Afternoon: Arrival and Registration Welcome, Road Scholar Introductions, Orientation

Dinner: Dinner at hotel

Evening: Class: "The Eight Virginia Presidents and Their Homes" Just as the titles in a bookcase reveal much about their owner's interests, the Virginia Presidential homes---their settings, their varying architectural designs, and the collections they contain---speak volumes about the Old Dominion's eight national chief executives. Learn about such fascinating tidbits as these: what Mount Vernon tells us of George Washington's business acumen; why James Monroe's Ashlawn-Highland stands within sight of Monticello; why Madison's Montpelier has two front entrances; and why John Tyler's Sherwood Forest was so named. This discussion will introduce you to all of the houses you will be visiting and provide some insights into their owners.

Lodging: English Inn

Meals Included: Dinner

Breakfast: Buffet breakfast at hotel

Morning: Travel to Mount Vernon Travel Time Talk: "George Washington and His World" Engage in an analysis of Mount Vernon, the 8,000 acre estate perched above the gently flowing Potomac River, that was George Washington's home for his entire adult life. With five main farms, the plantation was more akin to a small village than a family farm. Consider the many enterprises in which Washington engaged, including the crops he grew, the livestock he raised, the grain that was milled and the whiskey that was distilled, and even the very profitable fishery he ran. Learn what this riverside enterprise tells us about the determined Virginian who became, "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." Field Trip: "Reynolds Museum an Education Center" Explore this new Museum that contains 25 theaters and galleries. View more than 500 original artifacts that detail the storied life of our nation's first great hero. The Museum includes interactive displays, a major movie, short films produced by The History Channel, and high-tech, immersive experiences. View three life-size models created by a forensic anthropologist that will let you see Washington from his teen year to his maturity.

Lunch: Lunch at the Mount Vernon Food Court

Afternoon: Field Trip: "Mount Vernon Mansion and Grounds" Enjoy a guided walk through the grounds of Washington's beloved estate which features four different gardens, the tombs of George and Martha, and a working four-acre farm that includes a recreation of the President's famous 16-sides barn. Then with a knowledgeable guide, explore the mansion itself with its magnificent views of the Potomac River. Here you will develop an understanding of the family's wealth and status as evidenced in the decoration and furnishings and view numerous original possessions.

Dinner: Dinner at hotel

Evening: FREE EVENING It's been a long day!

Lodging: English Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel

Morning: Class: "Jefferson and Monroe: Country Neighbors" Explore the lives and philosophies of these two neighbors of rural Albemarle County. Consider the world of the landed gentry and how it contrasted with that of the small farmers, women, and the slaves who made the lifestyle possible. Learn something of the mindset that this way of life gave to both men and how it affected their politics and careers. Field Trip: "Monticello, Home of Thomas Jefferson" The excursion includes a guided walk through the magnificent mansion where you will glimpse the genius of Jefferson in the architecture he employed, a wonderful homage to Roman antiquity. No less delightful are the many innovative gadgets that he devised and that now fill the main floor, carefully preserved and presented for the latter day visitor. Step back in time to the President's retirement years not only in the house visit but also in walks through the extensive ornamental and kitchen gardens and the Jefferson family cemetery.

Lunch: Lunch at historic Michie Tavern, a delicious meal in an authentic colonial tavern

Afternoon: Field Trip: "Ashlawn-Highland, Home of James Monroe" This small, homey dwelling is an interesting contrast to the stately mansions of Monroe's friends and neighbors. Discover how the house has evolved through the centuries with different owners. Imagine participating in the Monroe tradition of welcoming friends, neighbors, and dignitaries. Stroll the grounds to see the gardens and ash tree-lined entrance while taking in the spectacular view of the surrounding mountains.

Dinner: Dinner at hotel

Evening: Performance: "A Visit with Colonel Monroe" Having now visited his home, what could be a better way to end the day than with a conversation with one of the Founding Fathers that you have been learning about? A very convincing historical interpreter gives you a first person perspective on James Monroe and his celebrated friends of the Virginia Piedmont.

Lodging: English Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: Class: "Madison, Montpelier, and the Constitution" Engage in an in-depth study of the "Father of the Constitution", his co-authorship of the Federalist Papers, and his career of public service. Connect the President to his magnificent home as it grew and changed with the needs of his family. Learn the details of the life enjoyed by him and his delightful wife Dolley, heroine of the burning of the White House during the War of 1812. Field Trip: "Montpelier, Home of James Madison" Enjoy a guided walk through the beautifully restored mansion, which has just undergone a major refurbishing to return it to its appearance at the time it was occupied by James and Dolley Madison. The estate, which Madison described as "a squirrel's jump from heaven", features historic buildings, ongoing archaeological sites, a fabulous walled garden, and a freedman's cabin and farm. The visit will include time to explore the Education and Visitor Centers as well. During the ride to or from Montpelier, stop by the site of Montebello, birthplace of President Zachary Taylor.

Lunch: Boxed lunch at the Visitor Center

Afternoon: FREE AFTERNOON Use this time to explore the Charlottesville area on your own. Information will be provided on some of the sites such as the Grounds of the University of Virginia or the Downtown Pedestrian Mall.

Dinner: Dinner at hotel

Evening: Class: "Virginia's Early Dominance of the Presidency: Causes and Outcomes" Amazingly of the first twelve Presidents of the United States, seven of them were from Virginia. In this presentation, explore the possible reasons for this abundance of chief executives from the Old Dominion, looking at factors such as regional cultures, relative wealth, and political power. Consider also the effects the background of these seven men had on national politics and the course the nation took in the pre-Civil War years.

Lodging: English Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel

Morning: Travel to Berkeley Plantation Travel Time Talk: "Scions of Virginia's First Families: Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too" During this presentation, explore the lives of the two Virginia Whigs, Indian fighter William Henry Harrison and running mate John Tyler, who utilized the nation's first campaign song in their quest for the White House. Consider what today seems to us almost impossible: the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of 1840 being from the same state. Learn about the lives of these Virginia patricians who were actually Charles City County neighbors. Field Trip: "Berkeley Plantation, Home of William Henry Harrison" Visit the home of William Henry Harrison, America's shortest serving president, and ancestral home of his grandson, President Benjamin Harrison. Stroll through the gorgeous tree-lined lawn and the ten acres of formal gardens before participating in a guided walk through Virginia's oldest three story brick home that can prove its date. Berkeley was also the site of America's first Thanksgiving in 1619 and is the place where "Taps" was composed while the Union Army camped on its grounds during the Civil War.

Lunch: Cross the Benjamin Harrison Bridge for a delightful riverside lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Field Trip: "Sherwood Forest, Home of John Tyler" Explore the beautifully wooded landscape and 12 dependencies of this plantation that reflects the gracious lifestyle of a mid-19th century presidential family. Sherwood Forest, named by Tyler in recognition of his outlaw status as a politician, boasts the longest frame house in America---over 300 feet. Incredibly, it is currently occupied by Tyler's grandson, Harrison Tyler, and his family.

Dinner: Dinner at hotel

Evening: FREE EVENING

Lodging: English Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel

Morning: Travel to Staunton Travel Time Talk: "Woodrow Wilson: The Schoolmaster in the White House" Learn about the impressive academic career of Virginia's only 20th century President who was educated at Princeton, the University of Virginia, and Johns Hopkins. Discover his life as a prolific professor, writing treatises on government, politics, and Constitutional law. Follow his advancement from President of Princeton to Governor of New Jersey, and finally to the Presidency. Learn how this Southern intellectual Democrat brought his brand of progressivism to the nation and his ideals of international cooperation to the world. Field Trip: Woodrow Wilson Museum and Birthplace" First explore the museum located in a château-style mansion and featuring galleries dedicated to President Wilson's life. Then enjoy a guided walk through the house with its period furnishings and Wilson family belongings. Finish with a stroll through the charming boxwood garden, a restoration project of the Garden Club of Virginia. Travel Time Talk: "The Homes and the Men: What the Presidential Houses Can Tell Us" On the trip back to the hotel before leaving for home, enjoy this summary presentation that brings together the wealth of information that has been presented during the week. Look once again at each of the Virginia Presidents and how their homes reflected their world views and influenced their time in the White House.

Lunch: Box lunch waiting for trip home upon return to hotel at approximately noon.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch