James Monroe’s Highland is a historic site with a new story to tell. With the guidance of Highland’s Council of Descendant Advisors, the 1818 Presidential Guesthouse has been re-curated into self-guided exhibits that weave the story of Highland’s free and enslaved residents into one narrative. Focusing on Monroe’s presidential years, the exhibits will bring to light how Highland is a lens for understanding early American history and its present-day legacies.
America’s fifth president lived at Highland sporadically from 1799 to 1823. Monroe sold the house and the fields immediately surrounding it in 1826, and the Bank of the United States sold the remaining farmland in 1828. The history of Highland includes James Monroe, his wife Elizabeth Kortright Monroe, and their family, as well as many enslaved men, women, and children. Between the untold stories of enslaved people, a fire that destroyed the main residence, and property changes by later owners, mystery and misunderstanding surrounded the site for years. Only now are historians and archaeologists peeling back the layers of history to uncover Highland’s complete past.
Join us for this exciting new opportunity for a self-guided tour, lunch and performance by James Monroe.
