SPEAKER SERIES #1: Marc Leepson

 

 

Speaker Series #1

SAVING MONTICELLO:

The Levy Family's Epic Quest to Rescue the House That Jefferson Built

Marc Leepson - Historian, Author, Journalist

May 22nd  |  7:00 p.m.

Marc Leepson’s book Saving Monticello: The Levy Family’s Epic Quest to Rescue the House That Jefferson Built has been hailed as “a work of historical importance, a valuable addition to Jeffersoniana and Jewish-American history, and a cautionary tale of historic preservation” by the Richmond Times Dispatch. With a dramatic narrative sweep across generations, this book vividly recounts the turbulent saga of Jefferson’s estate.

 

Thomas Jefferson died in debt—to the tune of more than $100,000. Forced to sell thousands of acres of his lands and nearly all of his furniture and artwork, his heirs bid a final goodbye to Monticello itself. The house was sold to the highest bidder. "Saving Monticello" offers the first complete post-Jefferson history of this American icon and reveals the amazing story of how one Jewish family saved the house that became a family home to them for 89 years -- longer than it ever was to the Jeffersons. Two generations of the Levy family have saved the house from ruin at two different points in history. United by a fierce love of country, the Levy descendants venerated the Founding Fathers for establishing a religiously tolerant and democratic nation where their family had thrived since 1733, largely free of the persecutions and prejudices of the Old World.

 

Leepson is a journalist, historian and the author of nine books, most recently: Ballad of the Green Beret, What So Proudly We Hailed: Francis Scott Key, A Life, Lafayette: Idealist General, Desperate Engagement, Flag: An American Biography, and Saving Monticello. Additionally, he edited The Webster’s New World Dictionary of the Vietnam War and wrote two books on health topics in the 1980s. A former staff writer for Congressional Quarterly in Washington, D.C., he has been a free-lance writer since 1986. He has written for many newspapers, magazines, and resource publications.

 

FREE to the public. Seating is limited; make reservations online at: www.sotterley.org OR CALL 301-373-2280.

 

The Boeing Company has generously sponsored the Speaker Series at Sotterley for the past 12 years.

 

On the Road Again!

Once again, the Historic Sotterley Farmer’s Market is “Going on the Road” on Saturday, May 18th from 9 am—1 pm to the Tobacco Barn Distillery, an 1830’s historic tobacco barn located at 24460 Hollywood Road in Hollywood, MD … less than 4 miles from us and just across the street from Gatton’s Barbershop. With the history, great food from our farmers and watermen, as well as a convenient place to shop, we invite you to come on by!

The Historic Sotterley Farmer’s Market at the Tobacco Barn Distillery will include local farm raised oysters, honey, Shiitake mushrooms, NEW aquaponic grown lettuce, eggs, microgreens, private labelled aged balsamic and extra virgin olive oils, and local bourbon, whiskies and rum. There will also be limited quantities of jumbo lump crab cakes and crab cake dinners from the World Famous Faidley’s Seafood in Baltimore, as well as filets, NY strip, and prime rib from Maryland’s premier dry aged, pasture fed Angus farm.

For those looking to take a “Rickhouse Tour” that afternoon, sign-ups will be available for tours at 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. Tours are limited to eight people and take about an hour. $30 fee includes a laser etched Glencairn tasting glass.

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America’s Bourbon Trail Starts Here!
Tours & Tastings available on Saturday, May 18th. Your visit will consist of an intimate, unrushed educational session led by a knowledgeable member of the Tobacco Barn Distillery team. During these visits, we tell the story of the site, including a description of the history of bourbon making in Maryland that is represented in each bottle.

We offer two levels of tours:

RICKHOUSE TASTING & TOUR
Offered at 1, 2, & 3PM.
Limited to eight people per group.
This personalized experience begins in our Rickhouse with an opportunity to taste “from the barrel” while we discuss Bourbon history, farming and Tobacco Barn Distillery’s sustainable distilling philosophy. Guests will taste four current releases of Tobacco Barn Distillery spirits. Authentic Glencairn whisky glass with our logo included.
$30 per person.

INTRODUCTORY TASTING & TOUR
No appointment required.
Offered 1-5 PM.
The introductory tour begins with a description of the property. You will experience the view of our “Bourbon Farm” from our historic 1830’s tobacco barn. We explain the provenance of the local ingredients in our spirits and how we blend classical farming practices with modern technology to make our spirits. You will taste: Straight Bourbon, Moll Dyer, USS Constellation Rum & Honey Flavored Rum.
Logo shot glass included.
$15 per person.

Please call 240-243-9151 to arrange a tour or email: sales@tobaccobarndistillery.com.

Let's Hear It For The Dads!

Father’s Day SPECIAL!

Sunday, June 16th

 

Half-price tours for Dads! Plan a special day with your dad—hike the trails, check out what’s growing on the farm and in the garden, browse and buy specialty items at our Museum Shop, and enjoy a HALF-PRICE TOUR of our 1703 Manor House!

FATHER’S DAY TOUR SCHEDULE:
noon, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm

Check in at the Visitor Center.

2019 Speaker Series Presenters Announced

 

2019 Speaker Series at Historic Sotterley

Presenters Announced

Historic Sotterley is pleased to announce the presenters for the 2019 Speaker Series. An important community outreach, this series is yet another way that this National Historic Landmark fulfills its mission of serving as an educational and cultural resource.

The Boeing Company has generously sponsored the Speaker Series at Historic Sotterley for the past 12 years. Because they are dedicated to promoting education and the arts within the Southern Maryland community, these events are free to the public.

Due to limited seating, please sign up on our website or call 301-373-2280 for reservations.

 

SAVING MONTICELLO:

The Levy Family's Epic Quest to Rescue the House That Jefferson Built

Marc Leepson - Historian, Author, Journalist

May 22nd  |  7:00 p.m.

THE COMMON CAUSE: Creating Race and Nation in the American Revolution

Robert Parkinson - Historian, Author,  Associate Professor

June 19th  |  7:00 p.m. 

HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND PLACE-BASED TEACHING:

The Importance of Knowing our History and

Culture in Order to Preserve our Democratic Republic 

O. James Lighthizer - President of the American Battlefield Trust

August 28th  |  7:00 p.m. 

SPY PILOT

Gary Powers, Jr. - Author, Historian

September 18th  |  7:00 p.m.

SINKING LANDS AND RISING SEAS:

Climate Change, Evolution of Chesapeake Bay & Effects on Cultural Resources

Ralph Eshelman - Paleontologist, Historian

October 9th  |  7:00 p.m.

FLORAL DIPLOMACY: At the White House

Laura Dowling - Author, Floral Designer

October 30th  |  7:00 pm

THE GHOSTS OF EDEN PARK

Karen Abbott - Author, Historian

November 13th  |  7:00 p.m.

Armed Forces Weekend at Sotterley

Armed Forces Weekend at Sotterley

May 17th, 18th & 19th, 2019

 

As a special and sincere "Thank You" for your service, we invite all active duty, and retired military to experience a complimentary tour of our 1703 Manor House and free admission to enjoy our beautiful grounds. We honor those who have served this great Nation!

 

TOUR SCHEDULES:
Friday, May 17th & Saturday, May 18th
10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm

 

Sunday, May 19th
Noon, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm

Check in at our Visitor Center.

Please note our 1703 Manor House is not ADA compliant. Our Visitor Center (with video tour and museum shop), the Corn Crib (with our Land, Lives & Labor Exhibit - covers the over 300 years of all who worked this site), and Warehouse (with our exhibit on Preservation) are accessible. The terrain is rustic and natural at our site.

Preserving the Irreplaceable

From our Executive Director Nancy Easterling:

Yesterday, the world looked in horror as Notre Dame burned, and collectively our hearts grieved. We grieved not just for the loss of its beauty and its design, or even simply because of the age of the structure and the centuries it survived. We felt the loss to our core because of the lives that the structure represents - those who designed and built it in order to inspire the world, and the centuries of people who worshiped and visited there. Irreplaceable places have a real and lasting impact on us - they become part of our lives and help us establish a connection to our past while also creating a relevance to our lives today. We all hope that the up-welling of support for Notre Dame we are seeing across the globe can one day bring this place back to life, but for now we grieve.

While Sotterley is not as well as known as Notre Dame, for the past 14 years I have been honored to work at a site that is also both precious and irreplaceable. As with Notre Dame, the stories and lives it represents are the reason we strive to preserve it and share it with the world. It represents stories that are inspiring as well as those that are painful and difficult, but all aspects of these stories must be acknowledged and understood. At this moment, let each of us remember that losing the past is in fact losing part of ourselves, and that by collectively coming together to preserve the past, the irreplaceable, we will be in fact preserving ourselves.

Announcing our NEW Hours!

 

As the weather is warming up and our magnificent gardens are blooming, we are anticipating a wonderful 2019 season with many opportunities for engagement, learning, and fun! Find out about all of the activities taking place in our “Year of Building Bridges to Common Ground: Resilience, Remembrance, Honor & Equity” at www.sotterley.org.

Our 2019 Guided Tour Season begins in May and runs through October, and we have a NEW schedule. The Visitor Center will be open to welcome guests for Guided or Self Guided Tours Wednesdays through Sundays. The grounds, trails, and permanent exhibits will be open seven days a week during regular business hours.

Hours of Operation:

Mondays—Saturdays  10:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m.

Sundays  Noon—4:00 p.m.

 

GUIDED TOUR SCHEDULES:

May - October 2019

 

Wednesdays - Saturdays:
10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm

 

Sundays:

Noon, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm

Check our website: www.sotterley.org

for pricing, discounts, and events.

Remember: We’re a Blue Star Museum now!

Enjoy your visit to Historic Sotterley!