News Release

July 2, 1998

First Lady to Visit Madison’s Montpelier

As part of her effort to raise awareness and generate support for the President’s Millennium Program to Save America’s Treasures, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton will tour Montpelier and participate in the grand opening of the Discovering Madison exhibit.

ORANGE COUNTY, Virginia — For the first time since Dolley Madison herself walked its halls, a First Lady will visit Montpelier, the life-long home of founding father and fourth president James Madison. As part of the campaign to "Save America’s Treasures," Hillary Rodham Clinton will join the National Trust for Historic Preservation to launch the "Discovering Madison" exhibit and make public a major private gift to the Millennium Program. In addition, important announcements regarding Montpelier’s future as an official Millennium Program historic site will take place.

"There is no better way to learn about our history than by seeing, touching and walking through the places where history was made," stated Mrs. Clinton. "It is for this reason that the President launched the Save America’s Treasures Millennium Program, an initiative to ensure that these places will be secured for the education and enjoyment of generations to come.

"It’s a new day at Montpelier, and this exhibit is just the beginning of many exciting milestones for this premiere historic site," stated Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "The National Trust is committed to making James Madison’s home a center of learning and a key link to our nation’s past."

The exhibit takes an in-depth historical look at the personal and political life of James Madison, the author of our nation’s Constitution, and his wife Dolley. Conceived by famed exhibit designer Ralph Appelbaum, creator of award-winning installations at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and Virginia’s Newseum, the exhibit consists of portions of the main home, and a comprehensive narrated Acoustiguide tour which takes visitors beyond the main house, through the grounds, gardens, and the active archeological digs where links to the Madison legacy continue to be unearthed.

After touring the site and speaking as part of the formal program, the First Lady will enjoy an ice cream social with the community in the gracious style of Dolley Madison, one of Mrs. Clinton’s favorite First Ladies. The general public and Montpelier supporters and friends are welcome to attend the day’s events, which will begin at 2:00 pm on Montpelier’s back lawn.

The Save America’s Treasures Millennium Program is a cooperative effort of the National Trust, the White House, and other public-and private-sector partners to address our nation’s urgent preservation needs. By "honoring the past and imagining the future," the Save America’s Treasures Program will provide the nation opportunities to learn about our history, preserve our cultural heritage and give permanent gifts to the future.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the irreplaceable. With more than 270,000 members nationwide, it provides leadership, education and advocacy to save America’s diverse historic places and revitalize our communities. It has seven regional offices, owns 19 historic sites and works with thousands of local community groups in all 50 states.

The National Trust acknowledges the generous support of HMI Industries Inc for their generous support of Montpelier and this event.

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