James Madison, Sr. began to run the plantation during this time, and perhaps these backfilled cellars are evidence of some of the changes he made to the landscape. To the south of the kitchen, excavations have revealed two root cellars with associated post holes. The age of the artifacts recovered from these cellars indicate that they were backfilled sometime in the 1740s. James Madison, Sr. began to run the plantation during this time, and perhaps these backfilled cellars are evidence of some of the changes he made to the landscape. Current Research One of the most intriguing questions that remains is the location of the Madison family s dwelling house.
Surveys indicate one possible location is to the east of the kitchen.
This might mark the location of the main house or some other building. Metal detector surveys in this same area revealed concentrations of wrought nails. We are also looking for the trash midden for the Mount Pleasant complex. This deposit would contain valuable information on the household possessions of both the Madison family and the enslaved blacks who also lived here.