Latest news with #Monticello
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
America250 Announces 2025 America's Field Trip Awardees: Celebrating Students Across the Nation
150 Winners Selected for Inspiring Answers to the Question, "What Does America Mean To You?" 75 First-Place Awardees Win Field Trips to Iconic American Historical and Cultural Destinations This Summer WASHINGTON, D.C., June 09, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--America250, the official national organization charged by Congress with commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States, today proudly announced the 2025 "America's Field Trip" awardees. America's Field Trip is a nationwide contest inviting students in grades 3–12 to reflect on the question: "What does America mean to you?" The 150 America's Field Trip awardees hail from 41 states and 4 U.S. territories and were selected by a panel of current and former educators. Thousands of students from all 50 states, 5 U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia submitted writing and artwork to the 2024-2025 America's Field Trip contest. The seventy-five first-place awardees will embark on immersive, unforgettable field trips to iconic American historical and cultural sites this summer, with seventy-five second-place awardees each receiving a $500 cash award. This marks the second group of America's Field Trip awardees recognized by America250 and follows the successful pilot program launched in 2024. "America's Field Trip is a transformative opportunity for students across the country to engage with our nation's history in meaningful, lasting ways," said Rosie Rios, Chair of America250. "Our tentpole programs are intentionally designed to be hands-on, educational and engaging. America's Field Trip truly brings the story of America to life and allows a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these students to experience American history and national treasures up-close." Each first-place awardee will choose one of the following specially-curated experiences: Private tours of Boston Revolutionary War sites, including the Old North Church, the Paul Revere House, and Bunker Hill Monument Behind-the-scenes tour of the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and sleepover at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, DC Exclusive visits to two Washington, DC, institutions: a trip into the National Archives Vault and private tour of the Smithsonian's National Zoo Exclusive tour of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia, and visit to the Library of Congress in Washington, DC Walking tour of historic Lower Manhattan and a performance and opportunity to meet the company of HAMILTON in New York CityStorytelling, history, and commemoration under the stars at Mount Rushmore National Memorial Private tours of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, the International African American Museum, and the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, South Carolina Exclusive tours of the Alamo in San Antonio and the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas Backstage tour of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio Beyond the ropes tour of Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Guided visit to Angel Island Immigration Station and candlelight tour of Fort Point at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California Private guided tour of Yellowstone National Park in Montana and Wyoming Ranger-led hikes and tours of the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado Private tour of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida The 2024-2025 contest was made possible through the support of Founding Sponsor BNY Mellon and educational partner Discovery Education. "We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of this year's awardees," said Jayee Koffey, Chief Enablement and Global Affairs Officer at BNY. "The creativity and passion of these students encapsulates the future spirit of our nation. As BNY continues to support America's 250th anniversary celebrations, we are proud to cheer on the future leaders of America." For a full list of awardees and a selection of winning submissions, please visit First Place Awardees Alabama Jaid S., 9th Grade, Helena Ava H., 12th Grade, Madison Arizona Samarthya S., 3rd Grade, Chandler Arkansas Katherine Q., 12th Grade, Nashville California Melanie G., 4th Grade, Rancho Cordova Mirabelle G., 4th Grade, Pasadena Aadya K., 5th Grade, San Jose Emelynn M., 5th Grade, Temecula Parker S., 5th Grade, Murrieta Sharon X., 5th Grade, Arcadia Sophia C., 6th Grade, San Diego Mason M., 7th Grade, Los Angeles David K., 8th Grade, Manhattan Beach Evelyn B., 10th Grade, Sacramento Agnes Q., 12th Grade, South San Francisco Colorado Justin Y., 4th Grade, Denver Annie S., 7th Grade, Thornton Ava S., 7th Grade, Colorado Springs Yufan L., 11th Grade, Colorado Springs Delaware Grace S., 9th Grade, Milton Vivian W., 10th Grade, Hockessin Florida Abigail C., 3rd Grade, Ponte Vedra Angel G., 4th Grade, Saint Augustine Singita C., 8th Grade, Palm Beach Gardens Georgia Corrina T., 7th Grade, Winterville Josiah C., 12th Grade, Lithonia Guam Yaxin L., 9th Grade, Dededo Idaho Tonya H., 6th Grade, Orofino Haley H., 8th Grade, Orofino Kanghyeon B., 8th Grade, Meridian Illinois Olivia H., 6th Grade, Aurora Margot K., 11th Grade, Northbrook Jack J., 12th Grade, Elgin Kansas Eleanor P., 5th Grade, Eastborough Kentucky Daanya R., 8th Grade, Lexington Louisiana Emory D., 3rd Grade, Madisonville Nicholas N., 6th Grade, Metairie Auralia S., 12th Grade, Barksdale Air Force Base Massachusetts Freya H., 4th Grade, Boston Johan C., 8th Grade, Weston Saachi M., 11th Grade, Hingham Mississippi Benjamin P., 11th Grade, Corinth Brianna H., 11th Grade, Corinth Missouri Austin F., 8th Grade, Weldon Spring New Jersey Arjun K. , 5th Grade, Towaco Nikita D., 5th Grade, Marlboro Jayden A., 7th Grade, South Amboy Anish G., 8th Grade, Basking Ridge Yuna J., 8th Grade, Moorestown Megan W., 12th Grade, Westfield Parinita C., 12th Grade, Bridgewater New York Asia S., 7th Grade, Rifton Eric B., 7th Grade, Rifton Hannah B., 11th Grade, Chester North Carolina Zadie B. , 4th Grade, Charlotte Kahlan V., 6th Grade, Hickory Annie B., 8th Grade, Fayetteville Northern Mariana Islands Aileen K., 5th Grade, Tamuning Ohio Eva H., 5th Grade, Pataskala Pennsylvania Santino W., 4th Grade, McMurray Toluwanimi F., 4th Grade, Philadelphia Clara C. , 5th Grade, Fogelsville Regan S., 7th Grade, Pittsburgh Tennessee Leslie C., 12th Grade, Antioch Texas Mia L., 3rd Grade, Arlington Rehanika D., 4th Grade, Northlake Liam B., 5th Grade, Houston Emil M., 8th Grade, Houston Lydia I., 8th Grade, San Antonio Atharva E., 9th Grade, Wylie U.S. Virgin Islands Mirza B., 11th Grade, St. Thomas Virginia Aggie J., 4th Grade, Roanoke Gloria A., 11th Grade, Midlothian Simone H., 11th Grade, Haymarket West Virginia Juliann H., 10th Grade, Elkins Second Place Awardees American Samoa Janae R., 5th Grade, Pago Pago Fiao'o L., 11th Grade, Pago Pago Arizona Colton Z., 5th Grade, Mesa Joanna H., 8th Grade, Chandler Arkansas Joah S., 8th Grade, Altus California Jackson W., 4th Grade, Hayward Giovanni B., 6th Grade, Upland Ian C., 7th Grade, Sylmar Colorado Grace H., 5th Grade, Colorado Springs Elizabeth A., 7th Grade, Colorado Springs Lucy L., 11th Grade, Colorado Springs Connecticut Miriam M., 6th Grade, Westport Saige M., 12th Grade, Haddam Florida Savannah T., 4th Grade, Land O' Lakes Madison R., 7th Grade, Lutz Jessenia T., 11th Grade, Homestead Hawaii Peyton H., 8th Grade, Ewa Beach Illinois Maia S., 10th Grade, Belleville Indiana Jacob K., 5th Grade, Fishers Kayla B., 10th Grade, Indianapolis Kansas Emerald R., 5th Grade, Wichita Emma S., 5th Grade, St. Johns Louisiana Princeton H., 3rd Grade, Shreveport Luke B., 4th Grade, Lockport Paris N., 7th Grade, Gretna Weston W., 9th Grade, Franklinton Addison B., 12th Grade, Shreveport Lily W., 12th Grade, Monroe Maryland Rachel K., 4th Grade, Ellicott City Charlotte L., 8th Grade, Crofton Massachusetts Katherine C., 11th Grade, Hingham Michigan Aubreigh H., 9th Grade, New Hudson Paytyn E., 9th Grade, South Lyon Lucia H., 11th Grade, Augusta Minnesota Natalie S., 3rd Grade, Waverly Mississippi Chloe A., 11th Grade, Corinth Kinley P., 11th Grade, Corinth Camden L., 12th Grade, Corinth Jayden T., 12th Grade, Corinth Madison G., 12th Grade, Corinth Missouri Jase S., 5th Grade, Preston Jody B., 7th Grade, St. Clair Montana Ethan K., 5th Grade, Belt Nevada Ian K., 10th Grade, Las Vegas New Jersey Ximena L., 5th Grade, Linwood Christopher M., 6th Grade, Florham Park Madison S., 8th Grade, Flanders New Mexico Alejandro G., 11th Grade, Albuquerque New York Kenneth Z., 4th Grade, Walden Ava A., 5th Grade, Rifton Aviana S., 5th Grade, Walden Anmo G., 6th Grade, Manlius Sabine S., 12th Grade, Goshen North Carolina McKenzy G., 6th Grade, Kinston Brianna G., 12th Grade, Wilson North Dakota Korri C., 10th Grade, Drake Northern Mariana Islands Taemin P., 11th Grade, Saipan Ohio Aria H., 5th Grade, Springboro Oklahoma Miles S., 5th Grade, Broken Arrow Pennsylvania Quinton P., 7th Grade, North East Judy A., 8th Grade, Willow Street South Carolina Titus W., 4th Grade, Bluffton South Dakota Hannah E., 7th Grade, Flandreau Tennessee Tilly B., 8th Grade, Knoxville Texas Logan H., 3rd Grade, Coleman McKenna G., 5th Grade, Merkel Langston B., 6th Grade, Leander Maira S., 8th Grade, Sugarland Utah Audrey S., 5th Grade, Salt Lake City Liam G., 6th Grade, Farmington Virginia Lincoln N., 4th Grade, Stafford Mohammad O., 7th Grade, Vienna Ivah K., 8th Grade, Henrico Washington Madeline J., 11th Grade, Bremerton Wisconsin Willow A., 8th Grade, Cassville America250: America250's mission is to celebrate and commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, marking America's Semiquincentennial. We aim to inspire our fellow Americans to reflect on our past, strengthen our love of country, and renew our commitment to the ideals of democracy through programs that educate, engage, and unite us as a nation. America250 will foster shared experiences that spark imagination, showcase the rich tapestry of our American stories, inspire service in our communities, honor the enduring strength, and celebrate the resilience of the United States of America. America's Field Trip Contest: America's Field Trip Contest is a creative opportunity for students in grades 3-12 to reflect on what America means to them through original artwork or written responses. The contest encourages students from across the U.S. and its territories to share their vision of America's values, history, and future. Open until April 16th, 2025, this free contest invites students to participate and contribute to the national celebration of America's 250th anniversary. View source version on Contacts MEDIA CONTACT: press@
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Long-thwarted efforts to sell public lands see new life under Trump
Cattle gather around a watering hole on federal land near Monticello, Utah. Utah is among several Western states seeking to reduce federal land ownership. (Photo by Utah News Dispatch) Public outcry was swift and forceful after a U.S. House committee last month hastily approved an amendment directing the federal government to sell off more than half a million acres of public land. A few days later, lawmakers advanced the larger bill — a sweeping list of President Donald Trump's priorities — but stripped the federal lands provision. Yet leaders on both sides of the issue say the battle over selling off federal lands is likely just heating up. Some conservatives in Western states have complained for decades that the feds control too much of the land within their borders. They see a long-awaited opportunity in a Trump administration that's sympathetic to their cause. Public lands advocates are bracing for more attempts to turn land over to states, industry groups and developers. 'The threat level is red alert,' said Randi Spivak, public lands policy director with the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental nonprofit. 'Some of these states have been champing at the bit for decades to privatize. They're certainly not going to let this opportunity pass without an aggressive effort.' In Western states, where most federally owned lands are located, some leaders view these lands as a treasured inheritance — places reserved for all Americans and critical for wildlife, tourism and outdoor recreation. Others feel that too much of the land in their states is controlled by officials in Washington, D.C., leaving it off-limits for development and curtailing its economic value. Some of these states have been champing at the bit for decades to privatize. They're certainly not going to let this opportunity pass without an aggressive effort. – Randi Spivak, public lands policy director with the Center for Biological Diversity Trump officials and allies have embraced the latter view. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has repeatedly called federal lands America's 'balance sheet,' describing them as untapped assets worth trillions of dollars. He has launched an effort to identify federal lands suitable for housing development. Other proposals have centered around using land sales to pay for tax breaks or to finance Trump's proposed government-run fund that could invest in stocks or real estate. For some state leaders, the newfound interest at the federal level to turn public lands into cash — along with Trump's cuts to land management agency staff — aligns with a long-standing movement to reduce federal ownership. 'I look at it as an opportunity to say, 'Hey, turn it over to the state,'' said Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz, a Republican. Utah leaders have made the most forceful push to challenge federal land ownership. The state filed a legal challenge last year seeking to take control of more than 18 million acres of 'unappropriated' lands — parcels held by the federal government without a specific designation such as a national park or monument. That effort hit a roadblock earlier this year when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case. But with Trump in the White House, state leaders may pivot from challenging the feds in court to seeking their cooperation. 'We would love if the federal government just turned it over to us and said, 'Here, manage these lands,'' Schultz said. 'That's an option as well. Those are discussions that are happening. Everything is on the table.' Schultz declined to say which federal officials have been involved in discussions about transferring lands to the state. Some lawmakers in Wyoming backed a state resolution this year — which ultimately failed — calling on Congress to hand over all federal lands except for Yellowstone National Park. Idaho lawmakers passed a measure calling on the feds to turn over a wildlife refuge to the state. And Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican, has called for a 'systematic release' of federal land in the state. But public lands also have many supporters in Western states, including some prominent Republican members of Congress, such as Reps. Mike Simpson of Idaho and Ryan Zinke of Montana. Zinke was Interior secretary for two years during the first Trump administration. John Leshy, who served as solicitor for the U.S. Department of the Interior during the Clinton administration, said proposals to dispose of federal lands tend to be stymied by fierce public backlash. 'Federal lands are really popular,' he said. 'It's political poison [to sell off public land]. It's a different West now. Public attitudes have changed.' Leshy also noted that livestock ranchers especially benefit from discounted lease rates offered by the federal government. The most recent clash over the future of federal lands was the amendment sponsored by a pair of congressional Republicans last month. The measure would have directed the Bureau of Land Management to sell more than 500,000 acres of land in Nevada and Utah. Local governments would have been able to buy the land at market value, with no restrictions on how they used it. Backers said the sale would bring in revenue to cover Trump's proposed tax cuts, while allowing local governments to build much-needed housing on the parcels. Utah GOP Sen. Mike Lee said he will try to revive the measure as the Senate considers the bill this month, E&E News reported. Trump wants to log more trees. He'll need states' help. In Nevada, where 85% of land is owned by the federal government, some leaders say their communities are hemmed in by a checkerboard of public lands that constrain development. The city of Fernley, which is growing rapidly, would have acquired 12,000 acres under the proposal. 'We need housing,' said Benjamin Marchant, Fernley's city manager. 'The city can't plan roads and water lines, sewer lines and gas lines, when you have federal land between two parcels that want to develop. This will bring a practical and helpful consolidation of all these lands into one developable area.' Nevada leaders have long worked on proposals to transfer some federal lands to local governments and allow for increased growth. But some lawmakers say the latest push bypassed that collaborative process — and failed to include safeguards that the money raised from the sale of the lands would be reinvested into conserving public lands elsewhere. 'It was a complete betrayal of everything we've worked on in this state,' said Assemblymember Howard Watts, a Democrat. 'This amendment is trying to sell off half a million acres of Nevada's public lands in order to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. This is not going to address our housing problem. These lands are positioned to be sold off for other forms of development and extraction.' Similar debates are happening in Utah. In southwestern Utah's Washington County, local officials say the disposal of federally controlled land could help alleviate the region's housing crisis and increasingly strained infrastructure. The county is experiencing rapid population growth — in 2022, St. George, the county seat, was the fastest-growing metro area in America. County and city leaders hoped the amendment would have helped them manage the growth. The measure would have disposed of roughly 11,500 acres of federally controlled land in Utah, selling it at market value to local governments. The proposal received pushback from all sides, including environmentalists, hunting and fishing groups, House Democrats and even conservatives. '[The amendment] is consistent with how U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Burgum thinks about federal public lands, as simply assets on a ledger to be sold off,' said Steve Bloch, legal director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, an environmental nonprofit. ' … It's just antithetical to how Westerners think about the federal public lands that make up so much of our landscape.' Washington County Commissioner Adam Snow, a Republican, said a lot of the opposition was misguided. The county would have acquired almost half of the land earmarked for disposal, and Snow said much of that would have been used to widen existing roads and construct new ones that are bordered by Bureau of Land Management property. 'These were not pristine wilderness lands. Some of the environmental groups tried to make it sound like we're selling off Zion National Park, and that's not even close to true,' Snow said. 'If we can just not have to deal with the federal government every time we want to chip seal a road or improve an intersection, that would be really nice. Because we have to ask 'Mother, may I?' for everything out here.' Local leaders say federal parcels could help ease housing pressures as well. Snow said transferring parcels to the city or county is one of the only ways to stop the area from becoming wildly expensive. 'We're running out of room real quick,' he said. ' … There is still private land to develop, but they're going to charge an absolute premium.' The amendment that was stripped from the House bill was widely criticized for not having any restrictions on what could be done with the land. 'There was no language whatsoever that would require Washington County or St. George to do anything with these lands. They could lease them for development. They could sell them outright,' said Bloch. In Utah, lawmakers have created a state Department of Land Management — essentially a placeholder agency that would be funded and staffed only if their effort to assume control of large swaths of federal land succeeds. Schultz, the House speaker, said the state is committed to keeping the lands in the public domain, reopening roads and campgrounds closed by the feds. Western states' budgets, industries rely on federal lands. So does wildlife. 'We'd just take over the job from the federal government,' he said. 'It is something that the state absolutely would do, and we'd do it more efficiently, more effectively and we'd have better outcomes.' Schultz said the state could bring in the revenues needed to manage the land by raising lease prices for oil and gas operations on parcels currently managed for drilling. But some public lands advocates say that's not realistic. The federal Bureau of Land Management employed more than 950 people in the state as of 2024, and feds also assume the expensive task of wildfire management on their lands. 'If you look at the history of what Utah has done with their lands, they've sold more than half of them,' said Devin O'Dea, Western policy and conservation manager with Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. 'We're certainly of the perspective that states could not handle the economic costs of managing these lands. Their hand would be forced; they would have to sell these lands in order to deal with those costs.' John Robison, Idaho Conservation League public lands and wildlife director, said Simpson — the Idaho congressman — and the state's two senators have all won praise from constituents for their work on public lands compromises. 'Savvy Idaho politicians know that public lands are popular,' he said. But other state leaders insist their governments are better equipped to manage the lands. Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, a Republican, was among the officials who signed an amicus brief in support of Utah's lawsuit against the feds. 'We live here, we work here, and we are far better stewards of our forests and resources than federal bureaucrats in Washington,' Labrador said in a statement. ' … If Idaho owned this land, we could lease it for timber, grazing, and mining — just like the federal government does — but reinvest that revenue right here in Idaho.' Stateline reporter Alex Brown can be reached at abrown@ , Idaho Capital Sun reporter Clark Corbin can be reached at ccorbin@ and Utah News Dispatch reporter Kyle Dunphey can be reached at kdunphey@ SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Globe and Mail
30-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Monticello Residents Enjoy Custom Glasswork from Lake Country Glass
Homeowners in Monticello now have a trusted source for premium frameless glass shower doors and custom glass solutions thanks to the craftsmanship and service of Lake Country Glass & Mirror. Homeowners in Monticello now have a trusted source for premium frameless glass shower doors and custom glass solutions thanks to the craftsmanship and service of Lake Country Glass & Mirror. Known for delivering custom shower doors & enclosures that elevate both form and function, the company continues to expand its reach across central Georgia. Specializing in frameless glass shower doors in Monticello, GA, Lake Country Glass brings high-end design and unmatched precision to every project. From sleek master bath upgrades to full-scale remodels, the team provides tailored solutions that reflect each client's vision and space requirements. 'Our mission has always been to combine beauty and quality in everything we install,' said Will Fowlkes of Lake Country Glass. 'We're proud to see more Monticello residents turning to us for their custom glass needs. There's nothing quite like the look of a clean, frameless design done right.' Lake Country Glass has earned a loyal following by pairing durable materials with expert installation, offering a wide range of styles and hardware finishes to fit both modern and traditional spaces. Whether clients are building new homes or updating existing bathrooms, each enclosure is carefully measured, cut, and installed to ensure safety and longevity. The company's Facebook page showcases recent projects, design inspiration, and glowing testimonials from satisfied customers. Their work has also been recognized regionally, including a recent feature on their expansion of custom shower doors & enclosures. Monticello homeowners interested in upgrading their bathrooms with frameless glass or exploring other custom options are encouraged to schedule a consultation directly through the Lake Country Glass website or by calling their office. For those in and around Monticello looking to transform their bathrooms with the elegance of frameless glass, Lake Country Glass remains a trusted local leader in both product and service. Media Contact Company Name: LC Glass Contact Person: Will Fowlkes Email: Send Email Phone: (706) 920-6646 Address: 104 Lakeview Estates Dr City: Eatonton State: GA Country: United States Website:
New York Times
27-05-2025
- New York Times
My Visit to the Trump Winery, Where Patriotism Is Sold by the Bottle
The pastoral countryside south of Charlottesville, Va., is quietly presidential. Visitors from around the world travel through the green rolling hills to Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. Though it's been named as a UNESCO world heritage site, its presence is indicated only by a decorous sign. From there, the Thomas Jefferson Parkway leads to the James Monroe Parkway, where a more discreet sign points toward Highland, Monroe's home. The restraint ends a few miles down the road, where the American flags begin. Hundreds of them line the top rungs of split-rail fences facing Route 627, snapping in the wind and stretching for a mile or more. Like a big brass band, they shout out your arrival at Trump Winery. I visited the winery in mid-April while exploring Virginia wine country. I was curious about the wine, given its association with President Trump, who has said he has never consumed alcoholic beverages. Mr. Trump doesn't exactly own this winery. Its proprietor is Eric Trump Wine Manufacturing, a limited liability company. Eric Trump, the president's middle son, is its president. A disclaimer on the winery's website states that the company 'is not owned, managed, or affiliated with Donald J. Trump or any of his affiliates.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Times
25-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
These Founding Fathers Were Frenemies. Maybe We Can Learn Something.
Thomas Jefferson's Monticello is one of the most beloved sites in America, drawing more than 300,000 visitors a year up a steep mountain road to enjoy majestic views of the Virginia Piedmont and house tours that can feel like stepping into its creator's complicated mind. But in 1775, it was a muddy construction site — and, as a guide told a tour group gathered on its front portico on a recent morning, a pretty good metaphor for the not-quite-born United States itself. 'Things were just getting started, and they weren't going great,' the guide said. After a decade of escalating tensions between Britain and the colonists, a shooting war had broken out in Massachusetts. The Continental Congress formed an army, appointing an upstanding Virginian, George Washington, to lead it. 'Which, by the way,' the guide noted wryly, 'was John Adams's idea.' Virginia may be a purple state these days, but the area around Monticello is still rock-ribbed Jefferson country. Heading south, you can follow Thomas Jefferson Parkway to Jefferson Vineyards. Go a few miles north, to downtown Charlottesville, and you hit 'Mr. Jefferson's university,' as some still reverentially call it. But as the 250th anniversary of American independence approaches, his fellow founder and sometime nemesis is getting prominent billing up at Monticello, thanks to 'Founding Friends, Founding Foes,' a new tour built around the fraught 50-year relationship between Jefferson and Adams. The tour uses spaces in the magnificent house Jefferson designed, and items he kept close to him, to unpack their lifelong frenemyship. That often-fractious relationship stretched from their collaboration on the Declaration of Independence to Jefferson's defeat of Adams in the 1800 presidential election to their deaths, hours apart, on July 4, 1826. The tour explores the vicious partisan politics of the 1790s, and the rise of the two-party system we know (and may love or hate) today. And it invites guests to reflect on parallels with today's toxic politics and hyperpolarization, whether on the drive home or during special dinner table civic conversations — or as Jefferson would have put it, 'feasts of reason' — held on the grounds after some tours. These days, the Mountaintop, as Jefferson called the upper reaches of his 5,000-acre estate, is in exquisite condition, thanks to a multiyear effort to restore its buildings, gardens and fields to the way they looked in his retirement years. But down below, in the country he helped create, many fear that the grand edifice of American democracy is teetering. And Monticello is asking a question: Can leaning into the messy, complicated, nasty, origins of our partisan political system save us? A Complicated Legacy Monticello, which is owned and operated by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, a private nonprofit group, has dealt with difficult questions before, if not always willingly. For decades, it presented a hagiographic image of Jefferson, saying little about the nearly 400 people enslaved there over his lifetime. That started to shift in the early 1990s, when the foundation created its first tour focused on slavery, even as some accused it of continuing to downplay the darker side of Jefferson's story. But things changed drastically after 2000, when the foundation announced, in the wake of DNA research and scholarship by historians led by Annette Gordon-Reed, that it had accepted longstanding claims that Jefferson had fathered six children with Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman. Today, Monticello is seen as a leader among historical houses grappling with slavery. It runs a continuing oral history project about the enslaved community there and its descendants, who have gathered here for reunions. And it offers various in-depth tours and exhibits dedicated to slavery, a subject that is also woven into every tour, including 'Founding Friends, Founding Foes.' At Monticello, the new tour is described not as a pivot, but a continuation of its commitment to difficult conversations — and to meeting its diverse stakeholders where they are. Jane Kamensky, a historian of the American Revolution who left Harvard last year to become president of Monticello, said the new tour grew out of research showing that many visitors wanted more political history, and more about Jefferson's career. It also reflects her conviction that Monticello can be a 'civic engine' for thinking about our current divides — and modeling how, as she puts it, to disagree better. 'On the tour, you hopefully feel a sense of inspiration around the possibility of this political friendship recovering itself, this civic friendship recovering itself,' Kamensky said. 'And then maybe you're inspired to call your uncle who you fell out with over Thanksgiving because you supported Trump and he supported Harris.' That might sound like 18th-century pie in the sky thinking, even without the ratcheting tensions of the second Trump administration. In a much-noted 2019 paper on partisanship, two political scientists reported survey data showing that 16 percent of Republicans and 20 percent of Democrats had sometimes thought the country would be better off if large numbers of people from the other side 'just died.' But for Kamensky, the fact that Jefferson himself is a lightning rod, who draws defenders, haters and everything in between, gives Monticello an advantage. 'I don't envy the president of the Lincoln presidential library,' she said. 'Everyone knows how they feel about Lincoln and feels affirmed in their admiration of him. But Jefferson is a nonconsensus figure.' Monticello's research shows it draws a broad mix of visitors from across the political spectrum, including more conservatives than other historic houses and museums, whose visitors skew more liberal than American adults as a whole. For some here, that reality was driven home on Jan. 7, 2021, when people stopped by for tours on their way home from Washington, wearing shirts and hats from the 'Stop the Steal' rally the day before. Sam Saunders, a retired civil engineer who has been a guide for nine years, said that was a challenging day at Monticello, though there were no incidents, and it was impossible to know if any of those visitors were among those who had gone on to storm the Capitol after the rally. 'Maybe some of the fuss was in our own emotions,' he said. And even on normal days, he added, it was important not to pass judgment on visitors based on hats, clothing or other cues. 'You can't assume people feel a certain way,' he said. Holly Haliniewski, a guide here for nearly seven years, said that in the intense months since President Trump returned to office, Monticello had been a tonic. 'It's been so good to come to work here, rather than sitting at home in my silo,' she said. 'This is one of the last places where people do come together, which makes me hopeful.' Bridging the Divide Guides at Monticello are familiar with emotional, and sometimes hostile, visitor reactions, particular around slavery. Still, at a recent all-day training session, some guides expressed nervousness about inviting a conversation about 2025 politics, even on a tour whose overt content stays firmly in the past. Brandon Dillard, Monticello's director of historic interpretation and audience engagement, offered reassurance. 'All of you are excellent at talking about racism and the legacy of slavery in America,' he said. 'I think you can handle a conversation about partisanship.' Each of the roughly four dozen guides at Monticello writes their own tour, within set parameters. Earlier this year, as part of the training for 'Founding Friends, Founding Foes,' Monticello organized daylong sessions with historians and political scientists. On this day in late February, the speakers were leaders from BridgeUSA and Living Room Conversations, two of the hundreds of 'bridging' organizations that have sprung up in recent years on campuses and in communities, with the mission of promoting civil disagreement and dialogue. Becca Kearl, the executive director of Living Room Conversations, which was founded in 2010, began by asking everyone to pull out their smartphones and, using a QR code, contribute to a word cloud, using the prompt 'America is….' The screen at the front of the room started to fill with responses like 'under attack,' 'not a democracy,' 'complicated' 'an oligarchy,' 'Trump,' and 'a mess.' But there was also 'an inspiration' and 'my home.' Kearl ran through some discouraging statistics about polarization. But like many in the 'bridging' world, she prefers to emphasize recent research showing that a large majority of people across the political spectrum want honest, fact-based history that honors shared American values without glossing over hard things. 'We feel divided, but a lot of that is coming from the top down,' she said. 'I'm not saying things aren't happening now that are really divisive. But research shows we really want to be united.' What that means on the ground is complicated. One guide asked whether the civic dialogue approach downplays the degree to which people from minority groups may feel less empowered to speak, if they are present at all. (Monticello's visitors, according to its data, skew heavily white, as they do at museum sites as a whole.) Another noted the challenge of navigating the political gap between, say, Charlottesville, which voted 84 percent Democratic in the 2024 presidential election, and Greene County, a heavily rural Republican stronghold only about 20 miles away. Kearl, describing herself as a registered Republican who feels conservative in a national context but 'super-liberal in Utah,' where she lives, said that political identity can be complicated. And for some who are right of center, even well-intentioned efforts by progressive-dominated institutions to reach across the political divide can come off as condescending. 'With conservatives, there's often a sense you are being drawn in to be re-educated, and you are just going to be told how you are wrong,' she said. Dillard reminded the guides that the point wasn't to win a debate or change anyone's mind, but to foster civic connection. 'Do you want to prove a point?' he said. 'Or do you want to make a difference?' Dreams of the Future The following morning, about three dozen students from the University of Virginia and Washington and Lee, a nearby school with a more conservative reputation, arrived for an early test-run of the new tour. 'You're all probably very familiar with Thomas Jefferson,' the guide, Wyatt Falcone, said, kicking things off. But what comes to mind when you think about John Adams? 'Curmudgeon,' one student offered. 'Actually,' Falcone said, 'he had a pretty good sense of humor!' The group, which included some students from campus bridging groups, was primed for dialogue. But there wasn't much time for questions, as Falcone raced to keep the complex story under the tour's one-hour limit. (It clocked in at an hour and 20 minutes.) Stepping into Monticello, with its eccentrically shaped spaces, rich colors and cutting-edge 18th-century gadgets, can feel like entering an Enlightenment version of Willie Wonka's factory. And in the entrance hall, Falcone noted mainstays of every house tour, including a museum-like display of Native American artifacts brought back by the Lewis and Clark expedition and, over the door, the elaborate 'Great Clock' designed by Jefferson, which has been running for more than 200 years. But by the time the group moved into the library, Falcone was deep into the history of the debates of the 1780s over the newly proposed Constitution, and the rifts that began opening over the nature and practice of American democracy. Adams, Falcone explained, believed that the new nation needed a strong executive to contain the class of people who, in every society, would rise above the rest, and seek to accumulate power for themselves. Jefferson, he said, was 'more of an optimist.' 'He believed the American Revolution was the first step in a global revolution that would wipe away the systems and tyrannies of the past and create a new world of freedom and equality,' he said. (Though not for everybody — Jefferson, Falcone noted, was 'horrified' when enslaved Haitians overthrew their masters and established a democratic republic in 1804.) So far, so Jeffersonian. But moving into the bedchamber — where a bust of Adams was tucked into a corner, near the foot of the bed — Falcone described how this civic friendship, and the new democracy's fragile consensus, started to seriously fray. It started with the election to succeed George Washington in 1796, when Adams narrowly defeated Jefferson. And by their 1800 rematch, the brutal politics of the 'factions' that many of the founders had warned against produced what is still seen as one of the nastiest, most bitterly partisan elections in American history. Adams's Federalists accused Jefferson of being an anarchist, an atheist, a traitor and a French spy. Jefferson's Democratic-Republicans, meanwhile, denounced Adams as a warmonger, a monarchist and a tyrant. And then — as fans of 'Hamilton' will remember — the election was thrown into the House of Representatives, where it took more than 30 ballots for Jefferson to prevail. Adams left office in 1801, in the first peaceful transfer of power to a political opponent in American history. But the two men did not exchange a single word for more than a decade. Then, in January 1812, three years after Jefferson had retired to Monticello, a courier — 'probably an enslaved person,' Falcone said — arrived with something unexpected: a letter from Adams. The brief letter included New Year's wishes, and a book written by his son John Quincy Adams, who Jefferson had known as a child. The missives started flying back and forth, and didn't stop. 'You and I ought not to die before we have explained ourselves to each other,' Adams wrote to Jefferson in July 1813. But explaining themselves, Falcone noted, did not mean changing the other's mind. The tour — with its discussions of the partisan press, the deportation of 'enemy aliens,' debates over executive power and racist rumor campaigns — offered plenty of rhymes with our political present, without overtly spelling them out, or telling anyone what to think. Visitors are left to decide what message, if any, they will carry back down from the mountaintop to the messy country below. But Falcone ended the tour with a hopeful line from Jefferson: 'I like the dreams of the future rather than the history of the past.'
