James Madison's Montpelier

08/30/2026

Happy Birthday to James Madison's Grandmother, Frances Taylor Madison!

Born August 30, 1700, Frances supervised the operations of Mount Pleasant (future Montpelier Plantation) for almost 30 years after the death of her husband in 1732.

08/29/2026

Discover the Stories That Built a Nation!

From its founding ideals to its leading figures, more of what made America happen, happened here in Virginia. Which makes Virginia the ideal place to learn about our nation’s beginnings, no matter what state you call home.

Montpelier stands as a memorial to James Madison and the Enslaved Community, a museum of American history, and a center for constitutional education that engages the public with the enduring legacy of Madison’s most powerful idea: government by the people.

Photo credit: Photo: Kenneth M. Wyner, courtesy of the Montpelier Foundation

08/28/2026

Love History? Want to make a difference in Historic Preservation?

Apply to work at James Madison's Montpelier and embrace the legacy of his most powerful idea: Government by the people.

More information at Montpelier.org/jobs

08/27/2026

We tend to jump straight from the Revolution to the Constitutional Convention — from a young James Madison to the Father of the Constitution. But the years in between are where the promises of independence collided with the hard work of governing.

Dr. Frank Cogliano joins Katie in the studio to walk through that chapter. They start with the question of who the Revolution actually included — enslaved people, Native nations, women, common people, loyalists — and what independence meant to each. Then they follow Madison home to Montpelier: the Orange County Committee of Safety, the Virginia Convention of 1776, Jefferson's Governor's Council, and a Congress whose failures taught him exactly what needed fixing.

Listen on Spotify, ApplePodcasts, and BuzzSprout

08/26/2026

History. Cocktails. Prizes. Your Adventure Starts Here!🧡

Step into the story of Orange County with our NEW Elijah Craig History (and Cocktail) Trail—a one-of-a-kind digital passport experience that takes you on an exclusive journey through Orange County, Virginia, where bold spirits still rise!

As we celebrate America's 250th Anniversary, follow in the footsteps of Elijah Craig and James Madison, exploring 10 historic sites connected to this remarkable collision of faith, freedom, and early distillation.

Along the way, stop by participating locally owned restaurants to enjoy a handcrafted cocktail and experience Orange County's vibrant food and beverage scene. 🥃🍽️

Complete your digital passport and automatically be entered into our prize drawing! It's the perfect excuse to explore, sip, learn, and support local businesses—all while earning a chance to win.✨

Ready to start your journey? Click the link below to learn more and begin your passport today!

https://visitorangevirginia.com/orange-uncovered/elijah-craig/

08/26/2026

Tooth Fragment from To***co Barn site--in early 1790s Madison Jr. takes over the agricultural operations of the estate--as evidenced from the letters to overseer's. Major change is moving towards more scientific farming practices, which includes the construction of a threshing machine--we located the fixed threshing machine and barn along with over 30 machine parts...this could also be switched to 1844-and linked to court base of John Payne Todd breaking apart a barn to get the threshing machine--site of To***co Barn.

08/25/2026

Consider the Constitution Podcast S3E16

Lisa walks us through the furnishings, art, and tableware inside James and Dolly Madison's Montpelier home — from European landscape paintings and portraits of foreign rulers to Dolly's elaborate porcelain ice cream service — and what they reveal about the Madisons' global ambitions, Dolly's political skill as a hostess, and the enslaved labor that made it all possible. We talk about the dining room as a stage for both diplomacy and denial, the archaeology behind the mansion's restoration, and the objects enslaved individuals at Montpelier owned and chose for themselves. Lisa also previews her forthcoming book, Stories in the Soil: Recovering Black and White Histories at James Madison's Montpelier, out this April.

Listen on Spotify, ApplePodcasts, and BuzzSprout

08/24/2026

A Lasting Impression

In this episode of the Antiques Roadshow Detours podcast with Adam Monahan, a dogged and entertaining fact checker, he dives into a purported personal seal of President James Madison that was discovered at ANTIQUES ROADSHOW in 2016.
Antiques Roadshow l PBS

https://buff.ly/nFLJFhy

And read A Missing Link Letter blog post at montpelier.org
https://buff.ly/uPNSwLS

In the early 1800s securing a letter with a hot wax seal was akin to sending an encrypted email today – it protected the contents from prying eyes and created a mysterious and important air around the sender. So when the purported personal seal of President James Madison was discovered at ANTIQUES...

08/24/2026

A depiction of the Executive Mansion after it was burned during the British invasion On This Day, Aug. 24th.

Everyone knows that Dolley Madison saved the George Washington portrait when British troops burned the White House in 1814. But the REAL story involves the legacies of several people. as you'll discover in our Digital Doorway blog post on "The Great Portrait Rescue."

08/23/2026

We are counting down the days until FALL!

Go on a walk through James Madison’s beloved woodlands and contemplate our connections to Madison’s era through our mutual dependence on this important natural resource. Learn about the ecological and economic contributions a well-managed forest provides to our society in terms of habitat, wildlife, wood products, and such basic needs as clean air and water. Investigate how various techniques of active forest management constitute stewardship of the woodlands, to renew and preserve them for future generations.

Register for the Fall Working Woods Walk Oct. 10th at https://buff.ly/WIU2uO0