The History Press

A stately plantation in picturesque Orange County, Virginia, Montpelier has been home to many owners, but the period in which the Madison family occupied it remains the most intriguing. Historian Matthew G. Hyland traces the development of the plantation as it evolved and changed through three generations of Madisons - from beginnings as temporary quarters on the tobacco frontier of Piedmont Virginia to the height of fame as the noteworthy abode of the fourth United States President, James Madison.

The history of the house and its grounds offers a glimpse into the private dilemmas and public struggles that mark the development of democracy and reflect the creation of the United States as a nation. Newly renovated and restored to the era President Madison lived and entertained there, the home stands as a testament to its great proprietor's interests and tastes, and as a witness to American history.

Established in 1822, Shockoe Hill Cemetery is the final resting place for many famous and infamous icons of Richmond. Most visited is the tomb of Chief Justice John Marshall, the longest-serving chief justice of the United States, who elevated the Supreme Court to equal standing with the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. Union spy Elizabeth Van Lew operated an extensive espionage ring during the Civil War, and though reviled in life by many who resented her activism, she rests prominently near her elite neighbors. The burial places of friends and foster family offer a glimpse into Edgar Allan Poe's personal story. Author Alyson Lindsey Taylor-White charts the history of the celebrated cemetery and brings to life the stories of those buried there.