Department of Architecture and Historic Preservation
ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION AT MONTPELIER
Public Engagement
Fieldwork
Research
The Architecture and Historic Preservation Department is responsible for the research, maintenance, and preservation of the built environment at Montpelier. This includes over 130 historic buildings spanning three centuries, as well as the ongoing reconstruction of the buildings in the South Yard.
Architecture and Historic Preservation Projects and Resources
The Architecture and Historic Preservation Department at Montpelier is responsible for so much more than the upkeep of the main house. Beginning in 2015, the department has actively been researching and reconstructing the South Yard, preserving various buildings across the site, and managing an architectural study collection of over 15,000 artifacts and documents. To learn more about these projects and more, click an image to the right.
Digging Deeper Blog
Our blog is the place to learn about the day to day projects happening in the Architecture and Historic Preservation department. No two days are the same at Montpelier, so our blog is a place to see what’s happening behind the scenes.
The Pink House
What is the Pink House? Nope, I am not talking about Barbie’s dream house, even though it may look similar. I am actually talking about ...
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Documenting Some Overlooked Buildings at Montpelier
An overview of the first week-long Building Documentation Expedition
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The Wallpaper has Hair!?: Uncovering what Covered the Walls of Montpelier
A surprising discovery led to the recreation of one of the most eye catching elements in the house
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Real or Faux: The Art of Imitation in Madison’s Montpelier
A small discovery during the restoration led to the recreation of a unique architectural feature in the north passage.
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Finding Ghosts in Montpelier
Learn how ghost evidence led to some important discoveries during the restoration of the Madison house.
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Digitizing the Restoration
Learn how a current grant project is bringing a new life to the numerous boxes of records created during the restoration of the Madison house. ...
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The Dogs of Montpelier
Understanding overlooked buildings, and the dogs that called Montpelier home.
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LEARN Log Building with Us!
Learn historic log building methods alongside preservation staff and historic craftsmen. No experience necessary!
The Team
Tessa Honeycutt, B.A.
former Architectural Technician
As an Architectural Technician in the Architecture and Historic Preservation Department, Tessa sorts and organizes architectural records relating to the restoration. She also aids in the management of the 3D model of the Madison house. Tessa graduated from the University of Mary Washington in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Historic Preservation. As a historic preservationist, Tessa is passionate about documenting historic structures and the numerous stories they tell.
Jennifer Wilkoski Glass, MA.
former Director of Architecture and Historic Preservation at Montpelier
Jennifer Wilkoski Glass began her career at Montpelier with the Department of Architectural Research, working closely with historians and craftspeople on the restoration of Montpelier. She holds a B.A. in Historic Preservation from the University of Mary Washington, and an M.A. in Historic Preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design. After the completion of the restoration, Jennifer moved to Williamsburg and worked with Mesick Cohen Wilson Baker Architects. She returned to Montpelier in 2015 to lead the architectural reconstructions in the South Yard. Her research interests include 18th and early 19th-century Chesapeake architecture, traditional building practices, and historic preservation. Jennifer has since become a colleague at Colonial Williamsburg, accepting the title of Shirley and Richard Roberts Architectural Historian at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in 2020.
