Thomas Jefferson Buildings

While visiting Poplar Forest, I was struck by the absurdity of an extension called "Thomas Jefferson Buildings", this is not to hold judgement on the components themselves. I would be deeply disappointed to see Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville be renamed to "Thomas Jefferson Buildings". Its true that Jefferson is the master architect, creating detailed and meticulous blueprints of virtually everything at the Academic Village, Monticello, and Poplar Forest. It is equally true that the Master Building and Woodworking was done by James Dismore and John Hemings with most communication/instructions from the architect done via letter. Mr. Hemings was a slave with 75% European ancestry and the half-brother of Sally Hemings, the mother of at least 6 of Jefferson's mixed-race children.

"He (John Hemings) was principal assistant to James Dinsmore, the Irish joiner responsible for most of the elegant woodwork in the Monticello house. Hemings succeeded Dinsmore as head joiner in 1809, making fine furniture for Jefferson, including cabinets, chairs, and tables. He alone crafted much of the interior woodwork of Jefferson's house at Poplar Forest in Bedford County, Virginia." - Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia

"Poplar Forest is a rural retreat designed by Jefferson, the finishing details of which were largely executed for him by his slave John Hemings beginning before Jefferson retired from the U.S. presidency in 1809." - UNESCO Description

Simply calling these components "Thomas Jefferson Buildings" in commonality with "The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright" or "The Architectural Work of Le …

Poplar Forest (in Bedford County) and the Virginia State Capitol (in Richmond) are proposed as an extension to the Monticello & University of Virgina site which is already on the WH List. After having visited Monticello in the early morning, I drove 1.5 hours to the South to Poplar Forest. This was Jefferson's retreat and included a large plantation. He designed it after Monticello (starting in 1806).

The property is located in the woods somewhat outside Lynchburg. I noticed that the modern day occupants of this area have very nice houses too!

There were a couple of other (elderly American) visitors around when I arrived. The guided tour here (10 US dollar) is slower and more in-depth than the one at Monticello. Poplar Forest is still undergoing restruction to re-create the time when Jefferson lived here. The house was in private hands until 1984 and at that time had been altered significantly. The walls are still barren now and there's almost no furniture in it. This however shows in detail the way this house (and Monticello) was built. A lot of the features of Monticello are here too: the skylights, the long windows and the servants quarters underground. Looking back, I am glad I have visited both Monticello and Poplar Forest: seeing both deepens the experience.