As I was editing some material this week, I was once again enchanted by my description of a recent trip my wife and I took to Virginia. One of the most memorable placed we stopped was Red Hill. This was Patrick Henry’s retirement home, and where his grave is located.

Red Hill is a beautiful area near a beautiful river. Nine of Henry’s 17 children were still living with him and his second wife, Dolly. On the grounds is the nations largest and longest living osage orange tree. His kitchen, or cooking shed was built next to his home to avoid the problems of fire so prevalent in those days.

He had also built a separate building for his law office, which also contained a very, very small bedroom. I suppose he needed to get away from the noisy family from time to time. He had retired from the practice of law, and yet he still went to the trouble to mentor and teach young and up and coming lawyers.

His plantation also maintained a blacksmith shop and a carpentry shop. There is now a museum on the grounds, which contains, among other things, the knife they think was used to portray a self inflicted stab into his chest and the end of his most famous “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech he made at the St. John’s Church in Richmond in 1775.

Red Hill is situated close to Thomas Jefferson’s retirement home know as “Poplar Forest”. That is a miniature copy of his grand home, Monticello.

Go and visit these historic places if you have a chance.