Come to Poplar Forest and Experience History, 1773 styleOnce upon a time, a large Poplar forest grew in the area between Lynchburg, Virginia and nearby Roanoke. Now we might encounter a live poplar tree here and there but nothing that could be remotely called a forest. What we will find there now is a large plantation that was once a 4,819 acre farm owned by Thomas Jefferson in the late 1700s. In 1773, Jefferson's wife, Martha, inherited the plantation from her father. It was a very opportune inheritance in that it provided Jefferson with a place to get away from the hectic life at his main home, Monticello, near Charlottesville. More important, the plantation provided the Jefferson's with a place of refuge in 1781 when the British did their best to capture him. During the two months they spent there, Jefferson spent his time compiling material for his only book, "Notes on the State of Virginia".
Poplar Forest Gets a New NeighborJefferson's presidential years spanned 1801 to 1809. By every imaginable standard, Thomas Jefferson was a remarkable man. He was an inventor, architect, archelogist, naturalist, violinist and spoke six languages. In 1776, as a leading member of the Second Continental Congress, he drafted the Declaration of Independence. As Governor of Virginia, he instituted Virginia's Statute on religious freedom. He had been Washington's Secretary of State and Adam's Vice President.
During his illustrious political career, he always stood for individual liberty, separation of church and state, limited federal government with very limited powers. One of his first acts in office was to dramatically reduce the size of the federal budget. Where is Thomas Jefferson when we need him! So if you happened to live near the Jefferson estate in the late 1700s and early 1800s you might be justified in wondering what was going on. It wasn't until 1806, one year into his second term as president, that Jefferson was able to leave Washington and go to his place of refuge to supervise the laying of the foundation for the octagonal house that sets on the property today. After his presidency ended in 1809, he visited his retreat three or four times a year, staying anywhere from two weeks to two months. Usually his visits were timed so as to be present for the seasonal chores of running a plantation. Crops grown at Poplar Forest included tobacco, corn, wheat and lesser quantities of peaches and garden vegetables.Livestock included hogs and poultry. Jefferson was a slaveholder. In 1774 he recorded the names of eleven African slaves working the property and between 1806 and 1823, his Poplar Forest community ranged between 60 and 100 people, both slave and free. Comparatively speaking, Plantation life at Poplar Forest wasn't all that bad for for the slaves that Jefferson inherited. He was a just man and strived to keep slave families together and even paid them for especially hard work they were often called to do.
He made his last trip to the plantation in 1823 when he settled his grandson, Francis Eppes, on the property. From then on, Jefferson's declining health prevented any further visits. Two years after his death on July 4th, 1826 at Monticello, Eppes sold Poplar Forest to a neighbor. It stayed in private hands until 1984 when a non-profit corporation bought it to restore and preserve it for future generations.  Custom Search Archeology at Poplar ForestArcheology is a major ongoing activity at the plantation site in that the property has changed significantly since Jefferson day. It is historically important to understand life in the 1700's and how events of the time shaped the country. The Poplar Forest website has an excellent writeup of how archelogists are literally uncovering the past and filling in the blanks of Jefferson's life as a gentleman farmer. In conjunction with the archeological efforts, there are numerous hands-on educational programs for all ages including the opportunity to volunteer ones time in effort in a number of capacities.
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