Department of Research
DOCUMENTARY AND HISTORICAL RESEARCH AT MONTPELIER
Documentary Research
Montpelier's African American Descendants' Project
Resources
The Montpelier Research Department conducts historical inquiry into the life and times of James and Dolley Madison, the Enslaved Community and their descendants, and the United States Constitution. Our research supports Montpelier’s educational and interpretive programs, curatorial exhibitions, and publications.
Research Projects
The Montpelier Research Department conducts numerous projects in support of our mission. Our digital database, available to researchers, scholars, and the general public by appointment, is regularly updated with historical documents and current research reports. To learn more about the work we do, see sample projects, and visit online exhibitions, use the buttons to the right.
Digging Deeper Blog
Our blog is where you can get a behind-the-scenes look at all of our projects, and learn more about what our researchers do. Dive into the day-to-day world of historical research!
Birthday Greetings from Montpelier
Celebratory messages from the Madisons and their well-wishers.
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James Madison and Merino Mania
How Madison and his friends flocked to the cause of improving American wool.
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“A Paradise of Roses”: Flowers at Montpelier
Plucking floral references from the pages of Montpelier history.
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Putting People in the Picture
Who made Montpelier work? Enslaved people like Sawney, Ralph, Tony, Aleck, Sam, Moses, Paul, George, Reuben, Amy, and Hariot … just to name a few.
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Executive Power in an Epidemic
How James Madison advised George Washington during the Philadelphia Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793
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Annie Payne Causten: Dolley’s “Sterling Girl”
This little-known young woman had a special place in Dolley Madison’s home and heart.
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James Madison and Pi. And Pie.
March 14 is Pi Day. Would James Madison have joined in the celebration?
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Resources for Beginning Genealogists: Overcoming Roadblocks
If your genealogy research has come to a dead end, try these strategies.
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Montpelier’s Edible Alphabet
From Apples to Yams, it’s a harvest of research into foods grown by enslaved gardeners at Montpelier.
Read MoreThe Team
Hilarie M. Hicks, MA
Senior Research Historian
Hilarie M. Hicks came to Montpelier in 2010 and joined the Research Department in 2011. She served on the research and writing team for the award-winning exhibition The Mere Distinction of Colour. Hilarie’s current research interests include plantation operations, James and Dolley Madison, and any topic that she hasn’t looked into yet. Having earned her B.A. at the College of William and Mary and her M.A. from the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Museum Studies, Hilarie’s historic site experience includes working as a historical interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg (VA), as curator of interpretation at Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens (New Bern, NC), and as executive director of the Rosewell Ruins (Gloucester, VA). She is a board member of the Orange County Historical Society and volunteers as a judge for the We the People student competition.