Pleased to Meet You, Mr. Jefferson
Mary Prince Lewis 804-678-9750 [email protected] www.hovtour.com
Thomas Jefferson Historic Sites “Give Me Liberty” Speech Reenactment Visit Cidery High-End Lodging
In Virginia, Thomas Jefferson’s mark can still be found everywhere – from architecture to
history and even culinary traditions. This tour will introduce Jefferson as a multi-
dimensional man. Guided tours at three of his homes reveal a man shaped by his
surroundings – and who shaped his surroundings. His genius for architecture is reflected
not only at his homes but also at the Virginia Capitol. The spirit of revolution will come
alive at a thrilling re-enactment of Patrick Henry’s Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!
speech in the very place that it happened. Thomas Jefferson loved good food, drink and
hospitality and our group will experience the very best in Virginia cuisine and overnight
lodgings in historic settings as we journey in time.
Tuckahoe Plantation Thomas Jefferson’s boyhood home near Richmond dates to 1733 and is
considered among the finest early 18th century plantation homes in America.
Our guided tour will include the small one-room schoolhouse where
Jefferson received his first education, gardens filled with native plants and
the home filled with structural and decorative features that may have
influenced Jefferson the architect.
Virginia State Capitol Jefferson designed this masterpiece which since 1788 has housed the
Western Hemisphere’s oldest legislature, the Virginia General Assembly.
Patrick Henry was present when the cornerstone was laid in 1783. The
Aaron Burr trial was held here and the Bill of Rights was ratified in this
building. Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth II are
among its distinguished visitors. An $83 million renovation and
expansion completed in 2007 included the dazzling new visitor center
built underground to preserve the historic grounds.
Mary Prince Lewis 804-678-9750 [email protected] www.hovtour.com
Pleased to Meet You, Mr. Jefferson
St. John’s Church It was in this historic Richmond church – not in Philadelphia or Boston – that
the patriot Patrick Henry fanned the flames of independence with his rousing
“Give me liberty or give me death!” speech. George Washington and Thomas
Jefferson were among those in attendance that day as Henry’s words echoed
across Colonial America. Inside the church our group will be treated to a re-
enactment of Henry’s speech in the context of the meeting of March 1775,
conducted by gifted actors who have delighted audiences here for years.
Monticello Jefferson’s signature contribution to American architecture is in the genius of
design found at his iconic home near Charlottesville. Nowhere is Jefferson’s
intellect and personality more vividly displayed than at Monticello. From
fireside dumb waiters designed to carry wine up from the cellar to a clock
placed so as to be viewed from many locations in the house, Monticello is by
all measures one of America’s most important homes – worthy of being on the
back of the nickel. A visit to Jefferson’s gardens includes an in-depth guided
walk followed by a Meet the Gardener segment in which you will participate
in seasonal gardening activities, such as planting, harvesting, and sampling
crops ranging from asparagus to baby root vegetables.
Albemarle Cider Works Jefferson was an avid horticulturalist, raising many varietals of apples – and
one major use of apples in Colonial times was in making hard cider. That
tradition has been revived and brought to new heights in Virginia over the past
few years and one of Virginia’s leading cideries is Albemarle Cider Works,
where we will be treated to a flighted tasting and tour.
The Lawn at University of Virginia Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia, designed its curriculum
and was the architect of its first buildings including the famous Rotunda and
classroom and residence buildings along The Lawn. Historian Rick Brittan
will lead our group on a strolling tour of this historic place as we learn about
Jefferson’s interpretation of the classic Greek “academic community” and how
he applied that to his creation of the university.
Pleased to Meet You, Mr. Jefferson
Mary Prince Lewis 804-678-9750 [email protected] www.hovtour.com
Historic Lodging Our group will spend its overnights in lavish style in Richmond and
Lynchburg. Opened in 1895, Richmond’s stunning Jefferson Hotel is one of
America’s great hotels from the “Gilded Age.” Massive pillars, marble and
stained glass accent the lobby and palm court – and a statue of Mr. Jefferson
himself oversees it all from his pedestal near the reception desk. A
decorative alligator motif harkens to the
early 1900s when wealthy northerners
returning by train from summer vacations
often deposited small live alligators they had bought in Florida into the hotel
fountain. In Lynchburg, the Craddock Terry Hotel is housed in a former
shoe factory. You’ll be greeted by “Buster Brown” (of course), a schnauzer
with a nose for hospitality. Your continental breakfast is delivered to your
door in an old-fashioned shoeshine box.
Great Dining Virginia is the birthplace of American cuisine and one America’s current
culinary hot spots. Enjoy great meals at the Rose and Crown Tavern and
Michie Tavern, which date to Colonial times, and a catered dinner in
Richmond’s John Marshall Ballrooms, which have hosted formal affairs in
Virginia’s Capital City for generations.
Poplar Forest One of Thomas Jefferson’s least-known architectural gems is also one of his
most important. Poplar Forest, his summer home near Lynchburg, displays
many of Jefferson’s trademarks. The house is unfurnished, giving visitors the
opportunity to focus on the clever design and construction of the home.
Archaeologists are also working to uncover galleries that extend out from the
house as they do at Monticello. This part of the tour will be revealing and
unforgettable – a true chance to view a building down to the boards, pegs and
nails as Jefferson did.