Montpelier (Orange, Virginia)

Montpelier is the country seat of the fourth President of the United States, James Madison (1751-1836), who ruled the fledgling United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison was one of the main authors of the U.S. Constitution. His country seat Montpelier is one of the most important historical sights of the Commonwealth of Virginia and one of the best preserved houses president, in addition to the estates of his contemporaries George Washington (Mount Vernon ) and Thomas Jefferson ( Monticello, about 40 minutes away).

Montpelier has been restored back to that state in recent years, in which it had found to Madisons days. The house had belonged for many years since 1901, the duPont family of industrialists who enlarged it with numerous attachments. After the acquisition of the property by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, these segments were again demolished.

Since 2000, standing under the administration of the Montpelier Foundation, the architectural restoration was completed in 2008. Both the archaeological work ( in an " archaeological laboratory " can get information about the excavations ) and the attempt as many Originalia from Madison to acquire budget go further. The main house is surrounded by symbolic - unfinished cabins for the slaves who were in the immediate vicinity and their locations were overbuilt by DuPont.

About 200 meters from the main house is the burial site of the Madison family; here are among others the president and his wife Dolley Madison ( for probably the term "First Lady " was coined ) buried.