Programs and Events
For The People, For The Country
Thursday, September 25
5:30pm Social, 6:00pm Program
In 1799, hyper-partisanship was creating a crisis in the young republic, the still-new United States of America. John A. Ragosta, a local historian and former Director of Historical Research at the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello, examines this critical period in his latest book, For The People, For The Country: Patrick Henry’s Final Political Battle. With sharp insight, Ragosta highlights the little-noted but pivotal role Patrick Henry played in holding together the American Union. George Washington urged Patrick out of retirement to save the American experiment threatened by Thomas Jefferson’s states’ rights theory. Parallels to our current political environment are striking.
Optional Dinner: Jefferson Room (7:15pm)
The Mystery of the Jefferson Room Windows
Thursday, October 30
5:30pm Social, 6:00pm Program
On February 6, 1803, Thomas Jefferson ordered windows for George Divers, who was then “building a good house” at Farmington. The order included “9. circular sashes” as part of an expansion that Jefferson himself designed. Now known as the Jefferson Room, this expansion has been justly described as the most beautiful room in Albemarle County. Much of this merit is due to its oxeye windows, which use the “circular sashes” Jefferson ordered to great effect. What compelled Jefferson to include them, and how has their use changed across Farmington’s history? What secrets do they still hold? Join architectural historian Noah Duell as he charts the rich precedent, history, and mystery of Jefferson’s oxeye windows at Farmington—from the classical world to our own.
Optional Dinner: Jefferson Room (7:15pm)
Farm and Function: Jefferson’s Design for Farmington’s Dependencies
Thursday, November 20
5:30pm Social, 6:00pm Program
Thomas Jefferson is widely recognized for shaping American architecture through his embrace of the neoclassical style. Yet beyond his iconic façades lies a deeper story—one of carefully planned, functional landscapes. Like his designs for Monticello, Poplar Forest, and the President’s House, Jefferson’s plan for Farmington featured a distinctive service wing that supported the domestic and agricultural needs of George and Martha Divers. In this program, noted Jefferson scholar Susan Stein, Richard Gilder Senior Curator, Special Projects at Monticello, will explore the significance of Farmington’s surviving service wing. Drawing on Jefferson’s study of Palladio’s villas, the work of English architect William Chambers, and Jefferson’s own architectural legacy, Stein will illuminate how Farmington fits into Jefferson’s broader vision of architecture as both art and utility.
Optional Dinner: Jefferson Room (7:15pm)
“What’s It Worth?”
Thursday, February 26, 2026
5:30pm Social, 6:00pm Program
Collecting is part adventure, part history lesson, and part treasure hunt. Get tips from the experts as seen on Antiques Roadshow. Lee Dunbar, one of the leading appraisers in the country for sports, entertainment, and pop culture memorabilia; Ken Farmer, advisor, appraiser, and auctioneer with expertise in all categories of fine and decorative art; and Arlie Sulka, a foremost authority on the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany and the decorative arts. Send a picture of your treasure to the Historical Society at FHSF@farmingtoncc.com—it could be selected to be part of the show!
Optional Dinner: Main Dining Room (7:15pm)
Edgar Allan Poe at the University of Virginia
Thursday, March 26, 2026
5:30pm Social, 6:00pm Program
In January 1826—less than a year after classes first met at Mr. Jefferson’s new university—a 17-year-old orphan entertained fellow students by reciting poetry, copying illustrations onto his room’s plaster ceiling, hiking Albemarle’s Ragged Mountains, and studying modern and ancient languages with distinction. He was, in time, destined to become “the greatest artist among modern authors.” On the 200th anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s brief time in Charlottesville, join noted local historian and author Richard H. “Rick” Britton for a fascinating exploration of Poe’s life and experience at the University of Virginia.
Optional Dinner: Jefferson Room (7:15pm)
Jefferson
and Adams
Thursday, April 16, 2026
5:30pm Social, 6:00pm Program
In the spring of 1776, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams—representing communities distant and nearly disparate—stood at the forefront of a bold experiment: the creation of a new nation. Can it last? To mark the 250th anniversary of that pivotal year, welcome John Adams of Massachusetts on his first visit to Charlottesville, as he reflects with Mr. Jefferson on the triumphs and trials of their friendship and the American republic. Bill Barker of Monticello has portrayed Jefferson for over four decades in venues across the country; Steve Holloway is a distinguished interpreter of Adams.
Optional Dinner: Main Dining Room (7:15pm)
A British Country House Alphabet
Thursday, April 30, 2026
11:00am Program, 12:30pm Luncheon, 1:00pm Book Signing
Currently Curator of Fine Art at American Ancestors in Boston, author Curt DiCamillo is a historian and
authority on the British country house. He lectures and leads tours focused on Britain’s architectural and artistic heritage and global influence. The first volume of his new three-part series, A British Country House Alphabet: A Historical & Pictorial Journey, presents fascinating stories and images that highlight famous events, cultural innovations, and delightful tidbits associated with British country houses, including the origins of afternoon tea, badminton, the bowler hat, the golden retriever, and more. This mid-day presentation will enchant both seasoned country house visitors and those newly curious about art and architecture.
Charlottesville Opera: Best of Broadway
June 2026
5:30pm Social, 6:00pm Program
Enjoy a performance by the Charlottesville Opera’s Ader Emerging Artists singing Broadway favorites and American standards.
Farmington Country Club: A Centennial Reflection
Thursday, September 24, 2026
5:30pm Social, 6:00pm Program
In 1927, a group of Charlottesville and Albemarle County investors formed Farmington, Inc. to purchase the 800acre Farmington plantation and its Federal-era mansion. Their vision was to transform the farm and historic dwelling into a world-class country club, complemented by a residential community designed on Garden Suburb principles. The plan called for collaboration of prominent architects versed in Jeffersonian Classicism, a landscape architect and city planner who placed nature at the heart of the development, and a golf course architect whose design would unify the project. Debra A. McClane, UVA graduate, author, and private consultant in architectural history, will share her research on the key figures behind the Club’s creation and how their cultural aspirations are expressed through its architectural forms.
Optional Dinner: Main Dining Room (7:15pm)
