Corporation for Jefferson’s Poplar Forest Chronology
1983
Dec. 1- Corporation for Jefferson’s Poplar Forest established
1984
Jan. 18- Deed signed between Dr. James Johnson and the Corporation for Jefferson’s Poplar Forest transferring ownership of house to the Corporation.
April- House is open to visitors for the first time for four days.
1985
Lynn Beebe named first Director of Poplar Forest
National fundraising campaign opened
Corporation purchases additional 252 acres
1986
House officially opens regularly to visitors on July 4th
Volunteer corps began
1987
Al Chambers begins extensive documentary research on property.
Hosted a bicentennial celebration of the U.S. Constitution which featured the first living history presented on site on July 5th
October- Purchases of 78-acre Poplar Forest golf course and 38-acre Camp Ruthers
First Colony Life provided fund to renovate the North Tenant House for office spaces.
6,600 visitors, an increase of 47% over the previous year
1988
February- William Kelso appointed Director of Archaeology
June- Capital Campaign “The Governor’s Challenge to Virginians” begun with a $5 million goal
Dorsey Bodeman hired as Interpetation Coordinator- creates first volunteer training program
Conservation of original tulip poplars north of the villa completed
Stabilization work on the historic house completed
1989
First Archaeological Field School held
Archaeology lab developed in 1915 barn
Travis McDonald hired as Restoration Coordinator in July
First Independence Day Celebration held on Sunday, July 3rd
1990
March-Poplar Forest added into Virginia code under historical society to receive funds from state
April-Display window added to front of Archaeology lab for visitors to see lab work
May-Mesick Cohen Waite hired as restoration architect firm
July- First Restoration Field School held
1991
Sept- pay off loan for purchase of property
Structural analysis to identify conservation needs begins
1992
Archaeologists find north west clump of trees, north west oval planting bed, and a French drain off the Wing of Offices
Restortation work begins with conserving and improving the foundation
Maylia Green Rightmire Preservation Center built
13,065 visitors
1993
April- Mikhail Gorbachev speaks at Poplar Forest
Al Chambers’ book “Poplar Forest & Thomas Jefferson” published
Visitation season extended through November
Sheryl Kingery hired as first Director of Intepretation
Foundation of house conserved and waterproofed
Purchase of addition 75 acres of adjacent land
Slave Quarter Site discovered
23,000 visitors, a 77% increase from the year before
1994
Williams Archaeology Lab dedicated on June 2
1995
Maylia Green Rightmire Preservation Center dedicated on May 14
Bob Villa visits Poplar Forest
1996
Capital Campaign met challenge of funding a 68-acre land acquisition and establishing an endowment fund
North Hill site excavated by archaeology department. Evidence of earliest structure on property found
1998
Exterior restoration of historic house completed
Interior restoration of historic house started.
National Preservation Award presented to the Corporation by the National Trust for Historic Preservation
South lawn archaeological excavations
1999
15th Anniversary of the beginning of the restoration
Poplar Forest designated an official project of Save America’s Treasures
Strategic Planning process undergone
School programs reached over 2,300 students
2000
Time capsule buried to celebrate Jefferson’s birthday. Will be reopened during the 250th celebrations of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.
Hands on History center opened for school groups in April
Virginia’s First Lady, Roxanne Gilmore visits in November
First Conversations with Jefferson program held featuring John Adams
2001
Restoration on Wing of Offices begins
School kits created to loan out to teachers
Children’s day camp offered in July
Corporation purchases 33 acres including the Prize Barn Site in November
“Shaping the World: Conversations on Democracy” program for students began
2002
Poplar Forest Guidebook published
2003
Lewis and Clark Exhibition from the National Park Service comes to Poplar Forest
Monticello’s north privy seat copied from Poplar Forest’s west privy original seat
20th Anniversary dinner held at Poplar Forest
2004
Thomas Jefferson: From Shadwell to Poplar Forest by Jan Shaffer published
Poplar Forest acquires 72 acres of land to eventually build a new entrance road
Total of 542 acres of original land secured since 1983
One of the original dining room table donated to Poplar Forest
2006
Hogshead (barrel used for shipping tobacco) acquired for exhibit
President’s Society membership levels formed
2007
IMLS Museums for America grant recieve to focus on archaeology in the curtilage
2008
Plantation Community Tours developed to focus on enslaved community
Poplar Forest added to U.S. Department of Interior’s tentative list from which to draw nominations for World Heritage List
Four tulip poplar trees planted to restore landscape at front of historic house
2009
Celebration of completion of exterior of house including the Wing of Offices
Actors Robert Duvall, Connie Britton, and Scott Cooper speak at 25th Anniversary Dinner
Newly redesigned website launched
Curtilage Fence installed in August
First Thomas Jefferson Wine Festival held in November
Remaining two parts of original dining table donated to Poplar Forest by John Hutter
largest annual visitation to date, over 30,000 visitors
2010
Ornamental Plant Nursery identified
Handicapped access to house installed
First year as a Blue Star Museum- offering free admission to active duty military and families from Memorial Day to Labor Day
Culture of the Earth booklet published by Archaeology Department
Garden Club of Virginia adopts Poplar Forest initial landscape projects as its next garden restoration project
2011
Expanded Museum Shop and new public restrooms open to the public in April
First 5K race held to raise money for children’s programming
First Holiday Candlelight Tours held in November and December
Paint removed from original door by conservators in Williamsburg
Double row of paper mulberry trees planted on west side of historic house in November
2012
Visitor Orientation Center opens for visitors
Archaeology Department publishes Jefferson’s Poplar Forest: Unearthing a Virginia PlantationÂ
Lynn Beebe retires as President in August
Jeffrey Nichols hired as President and CEO in September
Poplar Forest opens to public between Christmas and New Years
First Obstacle Course Race held in partnership with Jamerson YMCA
2013
Boxwoods removed from carriage turnaround in September
2014
Two-day symposium held in March in partnership with Randolph College titled Facing the Past, Freeing the Future: Slavery’s Legacy, Freedom’s Promise
First annual production of 1776 the Musical
Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission provides grant to add archaeologists for research on new Parkway
2015
First Winter Weekends program offered-Poplar Forest open for tours on weekends Jan-Mar
First Naturalization Ceremony held on site in partnership with the Blue Ridge Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Resolution
Sculptor Richard Pumphrey unveils bronze bust of Jefferson as a gift to Poplar Forest in November
Parkway Archaeological Survey completed
Enslaved Community Tours offered to public
2016
Jefferson’s Salon Series begins with a program entitled Black Resistance: Now & in Jefferson’s Time
Capital Campaign A New Path to Jefferson launched to fund new Parkway
Carriage Turnaround surface is excavated
African American Advisory Group formed to help Poplar Forest ensure interpretation consistently places the lives and stories of enslaved people on equal footing to other stories
2017
Lynchburg City Planning Commission approves permit to build new Parkway
First production of The Day is Past and Gone
Challenge grant from Mary Morton Parson’s Foundation for $350,000 received
2018
Ceiling plaster is replaced during winter
Juneteenth Celebration held in June
Archaeology and Restoration Field Schools investigate the South Tenant House
Palladian style dog kennel opened for visitors
Corporation purchases a hand-drawn map by Jefferson of Poplar Forest’s fields
South Tenant House renamed the 1857 Slave Dwelling. North side of structure turned into exhibit space and houses Enslaved Community Talks
2019
Grant for $250,000 from Watson-Brown Foundation received
Grant for $148,400 from the Institute for Museum and Library Services received
Carriage Turnaround restoration completed
Jeffrey Nichols steps down as President and CEO in August
Alyson Ramsey appointed interim President and CEO
Programming partnership with Academy Center of the Arts begins
2020
Alyson Ramsey appointed President and CEO
COVID-19 Pandemic forces Poplar Forest to close for several months with most staff working from home
Poplar Forest reopened on a limited basis in June
Poplar Forest smart phone app developed- visitors can now tour the house on their own with the app or on a guided tour
Anonymous donor gifts Poplar Forest a custom built Phaeton for display and use
Grants from IMLS, Daughters of American Colonists and Virginia Huminites support new exhibit signs at the Quarter Site
2021
Construction on Poplar Forest Parkway begins
Garden Club of Virginia and Poplar Forest dedicate three planting projects: the double row of paper mulberry trees, the clumps of trees and three oval beds of roses completing the restoration of the landscape to the north of Jefferson’s villa
2022
Poplar Forest Parkway opened to public in August
New Interpretive signs at Quarter Site highlight lives of the enslaved community
Roots & Reconnection: Celebrating Our Story event held as grand opening of new exhibit
2023
Restoration of Jefferson’s villa completed
Interpretive signs along Poplar Forest Parkway installed
40th Anniversary Gala held on April 28
Director of Architectural Restoration Travis McDonald retired in June