Corporation for Jefferson's Poplar Forest

With over 35 hands-on activities, this program brings history "alive" for children, allowing them to experience what living in Jefferson's time was like. Children can hand-mold bricks, write with a quill pen, make a bucket, and sift through soil to find artifacts. The half-day program (which includes a tour of the retreat and archaeological site) is geared toward students in kindergarten through middle school and serves schools throughout Virginia and beyond. The State Education Department grants recertification credit to area teachers who volunteer with us and work with the visiting school children.

We offer a field school for postsecondary education students. This six-week field school on historical archaeology includes instruction and in-depth exposure to field and laboratory techniques offered with a graduate credit option.

Conversations with Jefferson bring together Thomas Jefferson with another historical figure for a public discussion open to all ages. The two recount their lives, how they became well-known figures, and how their views about different topics are similar or different. Past guests include George Washington, Patrick Henry, Alexander Hamilton, King George III, and Frederick Douglass. Thomas Jefferson is interpreted by renowned interpreter Bill Barker, courtesy of Monticello (Thomas Jefferson Foundation). Barker has been Poplar Forest’s Jefferson since the beginning of the Democracy programs and is certainly no stranger to Poplar Forest student and adult audiences. He has performed as Jefferson for more than 30 years, appearing at the White House and the Palace of Versailles as well as in programs aired on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and C-SPAN.

Join the Poplar Forest African American Advisory Group for an interactive experience designed to help you explore your family’s African American history. Hear stories about exploring ancestry and learn about research methods, tools, ideas, and strategies for tracing the lineage of your enslaved ancestors.

Admission to African American Family History Day is free, however, reservations are required.

Drawn from real-life experiences, the trilogy explores the complex lives lived by the enslaved men and women of Poplar Forest. Written by local African American playwright, Teresa Harris, each year features new vignettes highlighting the enslaved people who lived and worked at Poplar Forest.
Past performances include stories of Hannah and her son Billy, who pushed back on the system of enslavement; Nace Hubbard, who had to some degree, learned how to make the system of slavery work more favorably for him, but faced opposition from his fellow slaves; and Phil Hubbard, who appealed directly to Thomas Jefferson in his struggle to maintain his rights to live under the same roof as his wife.

A Q & A with the playwright, actors and representatives of the Poplar Forest Department of Archaeology and Landscapes will follow the last vignette.

Poplar Forest celebrates American independence with two great events. We kick off our celebration with an annual production of 1776 the Musical. With music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone, the musical explores the contentious summer of 1776 while John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson work to create and pass a Declaration of Independence from England.
And on July 4th itself, take part in the Poplar Forest tradition as we celebrate Independence Day with a fair. Join historic reenactors who perform music, entertain the crowds with puppet shows and tight rope walking, and join the militia to fight for independence! A reading of the Declaration of Independence at 1:30 p.m. caps the day with a remembrance of why we celebrate.

Poplar Forest partners with the Jamerson YMCA for this annual 5K race through the Poplar Forest property with approximately 15 obstacles for runners to test their mettle on! And for the younger runners: a children’s course so everyone can participate in the fun. The competition is open to families and teams of all ages. Face the Forest entry fees support children’s educational programming at Poplar Forest and the Y’s annual campaign, which provides outreach, financial assistance, youth, and family programming and many other resources within the community.

Join Poplar Forest in celebrating Jefferson’s legacy as the father of Virginia wine with tastings from more than a dozen regional wineries. Enjoy live performances by local musicians; graze on foods by local vendors; and more. Tour the president’s private retreat at a reduced rate throughout the day. Purchase a VIP ticket for the ultimate wine tasting experience: enjoy space in a private VIP tent featuring wine tastings and hors d’eouvres plus a private conversation with Mr. Jefferson himself! Funds raised support the ongoing restoration, preservation, and interpretation of the historic property.

Tour Mr. Jefferson’s cherished hideaway decorated for the holidays on these hour-long tours. Step into Christmas past and experience the villa by candlelight while your guide shares true stories gathered from Jefferson’s letters and diaries, about the ways the Jefferson family and their enslaved workers spent the holidays. Find out what foods they may have enjoyed at their holiday meals and how they were prepared in the restored Jefferson-era kitchen.