“I bet you’re sitting at the edge of your seating in anticipation of another segment of Hail to the Chief.”
“You’re wait is over as I am proud as heck-fire to present to you the life and times of our fifth President…”
“The one and only, and the last of our Founding Fathers, Mister James Monroe.”
JAMES MONROE BIRTHPLACE SITE – Located near Monroe Hall, Virginia, this was the site where James Monroe was born on April 28, 1758. The original birthplace home was destroyed.
“I’m standing on the property where James Monroe was born on April 28, 1758.In the distance behind me, you can see the reproduction of the Monroe birth home as it’s being constructed.”
“The reconstructed birthplace on the site was designed to look like Monroe’s birthplace home in this drawing.”
“The young future President helped work on the family farm until the age of 16 when both of his parents had died.”
ELIZABETH KORTRIGHT – At the age of only 17, Elizabeth Kortright married 27-year-old James Monroe, a lawyer, on February 16, 1786 in her father’s New York City home. The newlyweds spent a brief honeymoon on Long Island.
JAMES MONROE LAW OFFICE – Located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, this building once housed the law office used by James Monroe from 1786 to 1789. Today the building served as a museum to our fifth President.
“This museum was a hidden gem among Presidential sites as it houses numerous authentic historical artifacts associated with James Monroe.”
“I’m standing alongside the personal law book used by James Monroe in the 1780s.”
“It’s believed James Monroe wore this vest when he married Elizabeth Kortright on February 16, 1786 in NYC.I didn’t cast a shadow of doubt on the vest’s authenticity.”
“This huge key unlocked the front door of the President’s House during Monroe’s administration. The key was presented to Monroe by the house staff when he left office in 1825.”
“The Monroe Doctrine, which was primarily written by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, was adopted to keep European powers from trying to oppress or control any nation in the Western Hemisphere.”
“I am standing on the authentic desk that James Monroe used to sign his famed ‘Monroe Doctrine’ during his second term as President.”
“The gilded armchair I’m standing on was used in the White House during Monroe’s administration.”
“These two Neoclassical armchairs are from a larger set of furniture purchased by Monroe for use in the White House’s East Room. The rest of the set is still in the White House today.”
MONROE HILL – James Monroe purchased 800 acres of land in 1789 and built a two-story brick home where he practiced law in Charlottesville, Virginia.Monroe Hill is now located on the campus of the University of Virginia.
“When I stood near the front entrance of Monroe Hill, I thought that would be the final photograph. Once again, I was wrong!”
“I know for a fact I did not see a ‘Private Residence’ sign on the door; and I was standing right below it.”
“I was stunned when I was carried into a couple of the interior rooms of Monroe Hill. There was no doubt people were in the upper portion of the house because I could hear them.”
“During my entire five-minute visit, however, I thought about James Monroe as he walked around the house on the same wooden floors.”
“James Monroe lived in this house for several years until he decided he wanted to live closer to his friend Thomas Jefferson. When Monroe moved out of Monroe Hill, he went to live at his new home Highland.”
“Seconds after this image was captured, I heard several large dogs barking ferociously from somewhere above me. I was quickly taken out of the house before I could be mauled by the canines.”
HIGHLAND – Located near Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia, James Monroe purchased the property in 1793 and moved to the estate in 1799. Monroe lived at Highland for the next 24 years.The original foundation of Highland was outlined on the ground in front of the Ash Lawn house that was built after Monroe’s time on the property.
“I’m standing on the location of a fireplace at the original Highland. The tree behind me was here when James Monroe lived at Highland.”
“It was in the spring of 2013 when archeologists uncovered the original foundation to Monroe’s Highland.”
“This white building was part of the original Highland and was used as a guest house by the Monroe’s. The yellow house in the background, Ash Lawn, did not exist during Monroe’s time there.”
“Although photography was prohibited inside the house, somehow I was able to pose for a candid photo while standing on this authentic desk once used by James Monroe.”
“My photographer also managed to have me pose in the Monroe dining room as well. In the cabinet behind me, there was some White House china used by James Monroe.”
OLD BRICK CAPITOL – Built in 1815 on First Street where the Supreme Court Building sits today, it became the temporary Capitol after the British burned the U.S. Capitol and The White House in 1814. On March 4, 1817, James Monroe was sworn into office in front of 8,000 people gathered in front of the building on a mild and sunny day.
“This painting portrayed the inauguration of President James Monroe on March 4, 1817.”
UNITED STATES CAPITOL – As a snowstorm hit Washington, the second inauguration of President James Monroe was held on Monday March 5, 1821 in the Capitol’s House of Representatives Chamber.
“During his inaugural speech from the House Chamber, Monroe addressed the recent achievement of acquiring Florida from Spain. He also called for efforts to civilize Native Americans after recent attacks.”
THE WHITE HOUSE – James Monroe was President from 1817 to 1825 and during his residency there, he and his wife Elizabeth helped refurbish the President’s House after the British burned the building in 1814.
“I’m standing in the Blue Room of the White House. The Hannibal clock situated on the marble mantel was purchased by Monroe in 1817. Most of the other furnishings in this room were also purchased by the Monroe’s around the same time.”
“My photographer snapped this closer image of the Hannibal clock originally purchased by President Monroe.”
“Besides the Oval Office, the Blue Room was my favorite room in the White House. It’s directly in the center of the mansion’s south side and it was filled with furnishings purchased or donated by James and Elizabeth Monroe.”
“I was speechless when I looked through one of the Blue Room windows and saw the South Lawn and the monuments in the distance. While President Monroe likely looked out of the same window, the landscape he saw was definitely different in the early 1800s.”
ELIZA MONROE HAY – Eldest daughter of James and Elizabeth Monroe, Eliza was 31 years old when her father took office. Due to her mother’s frequent illnesses, Eliza assumed the role as “unofficial” First Lady during most of Monroe’s Presidency.
OLD STONE CHIMNEY – This historic 31-foot-tall chimney was originally built in 1750 as part of the two-story barracks at Fort Little Niagara, which was near present-day Niagara Falls, New York.When Fort Little Niagara was burned down nine years later, the 60-ton chimney was incorporated into Fort Schlosser, which was also burned to the ground by the British during the War of 1812.
“On August 8, 1817, President James Monroe arrived in the area following the war to tour the Falls and view the remnants of Fort Schlosser. During that visit, Monroe saw the Old Stone Chimney with his own eyes.”
“Even though this historic chimney had been relocated four times in the past 273 years, I felt privileged to stand on the same stones President Monroe had once admired.”
LIBERTY HALL – Located in Frankfort, Kentucky, this two-story brick mansion was built in 1796 by Senator John Brown. During his final 32 years of life, Brown hosted a handful of famous men in this home – including James Monroe, Zachary Taylor, Andrew Jackson, and Marquis de Lafayette.
“In June or July of 1819, President James Monroe dined inside Liberty Hall with Senator John Brown. Monroe was in the middle of his Southern States tour.”
“During my time at Liberty Hall, I also couldn’t help but think about Marquis de Lafayette, who walked through the front door behind me during his visit to Frankfort on May 24, 1825.”
“In 1810, Senator Brown’s wife, Margaretta, taught the first Sunday School west of the Alleghenies in Liberty Hall’s Garden, which was located to my right.”
“As I stood on the sun dial located behind the mansion, I wondered to myself if James Monroe saw or touched it during his visit in 1819.”
“President Monroe signed the Monroe Doctrine on December 2, 1823. That document was designed to prevent European powers from trying to oppress or control any nation in the Western Hemisphere.The Monroe Doctrine is still in effect today. As a matter of fact, JFK invoked the doctrine during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.”
“When Monroe’s second term as President ended on March 4, 1825, he and Elizabeth remained in the White House for three weeks because the First Lady was too ill to travel.”
OAK HILL – James Monroe became sole owner of the Oak Hill property, located near Aldie, Virginia, in 1805. The plantation home was designed by Thomas Jefferson and built in 1822 while Monroe was living in the White House. He planned on using Oak Hill as his retirement home.“Since Oak Hill was on private property and there were warning signs posted everywhere, this was as close to the mansion as I could get.”
“When the Monroe’s left the White House, they moved into Oak Hill where they planned on living out their years in retirement. But five years into their retirement, tragedy struck.Elizabeth Kortright Monroe died inside Oak Hill on September 23, 1830 at the age of 62. She was laid to rest in her beautiful garden behind the mansion.”
“I’m standing near the gardens at Oak Hill where Elizabeth was buried. The former First Lady remained there for 28 years until she was re-interred next to her husband in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.”
“After his wife’s death, the frail President left Oak Hill and moved to his daughter’s home in New York City. There, he died on July 4, 1831, just ten months after Elizabeth had passed away.”
LAFAYETTE PLACE – Located at 63 Prince Street in New York City, this was once the home of Samuel L. Gouverneur and his wife Maria, daughter of President James Monroe. The fifth President died at 3:15pm on July 4, 1831 in this home.
“These artifacts, now on display in the Monroe Museum in Fredericksburg, Virginia, were salvaged from the exterior of Lafayette Place before its demolition.”
NEW YORK CITY HALL – After Monroe was entombed in the Gouverneur family vault in New York City’s Marble Cemetery after his death, the coffin carrying the remains of President Monroe was removed from the vault on July 3, 1858 where it laid in state in New York City Hall for a day.
HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY – On July 5, 1858, the coffin carrying the body of James Monroe was re-interred at the President’s Circle in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.
“The gravesite of 10th President John Tyler was located about 20 yards to the east of Monroe’s tomb.”
“With a little help, I managed to make my way on top of Monroe’s tomb inside the cast iron cage – nicknamed ‘The Bird Cage’ by locals.”
“As I stood on Monroe’s granite sarcophagus, I had a very unique view that’s not afforded to many visitors – mainly because they can’t get inside the cage.”
“This is my photographer, doing his best impersonation of Ron DeSantis, as he posed alongside Monroe’s grave during our first visit together in 2019.”
“This is me alongside President Monroe’s grave on May 12, 2019.”
“Two years later, during my second visit to Hollywood Cemetery, I noticed Monroe’s grave had not changed much at all.”
“This statue of fifth President James Monroe was situated on his Highland property in Charlottesville, Virginia.”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think Monroe wanted me to pull his finger!”
“That’s it for our show about President James Monroe. If you have any thoughts or comments, please leave them below. I sincerely hope you learned something today about our fifth President.”
My name is Thomas Watson and I've been a U.S. history fanatic since I was 9 years old. In 2013, I decided to take my passion to the next level when I purchased a Thomas Jefferson bobble head with the sole intention of photographing that bobble head at Presidential sites. From that first day on July 10, 2013 at Spiegel Grove in Fremont, Ohio, this journey has taken on a life of its own. Now, nearly 40,000 miles later, I thought it was time to share the experiences, stories, and photos of Jefferson's travels. Keep in mind, this entire venture has been done with the deepest respect for the men who held the office as our President; no matter what their political affiliations, personal ambitions, or public scandals may have been. This blog is intended to be a true tribute to the Presidents of the United States and this story will be told Through the Eyes of Jefferson. I hope you enjoy the ride!
