As is well known, Monroe’s life was straitened by debt. Under this pressure, he wrote to Jefferson as early as 1814 of a plan to sell either his Loudon estate or that in Albemarle, adding:
“intending however, not to sell that in Albemarle unless the price be such as to indemnify me for the sacrifice I shall make in relinquishing a residence of 26 years’ standing, as mine has been, and near old friends to whom I am greatly attached.” Writings, Vol. V, p. 287.
The sale finally took place, January 1st, 1826, the price being $18,140. The Monroes then resided at Oak Hill in Loudon County. In 1828 Mr. Monroe removed to New York City, where his death occurred, July 4th, 1831. His body was re-interred at Richmond, Virginia, July 5th, 1858.
BOXWOOD GARDEN AND STATUE
Ash Lawn’s widely known boxwood garden is held, by local tradition, to have been designed by a French landscape artist who during Monroe’s presidency was engaged in work for Washington City. Certainly the old formal planting and the size of the slow-growing dwarf box (suffruticosa) do not clash with this belief.
The garden now is dominated by a marble statue of Monroe. This was presented to the president’s home upon the hundredth anniversary of his death, by the sculptor Attilio Piccirilli, whose work may be also seen in the capitol in Richmond and the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
Michie’s Old Tavern. J. Rawlings Thomson
THE MICHIE TAVERN
Rt. 53, Monticello Road
This authentic eighteenth century tavern was moved, 1927, from its original site on the Buck Mountain Road in North Albemarle to its present location on Monticello Road. Before-and-after photographs show that while some later tamperings were done away with, the original structure was scrupulously preserved—with the exception of the cellar, whose massive slave masonry it was not possible to transport or reproduce.