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MC 00243 Guide to the Monticello Architectural Records, -

Architectural and archeological data pertaining to the restoration and preservation of Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello, located in Charlottesville, Virginia. Included are field notes, drawings, photographs, and slides of grounds, buildings, and furnishings.

Restrictions to Access

For reference use only. No copying, citation, or publication without prior permission of the Resident Director of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation.

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

Collection transferred from the Southern Historical Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1998.

Preferred Citation

Citation of this collection is prohibited without the consent of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc. Please contact the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc. for information regarding citation.

Copyright Notice

North Carolina State University does not own copyright to this collection. Individuals obtaining materials from the NCSU Libraries' Special Collections Research Center are responsible for using the works in conformance with United States copyright law as well as any donor restrictions accompanying the materials.

Processing

Processed by: Dawne E. Howard; machine-readable finding aid created by: Dawne E. Howard

Biographical Note

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation was incorporated in 1923. In this year, the Foundation purchased Monticello and strove to restore and preserve the historic home. Now known as the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, the group operates the house, the gardens, the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies, a museum shop, the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants, and the Monticello Visitors Center. The Foundation is a non-profit organization that emphasizes preservation and education.

Monticello is the only house in America mentioned on the World Heritage List of the United Nations. An example of Roman Neoclassicism, it contains 43 rooms, 13 skylights, and 8 fireplaces. Construction began in 1769, and was completed in 1784. In 1796, construction began on Thomas Jefferson's design for enlarging the house. This contruction ended in 1809. Influenced by French architecture, Jefferson added the famous dome to Monticello in 1800. The estate sits on 5,000 acres in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Due to financial distress, Thomas Jefferson's son sold Monticello to James T. Barclay in 1831. After an unsuccessful attempt to raise silkworms, Barclay sold the estate to Uriah P. Levy in 1834. The Confederacy seized the estate during the Civil War, and the Levy family recovered Monticello in 1879 after lengthy litigation. Jefferson Monroe Levy sold Monticello to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation in 1923.

Scope and Content Note

The Monticello Architectural Records contains architectural and archaeological data pertaining to the restoration and preservation of Monticello. The records represent years of research concerning the structure of Monticello, and include concealed details which were uncovered in 1953 while major structural repairs were underway.

Items in this collection include 127 photoprints of 223 measured drawings of topography, ground layout, and buildings, a reprint of "Monticello: 1856" from the "Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians", "Great Clock" reports, literature about Monticello, information about the furnishings, and photographs and slides. Later additions include drawings of a birdcage table, a filing chest, and Campeachy chair, a knife box, a silver creamer, and a dumbwaiter.

Items on microfilm include original field notes made by the architectural staff, a copy of "The Preservation and Restoration of Monticello 1936-1960; Drawings and Notes by Milton L. Grigg, Restoration Architect," "The Preservation and Restoration of Monticello 1936-1960; Field Notes and Drawings by Milton L. Grigg, Restoration Architect, G-46 through G-818," and Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation Minutes 1923-1976.

Identification

MC 00243

Creator

Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation, Inc.

Quantity

1.0 wardrobe box

General Physical Description note

This collection includes 1 wardrobe box containting architectural drawings, 2 photo album boxes, 1 flat folder, and 2 archival boxes.

Location note

on-site

Location

For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Special Collections Research Center Reference Staff external link.

Language

English

Related Material

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This collection is divided into four series: Drawings, Publications, Photographs and Slides, and Microfilm.
The drawings in this collection include 127 photoprints of 223 drawings of topography, ground layout, and buildings located on the Monticello estate. Also included are drawings of the "Great Clock", and drawings of household items, including a birdcage table, a filing chest, a Campeachy chair, a knife box, a silver creamer, and a dumbwaiter.
Measured drawings, drawings of household items
"Great Clock" drawings
This series contains a reprint of "Monticello: 1856" by John G. Barnwell from the December 1975 "Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians" , "Great Clock" reports, literature about Monticello, and information related to the furnishings.
Publications
This series contains photographs and slides of furnishings located on the Monticello estate. The backs of the photographs contain descriptions and the Monticello accession numbers.
Photographs and Slides
Photographs and Slides
Items in this series include original field notes made by the architectural staff, a copy of "The Preservation and Restoration of Monticello 1936-1960; Drawings and Notes by Milton L. Grigg, Restoration Architect," "The Preservation and Restoration of Monticello 1936-1960; Field Notes and Drawings by Milton L. Grigg, Restoration Architect, G-46 through G-818," and Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation Minutes 1923-1976.
[Reel 1] Original Field Notes
[Reel 2] "The Preservation and Restoration of Monticello 1936-1960; Drawings and Notes by Milton L. Grigg, Restoration Architect"
[Reel 3] "The Preservation and Restoration of Monticello 1936-1960; Field Notes and Drawings by Milton L. Grigg, Restoration Architect, G-46 through G-818"
[Reel 4] Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation Minutes, 1923-1934
[Reel 5] Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation Minutes, 1935-1976

How to use this collection

This collection is open for research; access requires at least 24 hours advance notice. For more information contact us via mail, phone, fax, or our web form.

Mail

Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111

Telephone

(919) 515-2273

Fax

(919) 513-1787

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