James Monroe’s Highland in Charlottesville, Virginia

Highland, a 535 acre former plantation resting in the hills of Charlottesville, Virginia, was the home of America’s fifth president, James Monroe. While Monroe never lived at Highland full time, he spent significant time (sometimes for months at one time) from 1799-1826 with his wife and three children. The main house was built in 1799 and the guesthouse was added in 1818. Monroe hosted several guests, including John Quincy Adams and many political figures and dignitaries over the years. There were also dozens of enslaved men, women, and children who worked at Highland for over 150 years and historians are currently conducting ongoing research and restoration to uncover the true story behind the people who lived and worked at Highland.

Today, visitors can tour the first floor of the main house, several rooms in the guest house, several additional structures, and spend time outdoors visiting with the resident farm animals and hiking on the numerous hiking trails.

Travel Tips:

10 Places to Explore at Highland:

1. Start in the 1818 Guest House, with two guest bedrooms furnished with period furniture, decorations, clothing, and housewares.
2. Walk through the 1850s addition which has exhibits showcasing Monroe’s White House china, portraits of the Monroe family, and mementos from Monroe’s time in office.
3. Head to the lower level and see the kitchen, which displays tools such as a toe toaster (for bread!), cookie iron, tea brick, and bed warmer.
4. Check out the Storage Room with a parlor wheel and weasel used for spinning.
5. Peek inside the quarters for slaves (currently being built and expected to open in late 2023). The 1810 Census lists 49 enslaved individuals at Highland. 
6. Look out for the resident animals: donkeys (named Phyllis and Josey), chickens, and sheep. 
7. Smell the flowers of the many gardens, including a herb garden (used not just for food seasoning, but for medicinal and bug repellant purposes), a large vegetable garden, and boxwood tree gardens. 
8. Take a walk on the six mile Highland Rustic Trails, which do not require an admission ticket. There are four short (under a mile) trails near the houses and a lengthier 2.4 mile Mountain Trail, which has steeper inclines, northwest of the main house. See the trail map here. Keep your eyes peeled for bears, foxes, and turkeys.
9. Pay homage to Monroe with two statues made in his honor in the gardens. The full length statue of Monroe was commissioned in the 1890s by Venezuela and a bust of his profile was 
10. There are several areas, including the kitchen, smokehouse, and Overseer’s House, being restored and will open in the near future (post our summer 2023 visit)- get up to date information here. 

Eating Nearby: The famous Michie Tavern is located in the oldest part of Charlottesville, less than 10 minutes from Highland and one mile from Jefferson’s Monticello. A traditional southern buffet is offered every day from 11:30am-3pm. Be sure to leave time to explore the shops and historic buildings. 

Looking for other presidential homes to explore? Check out our post featuring Jefferson’s nearby Monticello and our separate post on the tour of Monticello, Washington’s Mount Vernon, and Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage. And follow along on our adventures on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Disclaimer: Our family was given a media pass to explore Highland. All opinions expressed are my own.