Thank you so much Ken for bringing this human story to light! Sometimes there’s a lot more to talk about than the architecture and stories like these are not taught on a regular basis.
Ken, thank you so much for sharing this history with us. You could have just featured this beautiful house and its owners, but you shared its entire history. So glad that Paul died knowing his grandchildren would be free. I will definitely visit Montpelier.
Loved it Ken, I lived in Reston, VA from 1980-1991 and me and my 3 daughters toured many historic homes in the Mid-Atlantic Region....brings back many memories.
I’ve been a couple of times and really enjoyed my visits. The first time the house was mid- restoration. The second time they had the Gilmore log home restored and that is also wonderful to see. Thanks for another fascinating vlog!
Ken thank you for an incredible story. It always amazes me how little respect we had for one another during those days. Let's hope we have learned our lesson.
A fascinating story! Paul Jenning's story would make a great mini series. Dolly Madison was a creep, and I want to read more about Daniel Webster after this. Great video!
Fascinating! I wonder what the US would be like if rather than just memorizing boring lists of presidents and dates in school, younger generations were taught the interesting human aspects of life surrounding those people and places. I would have appreciated it, at least.
Dolly was not the darling as we were deceived to digest? Why am I not surprised. Interesting story and tour, Ken. You are correct, an important story to tell.
I only visited once when the DuPont wings were still standing and the interior was derelict (or ready for demolition/restoration) except for the 1930's deco lounge. I would like to see it how that the restoration has been completed. However, if this had not been Madison's home I would have liked to have seen the DuPont home restored. Excellent video.
Members of the descendants committee holding a majority of seats on the board of the foundation (museum) is wonderful news! Dolley made some wrong choices.
Fantastic story and a fantastic house. You really have to go to Montpelier to truly experience it. The scale of the rooms are fantastic. I actually preferred it to Monticello in some ways.
We visited Montpelier in 1985, about two years after the trust took over. Yes, the house was a mess in respect to where the historians thought what should be. The faded, pink Georgian was a sight as we exited the woods and onto the steeplechase. I remember a room, added onto the original house, with large pattern black and white tile on the floor with pictures of the Dupont's family dogs on the walls. I hadn't kept up with their progress until PBS special about the Founding Fathers showed to completed restoration. VERY NICE!! By the way Ken, docents at the time called it montpeelyer, not montpeelee-a. S-c-h-o-o-n-e-r is pronounced skooner, not shooner. 😉
Yes Same. In the town by the same name in Idaho it was always Mont pee Lee er. Too funny. The next town was Paris and it was Paris not pa ree. Mormons settled the area.
Like employees today, the well being and good life of the slave was interwoven with that of the master. Success for the boss must bring a responsibility to share the wealth with those who made it possible. James Madison saw this, but his grandfather didn’t. Jefferson also wanted to free his slaves, but couldn’t get there financially. It feels right that board today is controlled by the descendants of those who labored to make it.
Thank you for the history lesson, but the narrator's pronunciation leaves something to ne desired. Montpelier is pronounced MontPEElier as in orange peel. A schooner is pronounced sKooner, not shooner.
Thanks for a great video, an important story that needs to be told. That is the beauty of historic sites, so many rich layers of history to be revealed. I'd love to see another video on the house as I understand it was a huge undertaking with lots of decisions to be made when the house was restored from its DuPont era appearance to the original Madison house.
Thank you for highlighting this home. I’ve been to Montpelier many times through the years and was able to watch the restoration process. The grounds include a steeplechase track. Or at least it used to.
even though i've absorbed many horrific examples of slavery, the idea that humans were property, used as currency, treated like wild animals always feels surreal
WHAT DO I THINK OF IT???? WELL, OF COURSE, ANOTHER DEMOLITION FREE ZONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, LONG LIVE "THIS HOUSE"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very interesting history! What an incredible life Mr. Jennings had! Dolly Madison wasn't very nice to say the least! Glad the house and it's history are preserved!
