Montpelier

Montpelier, home of James Madison

Montpelier, located near Orange, Virginia was the plantation estate of the prominent Madison family of Virginia, including James Madison, fourth President of the United States.

In 1960, Montpelier was declared a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. In 1983, the last private owner of Montpelier, Marion duPont Scott, bequeathed the estate to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has owned and operated the estate since 1984, and from 2003-2008 carried out a major restoration, in part to return the mansion to its original size of 22 rooms during the years when it was occupied by James Madison and Dolley Madison. Extensive interior and exterior work was done during the restoration, and visitors to the estate can still see the multifaceted restoration in the "Restoration Room" and can discover what questions and subjects the staff has concerning the decoration of the interior.

May 2013, Photo 35