James Monroe Highland

When you visit Highland, you will find a network of overlapping stories. You will learn about the lives that intertwined and connected at Highland and those that passed through: craftsmen, diplomats, enslaved workers, presidents, overseers, artists, friends, relations, daughters and wives. Through Highland’s architecture and landscape you will hear the story of the lost and found main house, and how Highland and its inhabitants reflected the economic fortunes of the growing United States. You’ll also gain insight into American history through the prism of one of its early leaders. James Monroe’s political career spanned 50 years, from soldier to governor to international diplomat to president, and Highland was one of the fixed points in his private life. We hope that by learning about the people and events at Highland, you’ll come away with an enriched perspective on the wider history on Virginia and the United States. You can take this knowledge to the nearby homes of Monroe’s fellow founders, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, and beyond!