d other essential rooms. Another great idea that Jefferson evoked into his home was the use of domes. On the east end of the building, Jefferson has a massive two story tall dome that allows in the light. This dome is quite heavy and is some twenty or thirty feet in diameter. These loads are directed directly down into the foundation, which is almost four full stories down from the top of the dome. This is a basic load path for the dome. On the west and east ends Jefferson has two large porticoes. These porticoes also bear some of the weight from Jefferson’s vast roof that rolls and flows all over the top of Monticello. The Pillars on the front and rear of the building help to stabilize and ease the loads pushing down on the walls of the house. They act as stilts for the roof. And finally the last thing is that Jefferson designed his house in the shape of an octagon. This octagonal shape gives the structure more wall area to support the massive roof. This also helps ease the loads from the large domes and skylights. As you can see from the drawings that Jefferson’s dream of an octagonal house also is economical. Being that Jefferson lived in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, he did not have much in the line of selection for materials to use on his house. In fact Jefferson used wood that he grew from when he was a young boy. He taught his slaves how to mill the wood. Also in an attempt to save some money, Thomas Jefferson started his own nail shop which turned out nails for the second renovation of Monticello and for public sale. After the final improvements to Monticello were finished, the nail shop had to be closed because it was not producing any income. Thomas Jefferson was a slave owner in the south. He owned eighty-three slaves and thirty-four free men. These servants were treated with respect and love from Jefferson. And in return Jefferson’s slaves gave him all they had. When Jefferson returned...
