North Fork Resort, Front Royal, Virginia

This is a large member-owned resort on the southern bank of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River. Lots of things to do; pool, ball field, miniature golf, etc. The prime spots are are right on the water but those are amazingly tight spaces. The majority of the sites are between the river and the railroad tracks. We were in section C backed up on the tracks which seemed to be where the overnighters get parked.

While other areas may have been better, our bathrooms were scary bad. One shower stall was rotting exterior-grade plywood with holes the size of your fist. We were just passing through and didn’t have the opportunity to use them until morning or we would have asked to be moved. Not much in the way of cell service. Was OK for one night but we would go elsewhere if we had to do it over again.

Monticello

Monticello
Monticello
Monticello
Monticello

Monticello is the home of Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States and the main author of the Declaration of Independence. He inherited more than 5000 acres of land when his father died. He was only fourteen.

Jefferson studied law under George Wythe at William & Mary in Williamsburg where he also served in the House of Delegates and as governor.

He began building Monticello in 1768 and moved in in 1770. He served as a member of Congress, Minister fo France and as the first Secretary of State. In 1796 he had the first of two bitter runs for president against John Adams. Adams won the first and Jefferson won the second in 1800. So great were their differences that Adams and Jefferson didn’t speak for more than ten years. The two died just a few hours apart on the same day, July 4, 1826.

Jefferson was also involved in other notable events, the Louisana Purchase, Lewis and Clark expedition and the duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. Perhaps Jefferson’s proudest achievement was the founding of the University of Virginia. He was a lover of books. When the British burned the Library of Congress, it was repopulated from Jefferson’s own collection. Upon his death, he willed most of his library to the University.