What is Poplar Forest?
[[Image:Poplar Forest8.jpg|thumb|200px|Poplar Forest]] The '''Poplar Forest''' is the [[Retreat (spiritual)|retreat]] home of [[Thomas Jefferson]], the third president of the [[United States of America]]. It is near [[Lynchburg, Virginia]]. His wife inherited the 4,819 acre [[plantation]] and he built an octagonal retreat home there which was basically complete in the year 1812. The home contains a central [[dining room]] in the shape of a [[cube]], measuring 20 feet on all sides and lit from a skylight above. Currently under restoration, the building gives a fascinating glimpse of how things were built in those days, as well as showing off a few of Jefferson's inventions such as the [[triple sash window]]. Jefferson used the property as a respite from the busy Monticello, which was always welcoming visitors, and spent most of his time there only with close family members. He had a library containing 700 volumes and he used his time there to communicate with his 'absent friends', in other words, to catch up on his written correspondence. {{commonscat|Poplar Forest}} {{US-stub}} [[Category:Buildings and structures in Virginia]] [[Category:1812 establishments in the United States]] [[Category:1810s establishments in Virginia]]