James Madison's Montpelier We The People Fall 2015 | Page 2

WE THE PEOPLE

TURNING THE CORNER
When visitors first engage with James Madison’s
Montpelier–whether they are regional tourists
or foreign dignitaries–they expect an experience
defined by the past.
What they quickly learn is that our story is still
unfolding. We are not just another elegant house
museum designed to elicit nostalgia or curatorial wonder; instead, we are a
working estate, steeped in history, that inspires its visitors to connect the past
to the present and future.
The unique position for Montpelier among historic and presidential homes
is fast becoming clear. Immense power lies in harnessing the interconnection
between Madisonian ideals for democratic self-government, James Madison’s
struggle to reconcile those ideas with a plantation that depended on the
labor of an enslaved community, and the ongoing detective story involved in
returning the landscape and home to its Early Republican character.
Perhaps most exciting of all, and the focus of this issue, is the role the Robert H.
Smith Center for the Constitution has to play as a national and global beacon
for constitutionalism and as a convening place for new generations of leaders.
The next time you have the opportunity to experience Montpelier, I hope you
will keep this William Faulkner quote in mind: “The past is never dead. It’s
not even past.” As a cultural institution that empowers the public to consider
the nation’s past, connect it to the present, and work for a better future,
Montpelier is just hitting its stride.
Best regards,

Kat Imhoff
President and Chief Executive Officer
The Montpelier Foundation

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