A couple of hours south of Alexandria is Montcello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, one of the first presidents of the USA and a signatory (and author) of the Declaration of Independence etc etc. The house appears on the US nickel (5c) and is another icon of this country. The house was very airy and light, much less cramped than Mt Vernon. The view from the outside is also pretty spectacular, but a bit spoiled this day by the sprawl of Charlottesville just down the hill.
