives of all those who called Monticello home.

In a recent episode, we focused on the more influential aspects of Jefferson’s architecture. But in a conversation like that we can miss out on other details. Monticello guide Kyle Chattleton shares with us how the nooks and crannies of the third floor of Jefferson’s home can point to smaller, yet still memorable stories.

According to a gardening manual from Jefferson’s time, April is the month to graft fruit trees. So in this episode, we cut into the practice of grafting and explain it's critical to the fruit you eat every day. We also look at Jefferson's favorite nurseries along with the historic and modern nurseries at Monticello, and highlight the upcoming Center for Historic Plants Open Houses in April and May. Oh, there's pomegranates, too. Featuring Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

Eclipses come and go, but these marvels of nature always draw attention from astronomers — both professional and amateur — across the globe. In this episode, Monticello guide Kyle Chattleton explores the stories of two eclipses that occurred during Thomas Jefferson's lifetime, and how both point to his pursuit of scientific knowledge.

Years after her death, Thomas Jefferson described his marriage to his wife, Martha, as ten years spent "in unchequered happiness. And w hile the historical evidence draws a portrait of strong mutual affection, Martha Jefferson's life had its share of tribulation and tragedy. ,In this episode of "In the Course of Human Events, we look at Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson, a woman long viewed almost entirely through the lens of her husband, but was in reality a remarkable person in her own right.

Monticello guide Don McCracken takes us outdoors to the historic gardens of Thomas Jefferson’s home. While the gardens were designed and built for food and pleasure, they also represented ideas replanted from Europe as well as opportunities for education, and made only possible by enslaved labor.

Monticello guide David Thorson details the events of March 21, 1786, a day of shopping and entertainment in London for Thomas Jefferson.

It's March at Monticello and the natural world is starting to wake up. Bloodroot, Lenten rose, hyacinths, peach and pear trees are all in bloom. As Jefferson put it, "Spring" makes "a paradise of our country." It’s also Women's History Month and today we're going to talk about two of Jefferson's granddaughters who helped him in the garden. Featuring Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

In this episode of Mountaintop History, we take a deep dive into the legacy of female education among elite Virginians and share the story of the school founded and operated by the Jefferson's daughter and granddaughters in the aftermath of his death.

Amy Farrow, a free Black woman in 18th century Charlottesville, bought 224 acres of land that she established as a community for the free population of color in the city and surrounding county, including members of Monticello’s Hemings family. Learn more with Monticello Guides Olivia Brown and Alice Wagner.

This month we focus on the gardens enslaved families tended for themselves to supplement rations and provide additional income, and discuss how these small gardens figured prominently in the larger plantation economy. We also look at the beneficial practicing of pruning and offer tips for when and how to prune your plants. Featuring Justin Bates, Manager of Special Programs; Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

He captured the imagination of the Virginia elite on the eve of the American Revolution with a tale of education in Constantinople, capture by pirates, sale into slavery in New Orleans, escape into the Virginia wilderness, and conversion from Islam to Christianity. Listen as Martin Clagett, author of "Scientific Jefferson: Revealed," presents the oft-repeated—but sometimes hard to verify—story of Selim the Algerian and his difficult journeys back and forth between two continents. Co-hosts David Thorson and Jacqueline Langholtz join in and discuss themes of survival, culture, and identity highlighted through the lens of Selim's remarkable life.

Reclining in front of Monticello’s Entrance Hall fireplace is a marble statue of Ariadne, a figure from Greek mythology. How did this statue come to be at Thomas Jefferson’s home? Find out on this episode of Mountaintop History with Guide Olivia Brown.

It was meant to be a spectacle. And it was. But not in the way intended. In this episode, author and historian Eliga Gould tells the incredible story of Charles Willson Peale's Triumphal Arch, built to celebrate the Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the American Revolution and established international recognition of the United States. Monticello's Gaye Wilson and Hannah Zimmerman join in for our look into this pivotal yet often forgotten moment in American history, where art, celebration, and tragedy intertwined.

Sam Riggs now moves our discussion to a particular object in the Cabinet: the bust of John Adams. She shares the ups and downs that these two “frenemies” experienced in their relationship, the reasons why they differed and ultimately went their separate ways, and how they rekindled their friendship. She concludes with a hopeful thought: that these two individuals might show us how even the most strained human connections can be repaired.

Monticello today is American icon, Jefferson's architectural masterpiece, and a symbol of the American story. It's on the back of the U.S. Nickel. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Replicas of it dot the American landscape, both real and imaginary. But it wasn't always so. At the end of the 19th century, many doubted Jefferson had even designed it. But that changed with the rediscovery of Jefferson's architectural drawings in the early 20th century. What followed is a story of remarkable careers, passionate dedication, economic challenges, and innovative approaches that have made Monticello one of the most enduring places in the American imagination.

The crew from Gardens and Grounds here discusses Monticello's modern, historic, and unrealized greenhouses, and share tips and techniques for caring for your plants during the winter. Featuring Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

While Monticello was Thomas Jefferson’s “little mountain,” the nearby Montalto, which Jefferson also acquired, has its own story. Monticello guide Kyle Chattleton shares Jefferson’s different visions for this mountain, including the construction of an observatory and an elaborate series of waterfalls.

Winter in Virginia isn’t always mild...there were many times in Thomas Jefferson’s life when the cold temperatures at Monticello made normal life difficult. Hear some of those stories in this episode of Mountaintop History.

Monticello guide David Thorson looks at how members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition celebrated the holiday season. He notes how different circumstances resulted in different experiences, and draws much of his discussion from William Clark’s journal.

Winter not only brings cold weather to Monticello, it offers two special ways to experience the house and surrounding grounds. Our Holiday Evening Tours present rare opportunities to tour the house after dark and beautifully decorated for the holidays. And our annual Wreath Workshops feature decorations from the natural world around Monticello gathered throughout the year. Featuring Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Lou Hatch, Monticello Guide and veteran Wreath Workshop instructor.

Ever wonder who Thomas Jefferson picked to be in his first cabinet, or why he selected them? Join Guide Olivia Brown and John Ragosta, Historian at Monticello's Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies, to learn more about Thomas Jefferson’s Cabinet Secretaries.

Thomas Jefferson’s designs for Monticello and other structures have had a lasting impact on American architecture. In this episode, Monticello guide Don McCracken shares the story of how Monticello came to be, both as an idea and as a physical building, and how it serves as an example of what scholars call “Jeffersonian Architecture.”

You might think November at Monticello would be a quiet time of year in the garden, but far from it. In this episode, we look at planting -- and eating! -- spring-blooming bulbs, planting and harvesting fall and winter vegetables, and prepping beds for winter. Featuring Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

Frederick Madison Roberts, the great-great-grandson of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, had an major impact on early 20th century politics in California and was the first Black legislator in Los Angeles and the state as a whole.

Monticello guide Kyle Chattleton discusses one of the most memorable objects at Monticello today — the fossilized remains of an American mastodon. During his retirement years, Thomas Jefferson converted the entrance hall of his home into a private museum, and shared items such as these with his visitors in the hope of sharing knowledge and instilling national pride.

It's that time of the year when people think about the dark, the scary, and the macabre. As approach Halloween this year, we're sharing some of the dark stories related to Monticello's history. WARNING: This episode contains stories of violence, death, and suicide.

It's October at Monticello, and there’s color everywhere, from the reds, yellows and golds of the fall leaves to the pinks and purples of our tall asters to the oranges and greens of our fall squash. In this episode of "A Rich Spot of Earth," we talk about some of the most evolutionary complex flowers (asters), a tasty squash that provides more than a gallon of flesh for soups or pudding (the Cushaw), and, of course, the glorious range of colors in our fall foliage. We also have a first report from the fall grape harvest at Jefferson Vineyards, which became part of the Monticello family in early 2023. Featuring Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants; and Chris Ritzcovan, Winemaker at Jefferson Vineyards.

Who was Benjamin Banneker? Scientist, clockmaker, Assistant to the Surveyor of Washington, DC, creator of bestselling almanacs, and possibly the first African American to publicly challenge Jefferson on the topics of slavery, race, and equality. In this episode of In the Course of Human Events, we look at letters Banneker and Jefferson exchanged in 1791 and consider how the problem of slavery prevented two individuals with so much in common from forming a friendship.

Thomas Jefferson’s historic home has hosted numerous visitors over the centuries. In this episode, Monticello guide Sam Riggs shares the story of George Ticknor’s 1815 visit. While Ticknor was not especially famous when he traveled to Monticello, his later writings about his trip have become an invaluable resource for historians eager to learn more about the Monticello home during Jefferson’s retirement years.

When the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation took possession of Monticello in the 1920s, it didn’t just have a house to restore, it had a reputation to restore: Jefferson’s. In his own lifetime, Jefferson was a controversial partisan figure, beloved by many as the author of the Declaration of Independence and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, and reviled by others for his political views. Following the Civil War, Jefferson's esteem in the public eye had plummeted because of his views on race and states' rights. By the turn of the 20th century, he was, as one admirer called him, the "forgotten man." In this episode of Sharing History, we explore how the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation and a coalition of civic groups, politicians, and ordinary citizens came together to restore and reinvent Jefferson's image and remind Americans of his essential contributions. The revival of Jefferson's reputation required a deliberate campaign in the media, history books, public schools and politics. We’ll look at key moments in the rehabilitation of Jefferson's reputation that stressed the timeless relevance of Jefferson's ideals and positive legacies. Hosted by Frank Cogliano, Acting Saunders Director of the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies, Stephen Light, Interim Vice President for Guest Experiences at Monticello, and Monticello Digital Guide David Thorson.

It's September at Monticello, and we're still harvesting summer vegetables, like tomatoes and okra. But we're also preparing for fall crops, and soon we'll be seeing shoots of carrots, turnips, beets, radishes, and more in our farm gardens. In this episode of "A Rich Spot of Earth," we talk about some of the favorite (both historic and modern) Monticello vegetables and discuss the process of seed saving, which in Jefferson's day was critical to preserving crops from year to year. Featuring Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and, and Anna Lobianco-Sims, Farm Assistant at Tufton Farm.

Thomas Jefferson was a lifelong lover of horses and owned many horses throughout his own life. He used horseback riding as a way to contemplate, exercise, and explore. Learn more about Jefferson’s "passion" for a good horse and about a few of the horses who lived in Monticello’s stables.

One was the "constant companion of his solitary and studious hours." He paid for singing lessons for two. And one of them accompanied him to France. In this episode of Mountaintop History, Monticello guide Kyle Chattleton focuses not on Jefferson's daughters but on his mockingbirds, which were reportedly his favorite pets.