Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest Photo Print

Thomas Jefferson craved periods of solitude during the latter stages of his life. He had spent many years in the public eye, and couldn't seem to escape that world even after returning to Monticello. That being the case, he set about building a plantation retreat 90 miles south of his more famous Charlottesville home. The property was inherited from his father-in-law in 1773, and Jefferson managed the plantation from afar for years before he decided to build a home on the grounds. Construction began in 1806, and was never truly completed during Jefferson's remaining 20 years. The edifice has all of the hallmarks adorning Jefferson's style. It is a Palladian octagonal base marked by porticos on the northern and southern sides. A service wing, much like the two wings at Monticello, extends eastward. Jefferson intentionally kept the home quaint. He had enough space to staff 90 slaves, who continuously worked the surrounding landscape, or served Jefferson while he was in residence. Occasional guests visited the retreat, but otherwise, only family accompanied Jefferson during his two-week to two-month visits. Jefferson initially willed Poplar Forest to his daughter Mary Jefferson Eppes, but her untimely death at 26 saw the home pass to Jefferson's grandson Francis Eppes, who managed the retreat until 1828, when Poplar Forest was sold. A fire gutted the landmark in 1845, after which point the owners converted the home into a working farmhouse. The property remained in privately owned hands until 1983 when the nonprofit Corporation for Jefferson’s Poplar Forest purchased the remaining 50 acre plot including the surviving buildings associated with Poplar Forest. They then opened Poplar Forest for tours in 1986, and have worked to preserve this historical gem tirelessly ever since.