The man who wrote the Declaration of Independence. A wise and complicated man. If you look up his most famous quotes you will find that they stand the test of time.
We spent nearly 4 hours at Monticello one day. The history here is amazing. They even have a man that has spent the last 40 years portraying Jefferson all over the country. He was one of the most interesting people I've met in a long time and I wish we could have spent more time listening to him.
Outside the grounds are enormous and so very well kept. There's a garden to die for, and the history continues, with outbuildings, and markers of long gone buildings and lastly the Family cemetery. The story behind the location of the cemetery is because Jefferson and his best friend- Dabny Carr, used to spend time under this tree and promised each other that whoever died first would bury the other under said tree. Jefferson kept his promise and his friend was the first person buried in the cemetery.
We did the tour that included a visit inside the dome, which had a hidden room that 2 of his daughters used in "fort-like" fashion. It was an interesting journey to the top, as the stairs were narrow, steep and not for the vertically challenged.
The following photos are from the rest of the inside of the house- sadly in no particular order, because it's information overload, and I'm clearly not that organized. Still, I hope you read the plaques and perhaps a new appreciation of the times will develop, as well as a new found respect for the man that made such a profound impact on the lives of the American people, both then and now.
I'm trying to find the right words to express our visit here without going on a rant about the current shit show happening these days, but Thomas Jefferson was much more eloquent when he said:
"Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny." End of rant.
Next stop Kentucky, via a quick stop in Ohio. Wait til you hear and see what it took to get us there... No, there wasn't another breakdown, but bits of it were non-the-less freaky as shit! So until then....
Be Well, Be Happy and Safe Travels
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