Poplar Forest facts for kids
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Poplar Forest
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Poplar Forest, designed by Thomas Jefferson
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1776 Poplar Forest Parkway, Lynchburg, Virginia |
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| Built | 1806–1826 |
| Architect | Thomas Jefferson |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000223 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 12, 1969 |
| Designated NHL | November 11, 1971 |
Poplar Forest is a special country home in Forest, Virginia. It once belonged to Thomas Jefferson, who was a Founding Father and the third U.S. president. Jefferson inherited the land in 1773. He started designing and building his retreat home there in 1806.
Even though Jefferson is the most famous owner, Poplar Forest had several owners over the years. In 1984, it was bought by a group that wanted to fix it up and share its history. Poplar Forest became a National Historic Landmark in 1971. Today, a non-profit group called the Corporation for Jefferson's Poplar Forest runs it as a historic house museum. This group also works on studying the site and restoring the buildings. In April 2023, the restoration of Jefferson's villa was completed.
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The Story of Poplar Forest
The land where Poplar Forest stands has a long history. Archaeologists have found signs that Native American people lived here for thousands of years. The property was first officially owned by a man named William Stith in 1745. He didn't live there, but the land was passed down and sold to different owners.
In 1764, John Wayles bought the property. He was the first owner to use enslaved people to work the land. Wayles' daughter, Martha Wayles Skelton, married Thomas Jefferson. When Wayles died in 1773, Thomas and Martha inherited the large property.
The Jeffersons were busy with their main home, Monticello, and Thomas's career. So, they didn't focus on Poplar Forest right away. After Martha died in 1782, Thomas Jefferson spent many years working for the country. He was a Minister to France, Secretary of State, Vice President, and President.
Even when Jefferson was away, enslaved people continued to work the plantation. They grew tobacco and wheat, which brought in money. Jefferson visited Poplar Forest every year from 1810 to 1823. He often brought his granddaughters with him. He also traveled with enslaved people from Monticello.
Near the end of his life, Jefferson wanted someone to live at Poplar Forest permanently. His grandson, Francis W. Eppes, and his wife moved there in 1823. Jefferson died in 1826. The Eppeses later sold Poplar Forest in 1828 to William Cobbs. The Cobbs and Hutter families owned the property for a long time. During this period, many enslaved families were separated when the land was sold.
In 1946, the Watts family bought Poplar Forest. They used it as a dairy farm and started restoring the house. They also sold much of the land for a golf course and a lake. In 1980, Dr. James Johnson bought the house and 50 acres. Then, in 1984, the non-profit Corporation for Jefferson's Poplar Forest bought it. This group has been working to buy back parts of the original land. By 2008, they owned 617 acres.
Designing the Retreat Home
Thomas Jefferson started building Poplar Forest in 1806 while he was President. He oversaw the construction from Washington, D.C.. Jefferson was a self-taught architect. He designed his famous home, Monticello, and the Virginia State Capitol. He often used ideas from ancient Roman and Greek buildings. He also liked the designs of Italian architect Andrea Palladio. Jefferson wanted Poplar Forest to be a quiet place away from his busy public life.
The house at Poplar Forest is shaped like an octagon. It might have been the first octagonal house built in the United States. It's made of brick. Inside, there's a central square room and three long octagonal rooms. The main dining room is a perfect cube, measuring 20 feet by 20 feet by 20 feet. It even has a skylight! Jefferson also added porches with columns on the north and south sides. Experts agree that Poplar Forest is a great example of octagonal design. Jefferson's strong math skills helped him create this precise building.
Changes and Restoration Efforts
Over the years, Poplar Forest changed a lot with different owners. The land also became much smaller, down to just 50 acres. In 1845, there was a fire. The Cobbs and Hutter families rebuilt the house. They added an attic story for sleeping, which changed the inside layout. But the original walls, chimney, and columns stayed.
The Corporation for Jefferson's Poplar Forest is working to bring the house back to how Jefferson designed it. They use building materials from the early 1800s. They also use old building methods, like burning limestone to make traditional plaster. Their goal is to show Jefferson's original architectural vision.
Life of Enslaved People
Enslaved men, women, and children lived and worked at Poplar Forest from 1766 until 1865. That's when slavery was officially ended in the United States. We learn about their lives from old records and from things found by archaeologists.
When Thomas and Martha Jefferson inherited the land, they also inherited 135 enslaved people. These people were part of John Wayles's estate. Sometimes, enslaved families were separated when the estate was divided to pay debts. As Jefferson focused more on Poplar Forest, he brought more enslaved people from his other properties. Records show that between 28 and 95 enslaved people worked at Poplar Forest at different times. Jefferson bought and sold enslaved people throughout his ownership.
After Jefferson died, his grandson inherited some enslaved people. The Cobbs and Hutter families also used enslaved labor. Even after slavery ended, some formerly enslaved people continued to work there as paid workers.
Work and Economy
Starting in 1790, enslaved people at Poplar Forest grew tobacco and raised animals for profit. Later, they grew wheat. They worked six days a week. They also built and maintained their own homes. Enslaved people were often given small plots of land. They could grow food or make things to trade or sell. Archaeologists have found items like buttons, glass beads, and fancy buckles. These might have been used as money among the enslaved community.
Records show that Poplar Forest had more workers than needed for farming. So, some enslaved people were hired out to other projects. Some enslaved women, like Lucy and Matilda, were given money to buy items for the owners' families.
Family Connections
By the 1790s, there were seven different enslaved families at Poplar Forest. Jefferson encouraged enslaved people to form families. He recorded the birth dates of enslaved children. He even gave a pot as a gift to women who married another enslaved person from Poplar Forest. Archaeologists have found pieces of these pots. Records show that many generations of the same families were enslaved at Poplar Forest. They also had relatives on other plantations in Virginia.
Stories of Enslaved Individuals
Here are some of the enslaved people known to have lived or worked at Poplar Forest:
- Hannah worked at Poplar Forest from her teenage years until about 1821. She married and had a family. She could read and worked as Jefferson's housekeeper for a time.
- James (Jame) Hubbard was bought by Jefferson when he was 30. He oversaw field workers. He had six children with an enslaved woman named Cate. He also cared for other children.
- Phill was born at Poplar Forest to James Hubbard and Cate. He worked at Monticello briefly before returning to Poplar Forest. He married Hanah and had a son.
- William (Billy) was born at Poplar Forest. He resisted slavery by attacking an overseer. Jefferson sent him to Louisiana, where he tried to escape but was caught and sold.
- John Hemmings never lived at Poplar Forest. But records show he did much of the detailed woodwork inside the house.
- Lydia Johnson lived at Poplar Forest when Edward Hutter owned it. She continued to work for the family after slavery ended, until she died in 1919.
- Will appears in a record from 1772. It notes that he bought items like rum, buttons, thread, and cloth.
Archaeological Discoveries
Since 1989, archaeologists have been digging at Poplar Forest. Their work has found many sites connected to the enslaved people. They have also learned a lot about Jefferson's original landscape around his home. In 2022, the restoration of the landscape on the north side of the house was finished.
Archaeologists have focused on areas where Jefferson planted trees. He wanted two rows of paper mulberry trees to frame his house. They look for stains in the ground that show where trees once stood. They also study charcoal and pollen to find the exact spots of the original trees. Future plans include digging near an old slave cabin and Jefferson's plant nursery.
Sites of Enslaved Life
Archaeological digs show that old maps of Poplar Forest didn't fully show where enslaved people lived and worked.
Old Plantation Site
This site is believed to have been set up in the 1770s or 1780s. It was where the oldest slave farm buildings were, dating back to 1764. Maps suggest there was an overseer's house, a large barn, and slave housing. This area is also called the Old Quarter.
Quarter Site
The Quarter site was active from 1790 to 1812, when Jefferson owned Poplar Forest. Jefferson gave this land to his daughter Martha as a wedding gift. His notes say that slave cabins were often built quickly. They were usually near the fields or workshops where enslaved people worked.
Archaeological evidence shows that the slave houses were made of logs. Many had two rooms, each about 12.5 by 15 feet. They also had root cellars dug by the people living there. These cellars were used to store clothes, tools, and iron items. Digs have found pieces of glass, ceramics, and iron from plates, bottles, and cooking pots.
One building found here might have been a smokehouse and a home. Another was likely built later and used mainly for living. Soil analysis also suggests there were fences around the slave quarters.
Many objects related to enslaved life have been found at this site. These include iron tools like saw files and gimlets. Scissors, straight pins, and thimbles suggest that women sewed for work and their families. Stoneware and earthenware were used for cooking. Enslaved people ate fruits, vegetables, and various meats. They might have used firearms to hunt animals.
Site A
This is the newest of the three sites. It was likely built in the 1830s and used until slavery ended. Scholars believe a slave cabin stood here between 1840 and 1860. Archaeologists found a 3-foot pit under the cabin floor, postholes, and parts of a chimney. Buttons, pins, needles, thimbles, and a needle case cap were found here. This suggests a seamstress might have lived at this site.
Also, 191 beads were found, mostly made of glass. Many were small seed beads in colors like aqua, turquoise, red, and white. Other beads were made using different glass bead making methods.
A Spanish half real coin was also found. It had a hole at the top. Spanish coins were common money in Virginia. This pierced coin might have been worn as an adornment. Enslaved African Americans often wore coins for protection or security.
Poplar Forest Today
The Corporation for Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest has been working to restore the property since 1984. This 501(c)(3) organization bought the land and buildings to preserve the estate. Their goal is to inspire people and share the ongoing story of Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest.
Poplar Forest first opened to visitors in 1986. Today, you can take guided tours of the main house and learn about the enslaved community. The group also continues its restoration and archaeological work. Poplar Forest is a National Historic Landmark. It's also part of Virginia's History Trails.
See also
In Spanish: Poplar Forest para niños
