Page 38 - Discover Summer 2022
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A Popular Retreat CONTINUED
warm weather. It was also a convenient way annual “Conversations” program, which is
of keeping the kitchen workers, which at the a truly remarkable experience. Bill Barker,
time were usually slaves, at a distance from is an actor who has a degree in history
the people in the main house. from Villanova. He has been appearing as
Jefferson for some 30 years now, after an
Bear in mind that this great statesman
initial appearance at Independence Hall in
and noted attorney, who is well remembered
Philadelphia. His strong physical resemblance
for his architectural genius, considered
of Mr. Jefferson is but one aspect of his
himself a farmer by profession. Jefferson
credibility. He studies relentlessly, to the point
was a rare breed of man:
where he assumes the
a scholar, who enjoyed
persona and character
putting his education to
of the man with what
practical use. He spent
appears to be astonishing
an enormous amount of
ease.
time reading and learning,
so that he might excel at Joining Mr. Barker on
his passion for farming. my first visit was a young
He studied horticulture, man from Long Island,
and invented a new type who played counterpart
of more efficient plow (a to Barker’s Jefferson as
design that he refused Napoleon Bonaparte. He
to patent so that other was more than equal to
farmers might freely make the task, and we enjoyed
use of it). The design won a spirited “conversation”
him an award from the and debate between these
French Society of Agriculture in 1809. two world leaders followed by a brief question
and answer period.
Visitors to Poplar Forest are charged
a modest admission fee, which avails them The premise of these events is that we
of regularly scheduled tours, access to are taken back to a specific date in history, at
archaeological and historical exhibits, and the which time the two participants are engaged
opportunity to walk the grounds with a hand- in an informal meeting, with the audience
held GPS-enabled device that acts as a tour acting as invited guests. Each actor has
guide of the grounds. trained himself in the history of his life and
times up to and including that date, but not
The reason for my recent visit was the
36 Discover Smith Mountain Lake SUMMER 2022