Monticello Podcasts

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 st...

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.

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.”

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.

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 reti...

In 1923, the newly created Thomas Jefferson Foundation fulfilled its primary purpose by acquiring Monticello to preserve it in Jefferson’s memory. But now it had another problem: money. Faced with a large mortgage and impending repairs to the main house, the new owners had to move fast to hire staff and find novel ways to pay for it all. Along the way, the Foundation would employ ingenious fundrai...

Monticello guide Kyle Chattleton shares the story of one of the most memorable original objects found at Monticello, the polygraph. A copy machine from the early nineteenth century, Thomas Jefferson called it, “the finest invention of the present age,” and used it to write thousands of letters during the last twenty years of his life.

Have you ever wondered if your favorite books were the same as Thomas Jefferson’s? He had a passion for education and a love of books and reading throughout his entire life. In this episode, we explore what type of books he had and what some of his favorites may have been. Monticello Guide Olivia Brown and joined by Monticello’s Fiske and Marie Kimball Librarian, Endrina Tay to learn more.

The battle for Monticello was waged with pamphlets and letters. It was waged in Congress and in newspapers. It was even waged Good Housekeeping! It was a knock-down, drag-out, often dirty fight that ultimately ushered in a new era of how Americans preserved, honored, and examined their history. Join us for the first installment of "Sharing History: 100 Years of Telling American Stories at Monticel...