Somehow almost lost in history, Poplar Forest in Bedford County, got new life in 1984 when a small group of local people (Corporation for Jefferson’s Poplar Forest) took on the challenge of restoring it. Poplar Forest is the second of two homes that Thomas Jefferson built for himself. It is located in Forest, near Lynchburg.

This octagon-shaped structure, at first glance resembling Monticello although much smaller, immediately reflects Jefferson’s architectural tastes. A personal retreat, Poplar Forest was the place where he came to relax, study and read, visiting three or four times a year and staying from a couple weeks to several months. It was a three-day trip from Monticello.

A Barrels, Bottles & Cask tour focusing on the beverages and meals that Jefferson and the plantation’s enslaved community consumed was recently held at Poplar Forest. With an excellent guide, it was like spending an afternoon with Mr. Jefferson. You could just imagine him stepping into...