In 1806, while he was still president, Thomas Jefferson assisted the masons in laying the foundation for this dwelling.  He had designed the octagonal house in Palladian style, to utilize light and air flow to the maximum in as economical a space as possible.  When finished, this became his favorite place to escape the endless parade of visitors at Monticello.  Today, his final architectural masterpiece is being beautifully restored to the way it looked in the early 19th century.

The dining room was in the center, surrounded by a Parlor on the South and 2 main bedrooms and 2 smaller storage-extra bedrooms.  It is thought that the lower floor contained a wine cellar, a kitchen and sleeping quarters for the house slaves, who brought food up spiral staircases on either side of the house and carried it through the bedrooms to the central dining room.

After retiring from public life, Jefferson visited Poplar Forest several times a year.  He called Poplar Forest his most valuable possession, not only for the house but because it was a working plantation and he derived much of his income from the sale of the tobacco and wheat crops.  A work force of 94 slaves resided on the property.  Excavations have become significant because the findings will add to the current understanding of enslaved Africans in this area. 

In 1814, Jefferson added a service wing with a state of the art kitchen.  The foundation of this wing shows to the left of this model.  This service wing was demolished in 1840, but is currently being restored to it's original appearance..

Jefferson willed Poplar Forest to his grandson Francis Eppes, who sold it two years later.  It remained a private home until 1984.  Through the years the retreat underwent many changes, including the addition of a new floor with gable windows.  Fortunately, the unique octagonal shape of the home and exterior walls were never changed. 

By 1984 the Corporation for Jefferson's Poplar Forest raised enough money to buy the site.  In 1986 the site opened for tours on a regular basis. It continues to undergo an award-winning restoration using Jefferson's original drawings, and building materials and methods that were used on the original building.  The exterior work is complete.  Most interior work has been completed.  Remains of two slave quarter sites have been found and partially excavated. 

This National Historic Landmark is located southwest of Lynchburg, Virginia. Guided tours of the house are conducted from 10 to 4 Wednesday through Monday from April through November.