Highland Rustic Trails Dog Day
2024-05-26 09:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
On Sunday, May 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., we invite you and your four legged friends out on the Highland Rustic Trails for a day of doggone good fun!
The Highland Rustic Trails are free and open to the public. All dogs must be leashed. Dog owners are responsible for cleaning up after their animals. Please keep our trails clean so everyone can enjoy their experience on the Highland Rustic Trails.
*Please note that while dogs will be allowed on the Highland Rustic Trails on May 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., only service animals, as defined by the ADA, are permitted in the ticketed museum area.
Highland Rustic Trails

2024 Descendants Day at Highland
2024-06-08 11:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Learn about the 2025 Descendants Day at Highland

Join us on Saturday, June 8 for Descendants Day at Highland. Doors open at 10:00 a.m. with programming from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Highland Council of Descendant Advisors welcomes anyone working on or interested in the histories of slavery, the shared work of making our present and future more equitable based on historical knowledge, and collaboration in research. Plan to share information, resources, and encouragement with others journeying on the same path. Space is available to display your community’s resources and stories. This event is free and open to the public. Follow the link below to register:

2024 Descendants Day Schedule of Events
10:00 AM: Doors open to the public
11:00 AM: Call to Order
11:15 AM: Keynote Speaker – Dr. Doretha Williams, National Museum of African American History and Culture
12:00 PM: Grace and Invitation to Lunch
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Lunch, Exhibit Engagement and Networking
2:00 PM: Descendant Updates from Community Partners
2:20 PM: Musical Selection – M.C. Jones Family Singers
2:30 PM: Sheila Arnold – Historical Performance followed by Q&A
3:30 PM: Musical Selections – Ava Gardner, Chris Lewis
3:40 PM: Calling of Names
4:00 PM: Adjourn
*all events located in the Hilltop Pavilion at Highland.

Featured Performer, Sheila Arnold
Sheila Arnold has a talent for storytelling, a passion for history, and compassion for people. She provides Storytelling, Historic Character Presentations, Christian Monologues, and Professional Development for schools, festivals, churches, and organizations nationally and internationally. She is co-founder and Artistic Director of Artists Standing Strong Together (ASST) a source of inspiration, strength and action in the storytelling and artists world. Sheila has been honored as a 2021 MacDowell Artist Fellow, a 2020 Mt. Vernon Research Fellow and a 2019 Hewnoaks Artist Colony summer residence Noted Artist. Sheila lives in Hampton, VA near her son, grandsons, and parents.

Special thanks to Mortimer & Ruth Caplin and the Caplin Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, Tom Chapman and the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, Virginia Tent Rental, and MS Events for supporting Descendants Day at Highland.

Highland Rustic Trails Dog Day
2024-06-23 09:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
On Sunday, June 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., we invite you and your four legged friends out on the Highland Rustic Trails for a day of doggone good fun!
The Highland Rustic Trails are free and open to the public. All dogs must be leashed. Dog owners are responsible for cleaning up after their animals. Please keep our trails clean so everyone can enjoy their experience on the Highland Rustic Trails.
*Please note that while dogs will be allowed on the Highland Rustic Trails on June 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., only service animals, as defined by the ADA, are permitted in the ticketed museum area.
Highland Rustic Trails

Independence Day Concert and Celebration
2024-07-04 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
On Thursday, July 4th, Highland will host the Heifetz International Music Institute for a free concert from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. A classically-inspired ensemble from Heifetz will bring a uniquely innovative and expressive concert that will appeal to all ages.
While we will have seating available underneath of the Hilltop Pavilion, we recommend guests bring blankets and lawn chairs to maximize social distancing in our grassy, Pavilion Yard. This area is also perfect for a picnic!
Concert admission is free! General admission for museum visitors on July 4, 2024 is $10 per person (children six and under are free).
Please note that James Monroe’s Highland does not permit pets on the property. Leashed service animals, as defined by the ADA, are permitted.

*Images courtesy of Gene Runion

Albemarle County Fair
2024-08-01 16:00 - 2024-08-03 21:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
The Albemarle County Fair is scheduled from Thursday, August 1 through Saturday, August 3 on the grounds of Highland. Fair hours are 4:00 to 9:00 pm on Thursday, August 1, and 10:00 am to 9:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, August 2 and 3. Tickets can be purchased at the door (cash or card) and are $5 per person and free for children under 6 years of age. This fun and festive “Old-Time Country Fair” will be a three-day agricultural celebration, complete with exhibits, baked goods, crafts, family entertainment, events, livestock, and grand old-time country fun. Fair goers will also enjoy a number of demonstrations of historic and cultural significance, including wool spinners and a blacksmith.
2024 Albemarle County Fair Schedule
The Albemarle County Fair is proud to display a wide variety of home arts and agricultural wares from Central Virginia. During your visit to the fair, stop by the Barn to view the winners! Interested in submitting your own home-made creations? Click HERE for details about how residents of Albemarle and surrounding counties can enter their work at the fair.

NEW FOR 2024: The Albemarle County Fair is excited to introduce the 2024 Pageant for young girls this year. It features three age categories, each focused on building the individual participant’s confidence in their natural beauty, in two country-themed classes. Winners will receive a sash with their title and participate in various photographs. Details can be found HERE.

If you are looking for a unique gift or keepsake, Margo Hamilton and Ron Evans of Studio Zero Photography will be onsite with their modern take on the silhouette. Sittings are available for couples, individuals, and children, no appointment is necessary, and the cost will vary depending on print size.

The Albemarle County Fair Board, a private nonprofit entity separate from Albemarle County government, thanks the community for their interest and continued support and looks forward to celebrating the best of our rich and lively agricultural traditions at James Monroe’s Highland.
Learn More
Please note that Highland does not permit pets on the property. Leashed service animals, as defined by the ADA, are permitted.

Labor Day Special Pricing
2024-09-02 09:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Have you made your Labor Day holiday plans? Make sure to add Highland to your itinerary. Highland general admission tickets for museum visits on September 2nd are only $10 per person (kids six and under are free)!
Purchase Tickets

Journaling Sensory Saunter on the Highland Trails
2024-09-12 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Take a hike with Highland trail expert Carla on Thursday, September 12, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., as we go on a sensory exploration walk–seven stops/seven senses (no spoilers here on what the two extra senses are). This is a “lollipop” hike on the Highland Rustic Trails, starting on the yellow trail and connecting to the red trail. This two mile walk features moderate elevation gain and some steep inclines along the way. Expect rocks, roots, and phytoncides as we saunter along the trail, while intentionally connecting to nature through our five senses plus two!
The cost of this sensory exploration walk is $9 per person. Participants must purchase tickets in advance using the link below. The walk is limited to twelve individuals. Participants may bring their own journal or buy one in the Highland Museum Shop before the walk. Appropriate hiking shoes, water, bug repellent, and sunscreen are a must…as is curiosity!
We’ll meet in front of the Highland Museum Shop at 10am, have a quick round of introductions, and get going!
Purchase Tickets

Highland Rustic Trails Dog Day
2024-09-29 09:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
On Sunday, September 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., we invite you and your four legged friends out on the Highland Rustic Trails for a day of doggone good fun!
The Highland Rustic Trails are free and open to the public. All dogs must be leashed. Dog owners are responsible for cleaning up after their animals. Please keep our trails clean so everyone can enjoy their experience on the Highland Rustic Trails.
*Please note that while dogs will be allowed on the Highland Rustic Trails on September 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., only service animals, as defined by the ADA, are permitted in the ticketed museum area.
Highland Rustic Trails

Veterans Day at Highland
2024-09-30 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Halifax) | VA
On Veterans Day, Monday November 11, 2024, Highland will present a day of learning to honor those who have served our country. Admission is free for active U.S. military members and veterans, and all other tickets are $10. We invite you to celebrate the veterans in your life by learning more about the many ways the military and the people in it have shaped our nation’s history and culture. Stop by education stations throughout the day to explore:

Military and civilian fashion
Veterans of Highland gallery and community wall
Animal service in the military
Code-breaking and cryptography
And of course, meet Highland’s original veteran James Monroe

Veterans Day programming is included with Highland General Admisison Tickets: FREE for veterans and active military; $10 non-military visitors.

Purchase Tickets

Woodworking Demonstration with Roger Authers
2024-10-05 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
On Saturday October 5, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Roger Authers, artisan and wood turner, will be at the Highland Museum Shop demonstrating his craft. This demonstration is FREE and open to the public. Come learn about the art of wood-turning, and the various techniques used on a lathe to produce bowls, table lamps, candle holders, and the like. On display will be examples of Roger’s work at various stages of production along with finished products using a variety of locally-harvested hardwoods. His laminated creations of contrasting color and texture are especially attractive.
About Roger Authers
Roger first learned to work with a lathe as a teenager in his native England. Since moving to Charlottesville in 2004 he has honed his skills and enjoys the challenge of creating items both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Metro Journaling on the Highland Trails
2024-10-13 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Join Highland Hiker, trail guru, and nature fanatic Carla Anderson for a creative journaling experience on the Blue Trail on Sunday, October 13, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. If you’re looking to slow down and practice a different way of engaging with nature, this walk is for you!

In “metro poetry,” writers compose one line of text at each metro stop, using the time in between to look, listen, and reflect. We’ll let that idea guide us as we stop at set points during the walk to record a line of thought or an observation we have made in a portable trail journal.
The cost of this guided journaling hike is $9 per person. Participants must purchase tickets in advance using the link below. This walk is designed for participants aged 12 and up and is limited to fifteen individuals. Appropriate hiking shoes, water, insect repellent, and sunscreen are a must. Journaling materials will be provided!

Please note that pets are not allowed on the trails except on designated Highland Rustic Trails Dog Days (visit https://highland.org/events/ for upcoming events). Service animals, as defined by the ADA, are always permitted.
Purchase Tickets

Let's Take a Hike
2024-10-19 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Join Highland Hiker and trail fanatic Carla Anderson on a guided hike Highland’s Red Trail on Saturday, October 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This will be a vigorously paced four (+/-) mile hike with some steep inclines and moderate elevation gain. Be prepared to get your heart rate up! Participants will meet in front of the Highland Museum Shop at 10:00 a.m., have a quick round of introductions, and get going!

The cost of this guided hike is $5 per person. Participants must purchase tickets in advance using the link below. This walk is designed for participants aged 12 and up and is limited to fifteen individuals. Appropriate hiking shoes, water, insect repellent, and sunscreen are a must.
Please note that pets are not allowed on the trails except on designated Highland Rustic Trails Dog Days (visit https://highland.org/events/ for upcoming events). Service animals, as defined by the ADA, are always permitted.

Purchase Tickets

Highland Rustic Trails Dog Day
2024-10-20 09:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
On Sunday, October 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., we invite you and your four legged friends out on the Highland Rustic Trails for a day of doggone good fun!
The Highland Rustic Trails are free and open to the public. All dogs must be leashed. Dog owners are responsible for cleaning up after their animals. Please keep our trails clean so everyone can enjoy their experience on the Highland Rustic Trails.
*Please note that while dogs will be allowed on the Highland Rustic Trails on October 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., only service animals, as defined by the ADA, are permitted in the ticketed museum area.
Highland Rustic Trails

Musical guest Timothy Seaman to perform at Highland
2024-10-20 12:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Join us from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 20, for a special performance in the Highland Museum Shop by featured musical guest Timothy Seaman. Enjoy the soothing sound of the hammered dulcimer while browsing our selection of locally made crafts in the Highland Artisan Room. Timothy will be signing CDs at this free, public event.
Check out Timothy’s musical magic in the video below:
Watch Now

Community Journaling on the Highland Trails
2024-11-02 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Join Highland Hiker, trail guru, and nature fanatic Carla Anderson for a creative journaling experience on the Blue Trail on Saturday, November 2, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. If you’re looking to slow down and practice a different way of engaging with nature, this walk is for you!

In “metro poetry,” writers compose one line of text at each metro stop, using the time in between to look, listen, and reflect. We’ll let that idea guide us as we each record a line of observation at set stops on the trail. At the end of our hike, we’ll assemble these observations into booklets to be posted at one of the sign stations along the trail. Your observations will be available for future Highland hikers.
The cost of this guided journaling hike is $9 per person. Participants must purchase tickets in advance using the link below. This walk is designed for participants aged 12 and up and is limited to fifteen individuals. Appropriate hiking shoes, water, insect repellent, and sunscreen are a must. Journaling materials will be provided!

Please note that pets are not allowed on the trails except on designated Highland Rustic Trails Dog Days (visit https://highland.org/events/ for upcoming events). Service animals, as defined by the ADA, are always permitted.
Purchase Tickets

Highland Rustic Trails Dog Day
2024-11-03 09:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
On Sunday, November 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., we invite you and your four legged friends out on the Highland Rustic Trails for a day of doggone good fun!
The Highland Rustic Trails are free and open to the public. All dogs must be leashed. Dog owners are responsible for cleaning up after their animals. Please keep our trails clean so everyone can enjoy their experience on the Highland Rustic Trails.
*Please note that while dogs will be allowed on the Highland Rustic Trails on November 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., only service animals, as defined by the ADA, are permitted in the ticketed museum area.
Highland Rustic Trails

Home Educator Day at Highland
2024-11-04 09:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Open to ALL Students, Families, and Educators!
James Monroe’s Highland will host Home Educator Day on Monday, November 4, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Families will enjoy a walk-through of the presidential Guesthouse and exhibit spaces, an opportunity to meet James and Elizabeth Monroe, and many more educational activities!

9:00-11:00 AM: Highland trail journal creation station
9:00-11:00 AM: A special barnyard guest, courtesy of Virginia Cooperative Extension
9:00 AM-1:00 PM: Historic Handwriting with Elizabeth Monroe
9:00 AM-3:00 PM: Historic photo booth and costume try-on
9:00 AM-3:00 PM: Historic yard games and crafts
9:00-11:00 AM & 12:00-2:00 PM: Paper Marbling
10:00-11:00 AM: Wool processing and spinning demonstration
11:00 AM-3:00 PM: “Meet the Neighbors” nature gallery and animal finding activity
11:30 AM-12:30 PM: Cross-stitch sampler-making

And more!
Highland’s Home Educator Day is open to all students and families: home school, public, or private. All are welcome! Admission is $10.00 for participants and adult chaperones. Children under 4 and Monroe’s Farm Friends are FREE (Farm Friends do not have to register, simply bring your Farm Friends card on the day of the event). We invite you to bring a picnic and spend the day at the home of our nation’s 5th president!
Purchase Tickets

Veterans Day at Highland
2024-11-11 09:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
On Veterans Day, Monday, November 11, 2024, Highland will present a day of learning to honor those who have served our country. We invite you to celebrate the veterans in your life by learning more about the many ways the military and the people in it have shaped our nation’s history and culture. Stop by education stations throughout the day to explore:

Military and civilian fashion
Veterans of Highland gallery and community wall
Animal service in the military
Code-breaking and cryptography
And of course, meet Highland’s original veteran James Monroe

Admission is free for active U.S. military members and veterans. All other visitors may purchase $10 discounted General Admission tickets. Children six and under and Farm Friends members receive free admission (Farm Friends do not have to register, simply bring your Farm Friends card on the day of the event). Follow the link below to purchase tickets:
Purchase Tickets

Let's Take a Hike
2024-11-16 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Halifax) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Join Highland Hiker and trail fanatic Carla Anderson on a guided hike Highland’s Red Trail on Saturday, November 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This will be a vigorously paced four (+/-) mile hike with some steep inclines and moderate elevation gain. Be prepared to get your heart rate up! Participants will meet in front of the Highland Museum Shop at 10:00 a.m., have a quick round of introductions, and get going!

The cost of this guided hike is $5 per person. Purchase tickets in advance using the link below. This walk is designed for participants aged 12 and up and is limited to fifteen individuals. Appropriate hiking shoes, water, insect repellent, and sunscreen are a must.
Please note that pets are not allowed on the trails except on designated Highland Rustic Trails Dog Days (visit https://highland.org/events/ for upcoming events). Service animals, as defined by the ADA, are always permitted.

Purchase Tickets

Small Business Saturday 2024
2024-11-30 09:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Featuring a 20% Museum Shop Discount*!
Saturday, November 30, is Small Business Saturday! Do your holiday shopping at the Highland Museum Shop and support our small local business. We have a wide selection of books, souvenirs, hand-crafted goods, and specialty food items. All merchandise, except for consignment art and donations, will be discounted 20%.

*excluding consignment art and donations

Winter Open House
2024-12-07 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Join us Saturday, December 7, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., for a FREE Winter Open House at Highland! Participants can explore Highland’s newly-opened Community Research Center and Archaeology Lab and have coffee and conversation with an archaeologist. At 11:00 a.m. Highland executive director, Sara Bon-Harper, will give a presentation on Highland archaeology. Guests can also visit the presidential Guesthouse and other exhibits, including the new A Window to a New America exhibition. As a special treat, local bagpiper Cooper Wamsley will perform outdoors to complete the celebration of a Highland holiday.
Access to this special open house is FREE for all participants. Please use the link below and select 10:00 a.m. reservation time on December 7th and plan to attend any or all of the events:
Register Today!

Holly Days at Highland
2024-12-14 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Highland and the Virginia Cooperative Extension invite you to Holly Days at Highland, a morning of crafts and holiday cheer on December 14, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Participants will enjoy warm beverages and a festive, family-oriented atmosphere. At this holiday-themed event, participants are invited to:

Create a seasonal centerpiece while learning about native Virginia plants
Craft a felt ornament and try their hand at wool felting
Stop by the colonial games table and make a set of historic toys to take home
Enjoy holiday reading and coloring activities

Admission for adults and children is $6 per person. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Please register using the link below:
Purchase Tickets

Evening Holiday Tour: December 19
2024-12-19 16:30 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
SOLD OUT!
Take advantage of a small-group evening experience at Highland this December. Visitors will enjoy a curator-led, exclusive tour of the 1818 Presidential Guesthouse and exhibits amid festive holiday decorations and music. Wear your holiday best for a little extra cheer!
Tickets of $150 include admission for up to 6 people. Tour size will be limited to maintain an intimate atmosphere.

Evening Holiday Tour: December 20
2024-12-20 16:30 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902

Evening Holiday Tour: December 26
2024-12-26 16:30 - 18:00 (America/Halifax) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Take advantage of a small-group evening experience at Highland this December. Visitors will enjoy a curator-led, exclusive tour of the 1818 Presidential Guesthouse and exhibits amid festive holiday decorations and music. Wear your holiday best for a little extra cheer!
Tickets of $150 include admission for up to 6 people. Tour size will be limited to maintain an intimate atmosphere. Follow the link below to make your reservation:
Purchase Tickets

Evening Holiday Tour: December 27
2024-12-27 16:30 - 18:00 (America/Halifax) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
SOLD OUT
Take advantage of a small-group evening experience at Highland this December. Visitors will enjoy a curator-led, exclusive tour of the 1818 Presidential Guesthouse and exhibits amid festive holiday decorations and music. Wear your holiday best for a little extra cheer!
Tickets of $150 include admission for up to 6 people. Tour size will be limited to maintain an intimate atmosphere.

"You Don't Need a Green Thumb" Indoor Plant Workshop
2025-02-15 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Want to grow plants successfully in your home? Join us at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 15, as we welcome the Piedmont Master Gardeners for an indoor plant workshop. Indoor gardening has been “growing” in popularity over the last several years. Learn how to grow plants indoors to beautify your surroundings. By taking into account environmental factors you will be well on your way to long term “plant parent” success. We will focus on plant selection, repotting, containers, and ways to maximize your use of greenery indoors.
This event is free and open to the public. Click on the link below to register:
Registration

Green Gathering Book Club: Meet the Neighbors
2025-03-08 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Calling all tree huggers, forest friends, and book worms! If you are interested in connecting with fellow nature-lovers over a good book, join us for Highland’s Green Gathering Book Club.

This quarter we will be discussing the ideas in Meet the Neighbors: Animal Minds and Life in a More-Than-Human World by science journalist and animal lover Brandon Keim. Keim’s book explores the inner lives and intelligence of animals and suggests how thinking of our local non-human inhabitants as “neighbors” can lead to more compassionate thinking about our environment.

This event is free and open to the public. Designed for participants aged 12 and up. Participants will meet at the Highland Museum Shop and walk as a group to our comfy conference room for the book club meeting.

Registration
Promptly after the book discussion, participants who are interested are invited to join Carla for a group hike on the Highland Rustic Trails. This 4 mile hike will take you on the Mountain Trail (red loop) and will include some of the newest sections of trail. Expect a little bit of elevation gain as we hike the gentle slopes of Highland’s “backyard.” This hike is for moderately experienced hikers. Participants are asked to wear appropriate hiking attire, including sturdy footwear, and bring a water bottle, bug spray, and sunscreen.

Meet the Neighbors: Animal Minds and Life in a More-Than-Human World can be purchased through your local bookstore or via Amazon. Want to be extra green? Check out the book from your local library branch!

Virtual Program First Family: George Washington’s Heirs and the Making of America
2025-03-12 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Tune in on March 12, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. for a virtual conversation with historian and author Cassandra Good as she discusses her latest book, a vivid account of the lives of Washington’s step-grandchildren, the Custises, and their complicated roles in American history. First Family explores the interplay of history, class, slavery, and legacy in both the concept of “family” and in the shaping of American identity.
Cassandra Good is Associate Professor of History at Marymount University. She previously served as an editor at the Papers of James Monroe. She is the author of many popular and scholarly articles as well as two books: Founding Friendships: Friendships Between Men & Women in the Early American Republic and First Family: George Washington’s Heirs and the Making of America.
This virtual program is free and open to the public. Please follow the link below to register:
Registration

Eliza's True Story
2025-03-18 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe's Highland, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
In her new biography, author and Highland interpreter Barbara VornDick dramatically adds to the previously limited historical knowledge about Eliza and the tragic circumstances of her death in Paris in 1840. Eliza’s story is the result of years of dedicated archival research. The author is also part of a team working to repatriate Eliza’s remains from Père-Lachaise in Paris to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. The reburial alongside Eliza’s parents, James Monroe and Elizabeth Kortright Monroe, is expected to occur in 2025.
Join us at Highland on March 18 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. as VornDick shares her fascinating journey into the realm of historical research and how the discovery of archival documents on both sides of the Atlantic has illuminated new information about Eliza’s life.
This event will take place at Highland in the lower level of the Event Barn. Admission is free and open to the public. Click on the link below to register:
Registration
