Country Vacations & Resorts

Time in Office: 1817 to 1825
Terms: Two
Birthday: April 28, 1758
Birth Place: Westmoreland County, Virginia
Date of Death: July 4, 1831
Place of Death: At the home of his daughter and her husband, New York City.
Buried: Originally buried in New York. In 1858 the body was re-interred to the President’s Circle at the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. The James Monroe Tomb was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1971.

Notes:

~ Third US President to die on the 4th of July.
~ Never completed college.
~ Last President to really fight in a war.
~ Was shown holding the US flag in the famous 1851 painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware.”
~ Last of the “Founding Fathers” of the United States.
~ For 24 years, Monroe’s home, Highland, was adjacent to Jefferson’s Monticello in Albemarle County, Virginia.

Young James Monroe
Photo credit: Trenton, 1784

How about an action hero as America’s fifth President?

James Monroe, like Presidents before him, was not only a man of words, but a man of action. This brilliant student dropped out of college at William and Mary, participated in a raid to steal arms and ammunition from the Governor’s Palace to arm the Williamsburg militia, took a bullet in the shoulder at the Battle of Trenton, and was studying law under Thomas Jefferson – all before the age of 25!

Fifty Years of Public Service – Fifty Years on the Road…

Appointed to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1782, Monroe served in the Continental Congress from 1783 to 1786 taking him from Princeton, New Jersey to the State House, Annapolis, Maryland to Trenton, New Jersey to New York City. He was elected to the Senate in 1790 and by 1791, Monroe was a party leader. He resigned his Senate seat after being appointed Minister to France in 1794.

Monroe’s first inauguration in 1817 was held on an unusually warm March day in Washington, DC where he was the first to hold an inauguration outdoors, and the first President to deliver his inaugural address to the public. His second inauguration of 1821 went back inside the House Chamber of the US Capitol due to a snow storm and a snowbound Washington.

The SS Savannah

Regarding travel during Monroe’s time – the first steamship crossed the Atlantic in 1819 – during Monroe’s first Presidential term. The SS Savannah was actually an early hybrid – both steamship and sailing ship – that left port at Savannah, Georgia on May 22, 1819, and arrived in Liverpool, England on June 20, 1819.

After his presidency in March 1825, Monroe retired to Oak Hill, near Leesburg, Virginia and which is now a National Historic Landmark. He lived there with his wife, Elizabeth until her death in 1830. Monroe then moved in with his daughter at her residence in New York and remained there until his death at age 73 in 1831.

Like other Presidents before him, James Monroe was in some financial difficulties after his years of service to the government and, at the time of his death, was still waiting for the “accounts” to be resolved.

Find out about more destinations of historic interest in Albemarle County and Charlottesville, Virginia.

Get more details about Monroe and the Battle of Trenton.

See a map of the Piedmont Region of Virginia mentioned in this post.

Read more on James Monroe’s political achievements and contributions.

Next up – John Quincy Adams – America’s 6th President.

“Traveling with American Presidents” list.

Our “C” travel wish destination is Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.

Charlottesville is in Albemarle county, near the center of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, nestled near the Blue Ridge Mountains, and full of American history. At only 150 miles from Washington, DC and about 75 from Richmond, Virginia, a trip to Charlottesville is both easy to navigate and rewarding for tourists and other interested visitors.

Home to the beautiful University of Virginia, Charlottesville was named for Charlotte, Queen Consort of King George III of England.  One has to wonder how George then viewed his wife after England lost the American colonies!  Those pesky Americans may have had something to do with George’s bouts of madness later in his reign, but the American colonies did manage to hang on to Virginia and Charlottesville is one of Virginia’s true gems.  Thomas Jefferson designed the Rotunda at the University of Virginia and the campus itself is a tourist attraction.

History and things to see…

Plan on making at least one if not two days of your time in Charlottesville devoted to the manors and mansions formerly owned by early political luminaries such as Thomas Jefferson (Monticello), James and Dolley Madison (Montpelier), and James Monroe (Ash Lawn-Highland). If you love colonial architecture, you will not be disappointed.

The nearby Shenandoah National Park offers recreational activities and beautiful scenery, with rolling mountains and many hiking trails. Skyline Drive is a well-known scenic drive that runs the length of the park, alternately winding through thick forest and emerging upon sweeping scenic overlooks. The Blue Ridge Parkway, a similar scenic drive that extends into neighboring North Carolina, terminates at the southern entrance of Shenandoah, where it becomes Skyline Drive.

You’ll want to have or rent a car to do justice to this rural area of Virginia.  The drives, whether through the Shenandoah Park, up or down Skyline Drive, or back and forth between the historic manor houses, require a bit of thoughtful navigation but it is well worth the effort and you’ll find scenic and tourist attractions clearly marked for your convenience.

Stop here and you’ll never be sorry or hungry!

One of my favorite stops in Charlottesville is The Ordinary at Mitchie Tavern. Don’t stop anywhere else for your mid-day repast if anywhere near this location!

Great and plentiful food such as Colonial fried chicken, Black-Eyed peas and stewed tomatoes, baby beets and killer coleslaw and let’s not forget the homemade biscuits and corn muffins. Wash this down with a mason jar full of sweet tea and you’ll be ready for the rest of your day’s travels and adventures. The building and shop offer a quaint look back in time and the staff is capable of handling an enormous crowd in record time so don’t panic if a tour bus or two is there when you stop by. You’ll be refreshed and rested once you’ve visited The Ordinary at Mitchie Tavern.

Back to downtown for the afternoon? The Albemarle Historical Society offers walking tours of the downtown area. Check their web site for details and schedules.

Shopping and entertainment

Don’t miss the Charlottesville City Market if you happen to be in the area on a Saturday from April to November.

Local fresh produce, herbs, plants, grass-fed meats, crafts, and baked goods are waiting for you. How about making your own picnic basket for a day’s driving tour of the area? Like fresh food? You’ll find it here. November 28th to December 19th sees the Market take on a holiday flair. Wreaths, ornaments and everything you can think of handcrafted for Christmas decorating and gift-giving is available for winter visitors and tourists.

Do you like antiques – looking or buying?

If you don’t, stay clear of Charlottesville since it is an antique lover’s paradise!

Here’s a great list of all local shopping venues.

Charlottesville is a scenic area, a great historical destination, and full of fun things to do…traveling solo or with your family. What better place to stay in Charlottesville than a B & B? Start with the best…bedandbreakfast.com!

Search Charlottesville,Virginia, USA

Or visit here to win a
$2500 Romantic Bed and Breakfast Escape

You’ll want to take a lot of pictures while touring this area.  I found a great deal for file storage perfect for heavy-duty vacation digital photography.  You won’t want to leave home without a FreeAgent once you have one.

Have fun!

Charlottesville Vacations