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Poplar Forest to Begin Visitor Services Expansion, Groundbreaking Ceremony on July 4th -

On Sunday, July 4th, Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest will break ground on expansion of its visitor services building, supported by grants from the Virginia Tobacco Commission and the Harry and Alice L. Stillman Foundation. The groundbreaking ceremony will take place immediately following the Independence Day ceremony, which begins at 1:30 p.m.

A National Historic Landmark and recently added to the U.S. nomination list to become a World Heritage Site, Poplar Forest has the potential to rank with Monticello and Mt. Vernon as a major national tourist destination.  Restoration is still in early stages, but with the unveiling in 2009 of the completed exterior restoration of the architecture and the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Jefferson’s first visit to the house, visitation to the site increased by 50%. 

"Thomas Jefferson's retreat has unique potential to contribute directly to long-term economic growth," said Delegate Kathy Byron on behalf of the Tobacco Commission. "The growth in visitor numbers and time spent in the area that Poplar Forest continues to generate will directly impact businesses in this region -- lodging, restaurants, and all other traveler-service retail functions -- and consequently support new jobs and tax revenue. We are pleased to join in supporting this worthy project."

“Attracting growing numbers of tourists is important for the economy of this region, in addition to producing revenue that helps support preserving and developing this national educational and cultural resource in our community,” said Lynn A. Beebe, Poplar Forest’s President.

“We are deeply indebted to the Tobacco Commission and the Stillman Family Foundation for making it possible to provide facilities that meet the needs of increasing numbers of visitors,” Beebe said, “as we continue working to develop the full potential of Jefferson’s retreat as a national tourist attraction.”

Poplar Forest’s Admissions and Museum Shop building currently serves many of the purposes of a visitor center: it is the place for buying admission tickets, getting directions, purchasing books and gifts, and checking out Poplar Forest’s new GPS handheld devices that were introduced late last year to provide both visual and audio information while visitors walk the grounds. The present 616 square foot admissions facility and shop will be expanded by approximately 33% or 200 square feet to better accommodate educational services and meet the needs of the growing number of visitors. In addition to expanded space for basic visitor services, the expansion includes: technology upgrades for faster processing of ticket and retail sales; new expanded restrooms (with environmentally-improved low flow toilets); and an expanded parking area for tour buses and cars. 

Poplar Forest’s Independence Day celebration will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 4th, 2010. The event will include music, dance, living history interpreters, historic craft vendors, children's games, pony rides and much more. The signature event, a reading of the Declaration of Independence from Jefferson’s portico, will begin at 1:30 p.m.  The groundbreaking ceremony will begin after the program, outside the Admissions/Museum Shop building.

The Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission is a 31-member body created by the 1999 General Assembly. Its mission is the promotion of economic growth and development in tobacco-dependent communities, using proceeds of the national tobacco settlement. Learn more about the Tobacco Commission at http://www.tic.virginia.gov/index.shtml.

About Poplar Forest
Poplar Forest is Thomas Jefferson's secluded plantation and retreat home, a National Historic Landmark and recently added to the U.S. nomination list to become a World Heritage Site. Undergoing award-winning restoration and archaeology, Poplar Forest is open April through November from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Closed Tuesdays and Thanksgiving Day. Visitors to Poplar Forest each year come from all fifty states and over 30 countries.  Call (434) 525-1806 or visit www.poplarforest.org for additional information.

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Poplar Forest is open to the public seven days a week, March 15 through December 15 (closed Thanksgiving Day). Group tours are available year-round by appointment.