Jacquelyn Olson

SLM 521 – Instruction Elective

Virtual Fieldtrips Elective-elective #9

July 3, 2009

Want to Find a way for your class to visit homes of American Presidents without ever leaving your classroom? Virtual Tours, Inc. can help. With our user friendly tours, you can bring American History directly into your classroom. Take a look at the tours we have to offer:

Tour the Home of George Washington’s Mount Vernon – As you and your students wind though the mansion, you will be transported back in time to the Colonial Period where this ornately decorated home of George Washington’s family stood. Enjoy viewing each room in the mansion and imagining what it must have been like to live among the beautiful surroundings of this estate.

http://www.mountvernon.org/virtual/vrtour.html

The central passage is the entrance way to the Washington home and was used to entertain guests during the hot Virginia summers when breezes cooled the passageway.	The study, part of the southwest expansion, was George Washington’s private sanctuary.
The small dining room, part of the original home, is easily the most striking room in the mansion. Many times this room underwent renovations. Ultimately, two master craftsmen were hired to fashion the ornate rococo wood carving around the chimney and the plaster work on the ceiling.	This room was used by Martha Washington’s granddaughter, Nellie Custis, who lived at Mount Vernon throughout her childhood.

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello - Jefferson’s home is a wonderful example of neoclassical architecture. Beautifully designed and furnished, this home stood as a symbol of the wealth and prosperity of Thomas Jefferson and his beloved country, the United States. http://www.monticello.org/house/roombyroom.html
	The entrance hall is a reception area and waiting room for visitors. Features of the hall include a two story balcony that connects two mezzanine-level wings.	The parlor was the hub of social activity for the Jefferson family. Generally, this was where the family enjoyed games, music and reading.
	The southeast piazza or greenhouse contained Jefferson’s personal plants, and housed his workbench where he was known to have made locks and chains.	The tea room is the coldest room in the house. It was in this room that the Jeffersons ate their meals. Thomas Jefferson also had a place to read and write in this room.

Abraham Lincoln’s Springfield Home – Located at Eighth and Jackson Streets in Springfield, Virginia, the Lincoln’s home is a Greek Revival style home with three rooms on the first floor and sleeping lofts upstairs. As Lincolns’ wealth increased, renovations progressed. Eventually, a second floor with a ‘his and hers’ master bedroom suite and three additional bedrooms were added in 1856. http://www.monticello.org/house/roombyroom.html
	The formal parlor was where the Lincoln’s entertained important guests. In this room, the men of the Republican National Convention asked Lincoln to run for the Presidency.	In the dining room, Mrs. Lincoln served an evening meal she usually prepared to her family. During the meal, Mrs. Lincoln taught her sons the proper rules of dining etiquette.
	The sitting room, comparable to a modern family room, is the place where the Lincolns entertained informal guests and relaxed.	After second floor renovations were complete, Abraham Lincoln had his own separate bedroom. If finances allowed, it was the custom of the day that husband and wife had their own separate rooms.

James Monroe’s Ash Lawn Highland Estate – Ash Lawn Highland, designed to be a working plantation where tobacco crops flourished and grain crops prospered, was the home of the Monroe’s for twenty-four years. Decorated and furnished with items from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries classically inspired by French culture, the estate also contains items of American craftsmanship such as Monroe’s mahogany bed and furniture constructed in accordance with designer Duncan Phyfe’s style. http://www.ashlawnhighland.org/virtualtour.htm
	Outside the home, the property was a working plantation. Initially, tobacco was grown, but was later replaced by grain crops.	The gardens served dual purposes. Functional and ornamental, Ms. Monroe not only needed fresh but dried flowers as well. She also planted aromatic herbs to scent linens, repel moths, and add flavor to her meals
	View of the slaves’ quarters on the estate.	The Monroe’s bedroom contains their high-poster bed and is decorated with hand-carved feather and palm motifs.

To book one of our historical Presidential home tours, simply click on the link of the tour you wish to take and let the site guide you through room-by-room of these beautifully designed and decorated homes. If you like, follow the links within each site to obtain more information on the Presidents and their histories. We hope you enjoy traveling with Virtual Tours, Inc.