The 2700-acre Montpelier estate in Orange County, Va., has been home to two of America's most prominent families. First there was the family of James Madison, America's fourth president. Later came the duPonts -- a branch of the wealthy Delaware industrial family. The duPonts made lots of changes, but work is now being done to restore the home to its Madison-era form, as requested in Marion duPont Scott's will more than 20 years ago.
Determining what the Madisons' house looked like requires a combination of historical, technological and architectural research that has so far taken nearly two years and $1 million. The house will remain open to the public during the four to five years of its $20 million renovation.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.