Road Trip Day 1 - Monticello

In a somewhat insane travel plan, we got up at 5:30 this morning to head out on the second half of our summer vacation. We drove to Charlottesville, Virginia, to see Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. The main reason we headed out so early was to meet my brother and his family. They have been traveling historic sites in the area and are flying home tomorrow. It was so great to be able to connect before they headed back to Utah.

Jalen LOVES his cousin Asher.

Meeting Mr. Jefferson.

The gang in front of Monticello.

View that is on the nickel.

Cool window and walls.

Thomas Jefferson's phaeton (apparently he liked to drive fast).

The privy - pretty modern for it's day!

Pretty views

Restored dumb waiter from the wine cellar.

Unrestored dumb waiter.

Under the house.

Kitchen stoves.

Vent for the privy. Pretty ingenious.

I just liked the barrel.

Ice house.

Erik's family.

 Our family.

 Cool tree.

Mulberry Row - replica of Sally Hemming's cabin.

Textile House.

Garden with a view.

One of the few original chimneys remaining. 

Jefferson Cemetery.

Cool kids.

This was a fascinating site to visit. I appreciated the respect they gave to the enslaved workers who made Monticello possible. Jefferson was a brilliant and complex man. He was so ahead of his time when it comes to thoughts on liberty and the potential of man and yet he enslaved others. He knew slavery was wrong, but he only freed seven slaves, four of whom were his children - although he never recognized them as such. People have tried to romanticize his relationship with Sally Hemmings, but I don't think that is accurate since she wasn't free to choose her relationship with him and he never freed her.

This was just day one of what is sure to be a fascinating road trip!