Discovering the Home of President James Monroe

Recent excavations at Highland—the historic Charlottesville home of the
nation’s fifth president—are upending history. The archaeology,
combined with tree-ring dating, shows that the newly discovered
foundation, not the modest home still standing on the property, was the
Monroe (1799) house.

New Discoveries Focus of Guided Tour (2016-10-17) by Gene RunionJames Monroe's Highland

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In April of 2016 Highland announced significant archeological findings that reshaped how President Monroe's Albemarle County, Virginia property was interpreted.

Highland Foundation Display (2016-09-13) by James Monroe's HighlandJames Monroe's Highland

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Excavations at Highland uncovered the foundation of the 1799 Monroe home (marked here with flagstone) underneath a boxwood garden adjacent to the 1870s home of the Massey family.

Monroe Guest House South Elevation (2016-10-26) by James Monroe's HighlandJames Monroe's Highland

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For over a century this humble structure was interpreted as the surviving wing of the Monroe home.

Taking wood core samples for dendrochronology (2014-10-23) by James Monroe's HighlandJames Monroe's Highland

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Wood samples were taken from structural components of the building, such as the ceiling and floor joists.

Removing siding on 1818 Guest House to sample structural wood (2015-06-12) by James Monroe's HighlandJames Monroe's Highland

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Samples of wood were taken from all phases of the building's construction.

Tree ring sample by Oxford Tree-Ring LaboratoriesJames Monroe's Highland

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Researchers used dendrochronolgy (tree ring dating) to determine the age of the building. These samples proved that the wood used to build this structure was harvested in 1818.

Excerpt from Obituary of John E. Massey (2015-03-10) by The Times: Richmond, VAJames Monroe's Highland

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Few records exist of how and when the Monroe home was lost to history. One clue came from the obituary of John E. Massey, who built his Victorian style home on the property.

Monroe House South Foundation Wall (2016-04-28) by Larry BouterieJames Monroe's Highland

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Archaeological investigations since 2015 have uncovered foundation walls of the original Monroe home.

1800 Monroe Property Insurance Policy (2014-08-21) by Courtesy of Library of VirginiaJames Monroe's Highland

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The foundation revealed by excavations conformed to the depiction of the Monroe house in a series of insurance documents, the first of which was from 1800.

1809 Monroe Property Insurance Policy (2014-08-21) by Courtesy of Library of VirginiaJames Monroe's Highland

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This policy is from 1809 and shows a different depiction of the home compared with the 1800 policy; however, the measurements remain similar.

1816 Monroe Property Insurance Policy (2014-08-21) by Courtesy of Library of VirginiaJames Monroe's Highland

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This 1816 insurance policy reflects the home in its final Monroe-era form.

Excavations at Highland uncover evidence of fire (2015-04-15) by James Monroe's HighlandJames Monroe's Highland

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Excavations at Highland have revealed evidence of the fire that destroyed the home after Monroe sold the property.

Monroe House Chimney Base (2015-04-22) by Nick Bon-HarperJames Monroe's Highland

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One key architectural feature that was uncovered was the base of a chimney.

Monroe House Archaeology (2016-10-11) by James Monroe's HighlandJames Monroe's Highland

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Excavations have explored sections of the interior of the Monroe home foundation.

Archaeologists Inspect Soil Color (2016-10-11) by James Monroe's HighlandJames Monroe's Highland

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Here an archaeologist records stratigraphic observations.

The Witness Tree and Monroe House Foundation (2016-05-19) by Gene RunionJames Monroe's Highland

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Individual stones from the foundation are missing, likely used in later building projects on the site.

Highland Architectural Floorplan Rendering (2016-10-27) by Jason WoodleJames Monroe's Highland

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This illustration shows the relationship between the Monroe Presidential Guest House, the Victorian style Massey house, and the foundation of the original Monroe home.

Artifacts uncovered during excavations (2015-04-27) by James Monroe's HighlandJames Monroe's Highland

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In addition to the remains of the Monroe home foundation, many artifacts have been found, including ceramics, glass, and nails. Many of these artifacts display evidence of exposure to fire.

Various nails found during excavations (2015-04-27) by James Monroe's HighlandJames Monroe's Highland

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Multiple types of nails have been discovered during the excavation of the Monroe home foundation.

Cut Nails from Monroe House Foundation Site (2016-04-15) by James Monroe's HighlandJames Monroe's Highland

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This cut nail was found during the foundation excavation. A cut nail is formed in a nail cutting machine, like the one Thomas Jefferson owned at neighboring Monticello.

Bone Handle from Monroe House Foundation Site (2016-04-15) by James Monroe's HighlandJames Monroe's Highland

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A carved bone handle from a knife or other implement was unearthed in the excavation.

Monroe House Artifacts (2016-10-11) by James Monroe's HighlandJames Monroe's Highland

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Melted glass, broken ceramics, and nails were common finds in the excavations within the foundation walls.

Demolition Debris within Monroe House Foundation Walls (2016-10-13) by James Monroe's HighlandJames Monroe's Highland

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Excavations revealed a tree that pre-dated the house construction, giving some evidence to the prior landscape.

Archaeology Presentations (2016-10-17) by Gene RunionJames Monroe's Highland

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Our research has the potential to revise our understanding of the fifth President of the United States. Here an archaeologist explains the recent discoveries.

Archaeologists Talk to Guests (2016-10-17) by Gene RunionJames Monroe's Highland

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Research at the home of President James Monroe will continue to offer discoveries about the property and Monroe's legacy.

Credits: Story

Thank you to photographers Gene Runion, Larry Bouterie, and Rick Stillings for their submissions.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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