Post 503: James Madison's Montpelier

James Madison's Montpelier 

Sunday, November 8, 2026. The day after the 91st running of the Montpelier Hunt Races, I finally visited one of the Virginia Historic Homes on my list, James Madison's Montpelier. My aunt and I made the short trip from Charlottesville to 11350 Constitution Highway, Montpelier Station, which is in Orange, Virginia to make our 12pm tour time.

Presidential Quick Facts:

• James Madison Jr was born in Port Conway, Virginia, March 16, 1751 and passed on June 28, 1836. 
• Madison was the 4th President of the United States from 1809 to 1817 and he was married to Dolly Madison (1794-1836). 
• In 1769, Madison went to the College of New Jersey, known now as Princeton University.
• Madison spoke, read, and wrote in 7 languages and had an extensive library a Montpelier, which upon his death, he designated the books to be donated to the library of the University of Virginia. The library at UVA had a fire at some point and all of those books were lost.
• Madison served as President Jefferson's Secretary of State in 1801.

We enjoyed the tour and learned so much about this President from our extremely knowledgeable tour guide that took us through the first and second floors of the home. She gave us a thorough history of Madison's family, political ideas and how his views and thoughts became a huge part of the founding of America and where he stood with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Patrick Henry, James Monroe, the Marquis de Lafayette and many others.

It was through James Madison that several of our founding documents were formed and adopted including the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights. He was the writer of the Virginia Plan, co-author of the Federalist Papers, and was a supporter of religious freedom.

Yet, James Madison owned over 100 enslaved African Americans when he inherited Montpelier after his father's death in 1801. And he never granted freedom to any of them during his lifetime - yet he co-authored our founding documents.

Montpelier in Pictures

Originally Montpelier was a smaller portion of the building built in the early 1760's. James Madison added the Tuscan portico and a 30-foot extension, and again the wings off the 2 story structure later. James and Dolly lived on the left portion of the home and Nelly (Madison's widowed mother) lived to the right with a separation split down the center of the house.

Looking out across the grounds where the Montpelier Races are held every year as part of the Dupont legacy. As the races were on the previous day, some tents are still up.

The bricks above the right side doorway show the marks of where the original portion of the home was.

This was Madison's mother, Nelly's sitting room with her grandfather clock.

The Drawing Room

Everywhere one would look, there are topics for conversation starters and the Drawing Room is loaded with paintings of founding fathers, busts, games, and more which were all chosen as convo starters, here and in the Dining Room.

Dining Room

The Dining Table is the original Madison table. The guests and Madison are shown seated at the table with Lafayette at this end of the table and Madison's enslaved personal manservant, Paul Jennings shown standing.

James Madison was a small man at about 5 foot 3 or 4 while his wife, Dolly was about 5 foot 6 or 7. He would sit center of table so that he could converse easily with anyone at the table and he gave his wife Dolly, centerstage at the head of table.

The painting over the door is original

This sideboard and china is original

Small storage room

The Room Where He Died

This room was behind the Dining Room with a doorway between them. In the later part of James Madison's life, with his body failing, he lived in this room being carried from bed to couch. His mind was as strong as ever - so if guests were in the dining room, Madison could still carry on a conversation through the open door.

The Founding Father and the Father of the Constitution, Madison died at breakfast on June 28, 1836 at the age of 85 of congestive heart failure.

2nd Floor Library

Guest Room Who's Who

Depending on your status as a guest dictated what guest room you got when visiting a great house in those days. A highest tiered guest may get a room by themselves, while a lower tiered guest may get a bed or one of the beds in a room to share with others.

There are 2 cellars under the house which used to be 2 separate kitchens at one time. Here is one of the stairways to go up to the main rooms upstairs.

Back of the house

HUGE garden area

24 foot ice well

Montpelier 1910 Train Depot

Right at the main entrance of Montpelier, there is this cute little building...with quite the surprise - maybe better said as a shock. Yes, it used to be a Train Depot but is now a post office. Have a look at the signs over the doors. Click on an image to enlarge.

Our tour guide was so wonderfully informed! She shared so many tidbits of the beginning of the US as well as the politics and turmoil of its beginning. Some of the men at that time thought that America would not last more than a few years, but James Madison thought that it could. But the key to it lasting, Madison said, was education. 

"The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty." - James Madison

See Also:

Paul Jennings 

If Walls Could Talk: Touring James Madison's Virginia Family Home at Montpelier

My plan is to paint Montpelier sometime soon and add it to my Virginia Historic Home Series. I have Mount Vernon, Gunston Hall, the Virginia Governor's Mansion, Rosemont and Monticello so far. Prints are available in my Etsy Shop https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com

@2026 Donna Liguria. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited without permission

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Author: Donna Liguria  is the Blogmaster for Donna's Cave Paintings and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, VA. Donna specializes in acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.

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