The Politics of Taste: The Presidential Houses of Virginia and Washington

Step into the heart of American history during our nation’s semiquincentennial year as we traverse the lush rolling hills of Virginia, the birthplace of eight American presidents, and continue to an iconic presidential site in Washington, D.C. On this Sojourn, we examine how architecture, interiors, and decorative arts were deliberately crafted, purchased, and displayed to project ideals of leadership, diplomacy, and a national identity. From the intricate details of Neoclassical furnishings to the refined beauty of period ceramics and silver, our expert guides unveil the artistic treasures that adorn these historic venues and how design decisions carried political intent. We also explore prestigious museums and private collections, gaining exclusive access to rarely seen artifacts while making new friends and meeting fellow enthusiasts. From George Washington’s Mount Vernon to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, stand in the rooms where history was made, gain intimate insights into the lives and legacies of America’s great leaders, and discover how these carefully constructed environments conveyed authority, taste, and statesmanship. Join us for a journey that promises to inspire and enlighten as we explore our nation’s extraordinary past.

Tuesday, May 5

Arrive in Charlottesville and settle into the Kimpton Forum Hotel, situated on the grounds of the University of Virginia and brimming with stately Southern hospitality. After a warm welcome, we depart to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello for a duo of introductory lectures. We begin with a presentation by tour lecturer Amy Hudson Henderson, an independent art historian whose research on material culture, gender, and politics in the early Republic illuminates our exploration of presidential history for the duration of the tour. Monticello’s curatorial staff then share updates on the latest research that deepens our understanding of Jefferson’s home and how he used it for broader diplomatic purposes. We then continue to the mountaintop mansion and plantation, an intimate reflection of Jefferson’s pastoral and pedagogical aspirations for the republic he helped bring into existence. Our tour of the house will reveal not only Jefferson’s lifelong experimentation with architecture, but how he used elegantly edited interiors as a tool to communicate intellectualism, sophistication, and Enlightenment ideals to American and foreign visitors.  Afterwards, we continue to the exterior and the gardens to explore how Jefferson’s vision and coerced labor shaped the landscape. Descending the mountain, we are welcomed for a cocktail reception at the home of former Trust Governor and Monticello’s Senior Curator of Special Projects Susan Stein and her husband Kenneth Abraham. Susan and Ken then host us for dinner in the Jefferson Room at the Farmington Country Club, the historic core of which was designed by Jefferson as a residence for his friend George Divers.

Included: R, D

Wednesday, May 6

Our morning begins with a scenic drive northward along the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains to James Madison’s Montpelier. The home of the “Father of the Constitution” also functioned as an ideological space crafted to project republican virtue with its refined interiors, formal gardens, and sweeping views. Embodying the spirit of a living museum, Montpelier enmeshes interpretation of Madison’s home with extensive reconstructions of the enslaved community’s living spaces, ongoing archaeological digs, and educational opportunities at the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution. Work is underway on a memorial to the enslaved community at Montpelier, in partnership with the Montpelier Descendants Committee and supported by a recent Mellon Foundation grant. After exploring the site with archaeologists and curators, we depart to nearby Rapidan for lunch hosted by Trust members at their c. 1840 house contained within a bucolic farmstead. We continue for an evening in Barboursville, named for James Barbour who served as Virginia’s governor, a U.S. Senator, and the U.S. Secretary of War under John Quincy Adams. Our first stop brings us to the private collection of a Trust member, whose historic home was built for a member of the Barbour family.  We are welcomed for a reception and an opportunity to peruse the steward’s bountiful collection of transferware and mochaware ceramics. The day concludes at Barboursville Vineyards, the site of a grand mansion built for the aforementioned James Barbour and designed by Jefferson, his friend and political ally. Although the house was destroyed by fire in 1884, the ruins are carefully preserved and Jefferson’s aspirations of wine cultivation in Virginia are thriving. We taste the fruits of this labor along with a sumptuous private dinner at the vineyard’s Palladio Restaurant before returning to Charlottesville.

Included: B, L, R, D

Thursday, May 7

Journeying to Fredericksburg, we explore the material culture of George Washington’s hometown. A gem of Georgian architecture, the mansion at Historic Kenmore Plantation was completed on the eve of the Revolutionary War for Washington’s sister Betty and her husband, Fielding Lewis. The home has been meticulously restored to its appearance upon the Washingtons’ wartime departure for safer lodgings in Shenandoah and is furnished with many family pieces, including Betty’s personal effects. Kenmore contains some of the finest decorative plasterwork from this era, executed by the same craftsman who completed the ceiling in the dining room at Mount Vernon. After exploring the site with curatorial and educational staff, we enjoy a hearty lunch at Billiken’s Smokehouse. Housed in a historic building affectionately called The Chimneys, named for the stone chimneys anchoring each end, the restaurant stands as one of the finest examples of preserved Georgian architecture in Fredericksburg, with heavy timber framing and intricate millwork on full display. After lunch, we follow in Washington’s footsteps from Fredericksburg to Mount Vernon for special guided tours of the museum and newly updated educational center. We are then treated to an after-hours tour of the mansion with Executive Director of Historic Preservation and Collections, Adam Erby. With this fitting conclusion to our time at Virginia’s presidential sites, we depart for Washington, D.C. At the Kimpton Hotel Monaco formidable Classical Revival architecture meets comfort and charm. Constructed as the city’s first General Post Office, architects Robert Mills and Thomas U. Walter designed this grand building after the Roman Temple of Jupiter. The evening includes a convivial dinner together in the nation’s capital.

Included: B, L, D

Friday, May 8

Our final day together is a deep dive into the political power of decorative arts in Washington. A short journey down Pennsylvania Avenue brings us to a Key Legislative Building* where we are invited to imbibe the impressive architecture and constantly evolving congressional collections. At the Library of Congress, we enjoy special access to the Thomas Jefferson Library Collection. After the British burned the legislative library during the War of 1812, Congress purchased Jefferson’s personal collection of thousands of volumes in history, science, and the arts, which became the foundation for today’s library. Lunch in an elegant, historic setting awaits, after which we venture to a Prominent Presidential Residence* for a curator-led close look at the decorative objects and architectural features which were carefully selected by generations of nation builders to reflect and shape American cultural identity. A walking tour of nearby notable residences, memorials, and gardens brings further insight into the relationship between the people and executive power in this unique city. In the afternoon, we retreat to the hotel for a rest, with the option to join Amy Hudson Henderson across the street at the National Portrait Gallery for a tour, before departing to a private residence for our closing evening. We enjoy dinner together at the lovely nearby home of a Trust member and reflect on our travels from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the banks of the Potomac.

*Many sites in Washington, D.C., are operational government buildings that may close to visitors at any time. In the event of a sudden closure, an alternate site will be substituted.

Included: B, L, D

Saturday, May 9

Guests depart for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, or continue travels at their leisure. For those who wish to make a round trip out of Charlottesville, a shuttle will depart from the D.C. hotel in the morning.

Amy Hudson Henderson is an independent scholar and museum consultant based in Washington, D.C. With a focus on the early United States, her publications and lectures seek to highlight the political resonance of domestic material culture and how women in the late 18th century were integral partners in designing and decorating their homes. She has served as a curatorial consultant, research associate, and guest lecturer at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, James Madison’s Montpelier, George Mason’s Gunston Hall, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the Library Company of Philadelphia. Her publications include “Ivory Furniture Fit for a Queen in the Nation’s Capital,” in Great American Treasures: Women Preserving History since 1891 (North Adams, MA: Published for the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, 2025); “French & Fashionable: The Search for George and Martha Washingtons’ Presidential Furniture,” American Furniture (2019); and “A Family Affair: The Design and Decoration of 321 South Fourth Street, Philadelphia,” in Gender, Taste and Material Culture in Britain and North America 1700-1830, edited by John Styles and Amanda Vickery (New Haven: Published for Yale Center for British Art and Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art by Yale University Press, 2006). She is currently working on a book manuscript, Furnishing the Republic: Material Culture, Gender, and Politics in the Nation’s Capital, 1789-1800 (under contract, Oxford University Press). Henderson holds a Ph.D. in Art History from the University of Delaware and a B.A. from Grinnell College.

Registration fee: $4,350 per person, based on double occupancy for 4 nights. 

Included in the trip cost: Accommodations in 4-star hotels. Private airport transfers. All breakfasts (B), lunches (L), receptions (R), and dinners (D) referenced above. Private coach transportation; local guides; admission in museums and historic houses; gratuities for professional guides and coach drivers.

Not included in the trip cost: Airfare, alcoholic beverages other than when provided, personal expenses, and trip insurance. Please do not make your airline reservations until you have received written confirmation of your registration from the Trust.

Single supplement: The single supplement is $760. 

Membership: All participants must be members of the Decorative Arts Trust. Click here to see membership levels and benefits.

Itinerary: The schedule outlined in this itinerary is contracted at this time but subject to change as necessary.

Participation: The program is limited to a maximum of 25 participants and requires a minimum of 20. The trip will be cancelled if undersubscribed and refunds will be issued. We will organize and maintain a waiting list on the basis of the time requests are received.

Activity level: The Trust’s itineraries are planned with care and attention to detail to ensure a memorable and rewarding experience for all participants. This itinerary includes standing for long periods of time, walking on uneven surfaces, and ascending and descending stairs without handrails. Please consider if this program is suited for your health, physical condition, and individual circumstances, understanding that this is a group event and the inclusion of participants who are not mobile enough to cope with these conditions can greatly diminish the experience for other guests. 

Cancellations and refunds: All cancellations received by January 30, 2026, are subject to a full refund less a $250 administrative fee per person. Participants canceling between January 31 and April 3, 2026, will receive a 50% refund. Refunds will not be made after April 3, 2026.