Image above: Rear additions to James Monroe's home, 2023. Courtesy America's Best History.
Spotlight on Lesser Known History
James Monroe's Highland, Virginia
America's Best History Spotlight
On this page we're going to Spotlight the lesser known historic sites and attractions that dot the history landscape across the USA and are worth a visit if you're in their area. And while they may be lesser known, some are very unique, and will be that rare find. You'll be, at times, on the ground floor, or maybe even know something others don't. It'll be fun. Visit them.
James Monroe's Highland, Virginia
Outside Charlottesville, Virginia sits three President's homes of the early days of American democracy. The more famous, and expensive to visit, Monticello of Thomas Jefferson, Montpielier, the home of James Madison, who neither of the other men liked, and Highland, the home of President James Monroe and his family. And it's a wonderful place to visit, one which Thomas Jefferson, a friend, visited often. So why did Monticello become more famous over time. The original Highland home, thought to be the guest house until 2016, is no longer there. It was burned in a fire and its foundations just unearthed outside the front door and extending into the expansion of the guest house.
The whole plantation, owned by the College of William and Mary now, is wonderful to visit. A doscent takes you through the home, its additions, and adornments, telling the story of a President who knew Napolean, penned the Monroe Doctrine, and bought the Louisiana Purchase. There's a great Visitor Center and gift shop, too. The grounds themselves are immaculate and tell the story of its agricultural past and present. So by all means visit its two expensive cousins, but you just might enjoy Monroe's place of lesser grandeur, but very interesting stories, better.
Photo above: Interior room of what was the home of James Monroe, Highland. Courtesy americasbesthistory.com..
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Info, What's There Now, History Nearby
James Monroe's Highland, Virginia
Today, what you see is the historic setting of his plantation, yes, unfortunately, with slave labor, the visitor center. museum, and gift shop, plus his presidential guesthouse. Unfortunately the main 1799 house was gone by 1830, and most thought the guesthouse, built in 1818, with additions in the 1850's and 1870's was the main house. Surprise, an archaeological dig uncovered the main house outside the guesthouse addition door, and beneath it. There are historic buildings and gardens all around, the quarters for forty-nine slaves per 1810, an overseers house, witness tree, statues, and farm buildings.
Image above: James Monroe, 1817, Charles Bird King. Courtesy Library of Congress. Below: The front door and entranceway to the 1870 era addition to the Presidential guesthouse, 2023. Courtesy America's Best History.
Where Is It
Highland, once known as Ashlawn-Highland, is located several miles from Monticello, at 2050 James Monroe Parkway, Charlottesville, Va, 22902. Your GPS should find it.
What is There Now
James Monroe's Highland
A visitor center with museum and gift shop, the foundation remnants of the original 1799 home, as well as the Presidential guesthouse and other historic buildings. There are farm animals and planted fields and while there are no longer one thousand or three thousand acres associated with it, depending on the era, there is plenty of space, five hundred and eighty-five acres of them,. A statue of Monroe adorns the garden. Picnic tables are available in a nice shaded spot near the parking lot.
Michie Tavern
Get there early and be ready to eat. The smell emanating from the front door is an olefactory experience, so eat there. Individual diners and bus tours (coming to the other historic homes) are welcome.
When Open and How Much
Highland is open daily, except some holidays. The charge is $18 for adults and $13 for folks 7-12. There are discounts for buying early on their website. For Michie Tavern, their standard buffet is $24.95.
Fees and hours are subject to change.
Websites
James Monroe's Highland
Michie Tavern
History Nearby
Well, we talked about two; Monticello, just above the tavern, plus Montpelier, not too far away. You'll be close to the upcoming, 2024, Culpeper Battlefield State Park, and all the Civil War sites around Fredericksburg, plus the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Shenandoah National Park.
Photos, History, and More Spotlights
Highland History Before and After Monroe
Okay, we'll start out with the obvious and more backward and forward. James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States. He was married and bought the land of Highland in 1793, living their permanantly after building the main house in 1799, and expanding the land to nearly 3,500 acres. It was a twenty-five year residence for the Monroe's, whose daughter knew the daughter of Napolean. Thus, they were colleagues and friends, prompting several important international accomplishment, including buying much of the remainder of the western United States under the Louisiana Purchase. He would sell it when the farm fell into debt. It was sold for $20 per acre.
Photo above: Wayside explaining 2016 dig that uncovered the original footprint of the Monroe house. Courtesy americasbesthistory.com. Below: Superintendents cabin at Monroe's Highland. Courtesy americasbesthistory.com.
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Michie Tavern
Sitting just past the entrance to Monticello today and several miles from Highland, the once moved piece by piece tavern has been around since 1784. Their chicken recipe or dine in pleasure, is awesome. The aroma fills the grounds, which not only includes the restaurant, but a night tavern and walkway past other buildings to its other building that's really fun, the Michie Tavern Grist Mill. What's there? How about a waterwheel complete with sluce, plus exhibits and gifts galore. Try the cheese sticks. Buy a souvenir. Watch the wheel turn, it's a much more than good.
Photo above: Interior of original tavern room at Michie Tavern. Below: Exterior of Michie Tavern today, home to great cuisine, buffet style, reaching back to 1784. Both courtesy americasbesthistory.com.
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Michie and its Presidential Relationship
Short answer. We don't know. It is possible that both Monroe and Jefferson ate at the original inn, which was located seventeen miles away. It's possible they did not. It is, however, unlikely that James Madison joined them.
Minute Walk in History
Take a walk with us around Michie Tavern. There may be no more charming and historic tavern around the corner from both Jefferson's Monticello and James Monroe's Highland than Michie. Built as a home in the 1772-3, it was converted into a tavern in 1784 seventeen miles from its present location. Did Jefferson or Monroe ever eat there? We don't know. But in 1927, it was moved piece by piece to its present location. Today, it serves bus tours and individual travelers with a buffet whose specialty is southern fried chicken, colonial recipe. It is delicious. You'll smell it when you walk in the tour. You'll smell the history there as well.
Photo above: Michie Tavern Tap Room, 2023, America's Best History. Below: Michie Tavern in the past. Courtesy Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress.
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