Poplar Forest: A House Built To Escape Another
Over 450,000 visitors tour the grounds of the famed
residence Monticello every single year. Surging across the property, these
tourists snap a myriad of pictures as they gaze upon the home of one of the
famed founding fathers of the United States. Interestingly, Monticello
experienced a similar barrage of callers when its celebrated occupant resided
there. Thomas Jefferson opened his home to a variety of guests. These
guests—sometimes numbering in the dozens—would stay for weeks, inadvertently
causing strain on the staff of the mansion and Jefferson himself. Already
famous, Jefferson and his beloved home experienced an influx in guests
following his presidential election. Desperately desiring solitude for study
and relaxation, Jefferson decided to construct a hermitage—a home away from
home. From that desire, Jefferson began construction of his new home in 1806. The site is a historical gem often overlooked by the public. During the fall of this
year, I visited Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson’s retreat. While underwhelming
and lacking the same flare of Monticello, Poplar Forest has its own unique
story, sublime beauty, and is underrated as well as fascinating.
The property that the house sits on was not owned by
Thomas Jefferson until 1773. Over 4,800 acres, the prosperous plantation was
bequeathed to Thomas and Martha Jefferson by Martha’s father. Jefferson only
visited the property on occasion, but the property was extremely valuable to
him. Always struggling with debt, Jefferson was grateful for the plantation
because it provided much needed income. It was not until 1806 that Jefferson
began to construct the home that he would ultimately visit three to four times
a year. Usually, his visits coincided with the seasonal responsibilities of
planting and reaping crops. Besides his immediate family, no one accompanied
Jefferson to Poplar Forest. It was his place for relaxing, reading, and
rejuvenating. After being privately owned by the Jefferson family and other
families for decades, the house was purchased by a non-profit organization in
1983 that began to restore the home of the former president. Today, that organization
manages the estate, runs a visitor center and gift shop, and provides tours for
those few who discover this historical site.
The house itself, which is the focal point of the visit,
is a mix of ancient designs and cutting edge architecture of the 1800s.
Possibly the first octagonal home in America, Jefferson oversaw the
construction of a home that included skylights, alcove beds, and indoor toilets.
On some occasions, Jefferson would visit the home to observe the construction.
Riding by horse all the way from Washington D.C., the president traveled alone
without guards to protect him. “When finished,” Jefferson declared, “it will be
the best dwelling house in the state.” Besides the home, Jefferson also focused
on the landscaping around his retreat. Planting mulberry trees on either side
of the home, Jefferson also decided to form two massive mounds of earth flanking
both sides of Poplar Forest—a style he found appealing while he was in Europe.
Before long, the house began to take form and Jefferson’s creativity had made
its permanent mark.
An important aspect of Poplar Forest that should not be
overlooked is the importance of laborers and slaves. Together, laborers and
slaves helped construct the home, keep the grounds beautiful, and provide
Jefferson with crops that would feed his family and alleviate the burden of massive
debts. Encouraging hard work, Jefferson paid his slaves incentives and also
granted them free time during nights and weekends. Although 94 people lived in
bondage on the plantation, they were cared for; however, the irony of slaves
being owned by a man who penned the words, “All men are created equal,” is
obvious.
Today, the property consists of only 600 acres compared
to the original 4,800. Nevertheless the home and the remaining acres are well maintained. I have been to a number of sites that, while they are
protected, have been left to fall apart. The organizations that own the
properties have protected the site from destruction but not decay. Poplar
Forest on the other hand is maintained relatively well. While a majority of the
home is being renovated to replicate Jefferson’s retreat in the early 1800s, I
think it is more fascinating to see the home in this manner. When I took the
tour, I was able to see the structure of the octagonal home more clearly. Seeing
the skeleton of the home, I got a better understanding of the blueprint and it
showed me the true architectural prowess of Jefferson.
Some would lament that Poplar Forest is not visited as
often as Monticello. However, I think that is a testament as to why Thomas
Jefferson built the home. The property is beautiful, relaxing, peaceful, and
supposed to be hidden from the busyness of life. It is not swarmed by tourists
like Monticello. The portrayal of the modern-day Poplar Forest replicates the
same feeling of relaxation and peacefulness that Jefferson intended the
property to have. Besides thoroughly enjoying this site, I found it fascinating that both of the homes that Jefferson
designed continue to imitate the same type of attention that the properties received
when the third president of the United States was alive. Monticello is flooded
with tourists and houses some of Jefferson’s most notable collections. Poplar
Forest is less visited, but admired for its simpler beauty and placid
environment. I think that Thomas Jefferson would be very pleased to know that
his beloved retreat is still a hidden gem—that was his intent. Jefferson’s
dream came into fruition, and the volunteers that manage the property today
continue to uphold and portray the home in the way it was meant to be by its designer.
