James Madison’s Montpelier Campus Map Illustration shows the house and the plantation territory of the Madison family.

History

James Madison’s Montpelier is situated in Orange County, VA. Montpelier was declared a National Historic Landmark. The origins of the name Montpelier are unknown, but the first recorded use of the name comes from a 1781 James Madison letter. Archeologists in the 21st century revealed new information about African American life at the plantation. Moreover,

you may see the historical structures in James Madison’s Montpelier Campus Map Illustration.

Restoration

Since the National Trust for Historic Preservation became the owner in 1984, the organization has restored Montpelier to the Madison era. In conjunction with the James Madison University Field School, Montpelier has been the site of annual, seasonal archeological excavations.

A multi-million restoration project was launched in 2003 and completed on Constitution Day, September 17, 2008. The restoration returned Montpelier to its 1820 original appearance. It demolished changes made to the house by the DuPont family, removed the stucco exterior to reveal the actual brick. In addition, they restored the original brick exterior and reconstructed the house’s interior as it appeared during President Madison’s tenure as owner.

Name

Madison personally liked the French spelling of the name Montpellier. The city of Montpellier, France, was a famous resort. Clues from notes and visitor descriptions suggest the origins of the plantation’s name.

A 197-acre forest on the property is known as the Montpelier Forest. It is also known as the Landmark Forest and was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1987.

Today

Today Montpelier is open to visitors. Anyone visiting this historical site can navigate the grounds using James Madison’s Montpelier Campus Map Illustration printed in a brochure and available on the visitor center.

James Madison’s Montpelier Campus Map Illustration is created in a digital art style.

Custom Campus Map Illustrations are available to commission at Rabinky Art, LLC.