Laid out in 1773, the graveyard continues to be used for family burials. According to a plaque, it was on this spot that Jefferson and a boyhood friend made a pledge to bury each other here.

An obelisk marks Jefferson's grave. Etched in stone are the words: "Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, of the statute of Virginia for religious freedom, and father of the University of Virginia."

The graveyard. Jefferson's obelisk is a little further on, although 'tis odd I don't have a photo of it.

With this, we took the short walk downhill back to the Ticket Booth. A small garden shop necessitated a diversion, but we got back in the car and headed for Shenandoah National Park.

Conclusion

The best way to see Monticello is to look on the back of a nickel. Oddly enough, this famous scene is the backyard view of the house. I should point out, and this is something I did not know, that this house is the only house in the US on the United Nation's World Heritage List.

It's hard to recommend visiting this place. Colonial Williamsburg offers pretty much the same decor and more, and you're allowed to go into lots of houses and take photos, oftentimes without a tour guide hustling you through the building. You can get just as much a feel for Monticello by visiting the Visitor's Center at the bottom of the hill just off the highway. All told, it took a morning to see, and we headed down the mountain to hit I-64 westbound and Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park.

More Monticello

Introduction
Little Mountain
The Vegetable Garden
Mulberry Row
Graveyard

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