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Virginia

Three Friends: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe

Program No. 9113RJ

Dive into history as you explore the legacies of three early American presidents, discovering historic architecture, period music, stunning artwork and a living-history presentation.

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Program

At a Glance

Duration

4 days

Program Begins

Charlottesville

Program Concludes

Charlottesville

Meals

8 ( 3B, 2L, 3D )

Activity Level

Explore the friendship among three U.S. presidents — Jefferson, Madison, Monroe — as you journey back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the time when these great men lived, worked, laughed and loved. Learn about their personal stories and the historic events that drew them together, explore their views on contemporary issues such as religion and slavery and delve into the lasting contributions each made to our nation.

Best of all, you'll...

Visit the historic homes of these American patriarchs — Jefferson's Monticello, Monroe's Highland and Madison's Montpelier.
Investigate the connection between Jefferson's educational vision and design of his university while strolling the grounds with an expert.
Enjoy an evening of music from the period in which these men lived, and meet one of them in an interactive living-history presentation.

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Dennis Bigelow

For more than a decade, Dennis Bigelow has interpreted the character of President James Monroe for the College of William & Mary at Highland, Monroe's home in Albemarle County, Virginia. He has performed at the White House, Colonial Williamsburg, the Virginia State House, the National Archives, the Smithsonian, and other venues. He shares ancestral grandparents with Thomas Jefferson through the Randolph family as well as Chief Justice John Marshall, a great friend of Monroe and a maternal ancestral uncle.

Please Note:

This expert may not be available for every date of the program

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Eileen Wells

Eileen Wells was raised in New York and New Jersey and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in French from Bucknell University. Upon arriving in Newport News, VA, she went to work using her degree to schedule the construction of navy frigates at Newport News Shipbuilding. Moving to Williamsburg, she followed a winding path before arriving at her dream job — being a Road Scholar group leader for over a decade. Eileen now lives in Charlottesville to be closer to her four grandchildren.

Miranda Burnett

Miranda Burnett, research librarian for the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, received an MA in French from the University of South Carolina, and — after teaching high school French and Latin for a few years — earned an MS in library and information science at FSU. She moved to the Charlottesville area in 2008, becoming involved with the Scottsville Museum. She joined JMRL in 2016 as a substitute reference librarian, moving to Northside Library as a reference librarian in 2017 before accepting the position of historical collections librarian.

Gaye S. Wilson

Gaye Wilson is a senior fellow with the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies, the academic branch of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello. Over 25 years, she has researched, written, and published papers on Jefferson's America and the times and the people involved in the founding of the early American republic. Her latest book, 'Jefferson on Display: Attire, Etiquette, and the Art of Presentation,' was published by the University of Virginia Press in 2018.

Su Tarr

Su Tarr's musical talents have been obvious from childhood when she won a concerto competition at the age of 9 and played with the Cleveland Symphony. As an adult, she has played in the Charleston, Huntington (WVA), and Richmond Symphonies. Su has been a balladeer in Colonial Williamsburg since 1997. She is well known in Virginia as a singer and fiddler for Southern Horizon, a group which performs music of the American Civil War. Altogether, Su has been performing for over 42 years.

Bethany McGlyn

Bethany McGlyn is a Ph.D. student and Jefferson Scholars Foundation Fellow at the University of Virginia studying slavery, craft labor, and material culture in the 18th-century American South and Atlantic World. She holds an M.A. from the University of Delaware's Winterthur Program in American Material Culture and has worked in curatorial departments at Historic Rock Ford, Historic Annapolis, the National Parks Service, and Winterthur.

Holly Good

Holly Good graduated from the UVA School of Architecture with her bachelor's and master's in architectural history in 2018 and 2019, respectively. She focused on historic preservation and vernacular architecture. During that time, she interned with the Historic Preservation department and had the pleasure of working on the Rotunda renovation. Since graduation, she has consulted for 106 Group, a cultural resources firm. Currently, she stays home with her two small children, with the occasional consultation.

Nicole Lesley

Nicole Lesley received her bachelor's in business management from the University of Phoenix in 2015. After spending 15 years in the hotel industry, she earned her International Tour Manager certification in 2020, and made the transition into the travel industry. In her first season with Road Scholar, she spent the last four years leading student education trips in Washington DC, Richmond and Virginia's Historic Triangle, as well as adult and family trips throughout the United States and Eastern Canada.

Activity Level

Keep the Pace

Walking up to two miles per day; some uneven terrain and stairs.

Suggested Reading List

View Full List (18 Books)

You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.

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Peace of Mind

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.

Assurance Plan

Road Scholar's continued commitment to our participants and their well-being is exemplified whether participating on a program in the United States or on one of our International programs, every Road Scholar participant receives coverage under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan.

Want to Protect Your Investment?

Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.

Sustainable Travel

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.

Peace of Mind

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.
Assurance Plan

Road Scholar's continued commitment to our participants and their well-being is exemplified whether participating on a program in the United States or on one of our International programs, every Road Scholar participant receives coverage under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan.
Want to Protect Your Investment?

Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.
Sustainable Travel

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.