My wife and I took the 2 hour drive to Monticello yesterday, the 4th of July. I've lived in Virginia 26 years now and have never been there before which is inexcusable for a history buff like myself.

Its a beautiful property, very different from George Washington's Mt Vernon (which is just 3 miles from my store). Jefferson was a very interesting innovator, and that house has some of the finest woodworking in finish joinery I've ever seen. 99.99 % of tourists going into that home wouldn't look twice at things like the window mullion construction, but its clear that Jefferson had master carpenter's doing the work. I rarely see that level of workmanship in even the best of todays' fine furniture.

My only gripe was they ran us through the place too quickly. It was about a 40 minute tour and I needed about 6 hours to explore the details of the place! Very frustrating to have studied Jefferson and then be rushed through the place...but then again I'm not like most tourists

Jefferson had an eye for quality and style, unlike George Washington who was more 'everyman' in his choice of furnishings. About 65 % of all the furnishing in Monticello are original and it was relatively easy to see which were.

I was shocked at the 'Jefferson reproductions' in the Museum Gift Shop. Most all the furniture was done by Nichols and Stone and its junk. Not even close to the real deal. If you're going to offer an authentic reproduction, then make it REAL. But its commercially viable for mass production and I guess most people don't have a discerning eye for that sort of thing, but I was very disappointed in the quality of what they were offering.

Jefferson (and John Adams) both died on July 4th in 1826. As luck would have it, I was standing right by his bed in his study where he passed away at 1 p.m. in the afternoon exactly 185 years ago to the minute. Didn't' see any ghosts, however!

Its a good trip - if you ever get to Virginia, put it on your list of places to go.