Sharing History: 100 Years of Telling American Stories at Monticello

Object(-ive) History at Monticello

Restoring an American Icon

A Crusade for Monticello

Restoring Jefferson's Reputation

Paying for Monticello

In 1923, the newly created Thomas Jefferson Foundation fulfilled its primary purpose by acquiring Monticello to preserve it in Jefferson’s memory. But now it had another problem: money. Faced with a large mortgage and impending repairs to the main house, the new owners had to move fast to hire staff and find novel ways to pay for it all. Along the way, the Foundation would employ ingenious fundraising, stage some very unusual publicity stunts, and in the end, help restore not only Jefferson’s ho...

Who Owns Monticello?

The battle for Monticello was waged with pamphlets and letters. It was waged in Congress and in newspapers. It was even waged Good Housekeeping! It was a knock-down, drag-out, often dirty fight that ultimately ushered in a new era of how Americans preserved, honored, and examined their history. Join us for the first installment of "Sharing History: 100 Years of Telling American Stories at Monticello," a limited podcast series about the history of Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which was founded in...