FOREST, VIRGINIA—The News & Advance reports that the original cobblestone surface of an 80-foot diameter carriage turnaround at Poplar Forest, a plantation designed and owned by Thomas Jefferson, has been uncovered by a team of researchers led by archaeologist Eric Proebsting. “We had to go down several layers from where it has been resurfaced through the years,” Proebsting said. The driveway, built by Jefferson’s enslaved workforce, was wide enough to accommodate a coach pulled by a team of six horses, Proebsting explained. It was flanked by two flowerbeds, the remains of which have also been found. A third flowerbed was placed in its center. A new surface will replicate the turnaround’s original cobblestones as closely as possible while making it more comfortable to walk on and handicap accessible for visitors to Poplar Forest. The flowerbeds will be replanted in accord with Jefferson’s extensive notes. To read about excavations at Jefferson's home, Monticello, go to “Close Quarters.”
