Explore! 2 days 2 presidents many discoveries

By Jim Haag The Virginian-Pilot These guys were brilliant. They studied law, architecture, botany, music, philosophy, art. They spoke more than a half-dozen languages. Both were presidents, and both were instrumental in setting up our form of government. One, Thomas Jefferson, wrote the Declaration of Independence. The other, James Madison, was the architect of the Constitution. They were friends, confidantes and, as I learned on a recent tour of their homes, competitors on the chess board. The two-day trip took me to the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where their residences sit among rolling hills and offer views of a lush countryside that even in winter are breathtaking.At Montpelier, Madison's home, shards of two ivory pawns recently had been discovered in an archaeological dig. The pieces are believed to be part of a chess set used in the frequent matches between the two men. At nearby Monticello, where Jefferson lived and where a set is on display in the parlor, I imagined these Founding Fathers caught up in the cerebral world of kings and queens and rooks. So I ask Aurelia Crawford, the tour guide: Who would you put your money on? She laughs, then says, "They were both pretty amazing." At Monticello, the dome that defines the roofline is the most striking feature of Jefferson's neoclassical home. The building rests atop a hill, which allowed him to view two of his favorite sites - his nearby birthplace of Shadwell and the University of Virginia, which he founded. Almost a constant work-in-progress, Monticello is a home he designed, built, then redesigned and rebuilt. The tour Rosetta Stone V3 begins in The Entrance Hall, where Crawford, the guide, explains its purpose. "The main thing he's doing in the hall is he's showing you the world in different ways," she says. Busts of Voltaire, Alexander Hamilton and others line one wall. Native American artifacts, representing items that Meriwether Lewis and William Clark would have brought back from their westward expedition, hang on another. Above the doors is the Great Clock designed by Jefferson. It includes a series of weights that tell the days of the week as well as time, but despite Crawford's explanation, I'm not sure I understand how it worked. Fossils, including mastadon bones, are on display, as are portraits of the 33-year-old and 78-year-old Jefferson. We visit the family room, then stop in Jefferson's suite, a series of rooms that include his library and bedchamber. Crawford points out his copy of "Don Quixote" in Spanish. "He believed in reading books in their original language," she explains. In the parlor, with its 18-foot ceiling, three windows that end at the floor let in amazing light. Portraits adorn the walls above the windows, and crimson valances give the room a touch of color. A harpsichord takes up one corner, though Crawford notes that Jefferson himself played violin. On a circular table sits a red and white chess set, and I picture Jefferson and Madison huddled in the chairs covered in red damask, engaged in one of their legendary games. Our final stop is an octagonal room, whose walls are covered with a French trellis wallpaper. Guests would have stayed here, and Crawford mentions one in particular. "Jefferson's grandbabies nicknamed this 'Mr. Madison's room,' " she says, "because he was here so often." Jefferson and Madison became acquainted in the state's colonial capital of Williamsburg and remained lifelong friends. Political allies, they saw the need for a strong federal government but thought its power should be limited. They had intellectual issues with slavery but weren't conflicted enough to free the scores of enslaved people who helped run their estates. They enjoyed each other's company and sought each other's advice. They considered themselves to be "friend-brothers" and felt closer to each other than to their own siblings. Both men died in debt, and their families eventually sold their homes. Now run by nonprofit foundations, the buildings and surrounding grounds are open for tours, and you can easily spend three hours at each if you're a lover of history, nature or architecture. Each place includes a visitors center, where a short film and exhibits provide more information; a gift shop; and extensive gardens and grounds. Montpelier is near Orange, about 30 miles from Monticello. The winding roads make travel slow, and I wonder what it would have been like on horseback. Would a friendly game of chess have been worth this? The Georgian-style mansion is stately, with a large front portico punctuated by four Tuscan columns. Yellow doors add punch.

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