Thomas Jefferson was building Monticello, his magnificent mountaintop home near Charlottesville, Virginia, when he married Martha Wayles Skelton. If you haven’t been there, you should really go. It not only teaches you about Tom, but also about what he had learned and accomplished during his lifetime.

In just the entry way alone you see a double sided clock designed by Jefferson, with pulleys that marked the day of the week.The clock could be seen as you arrived at his home, and as you had entered the entry way museum. Yes, he referred to this hall as a museum. He had saved replicas from the Lewis and Clark expedition, including skins and antlers (etc.) brought back by the explorers. He also displayed a replica of the pyramids is Egypt and many other interesting artifacts.

Then if you wanted to go into the ballroom to see the first parquet floor in America (Tom loved them in Europe), you will go through double doors. Interesting that you may open one door and the other door swings open with it at the same door. Jefferson designed that they would be joined by pulleys under the floor. Open one, open the other.

In that room is the forte’ piano which Tom bought from Europe as a wedding gift for his beloved Martha. They would often play together. Tom the violin, Martha the forte’ piano. They made beautiful music together, in more ways than one. However, they were married for only 10 years. Martha died after childbirth caused malady. Tom never remarried.

You see this history and so much more just on a visit to the beautiful Monticello. Pronounce it the way Tom did, the Italian way, Mont ah chello, as in musical instrument!