In 2000, the newly created Montpelier Foundation took over management of the historic home of James Madison with a seemingly insurmountable task before it. The house was no longer recognizable as the home of the Madisons, and most other structures were in poor condition. Within ten years, the foundation overcame numerous hurdles to restore the house and turn Montpelier into a monument to the Father of the Constitution. Over the next decade, the site also became a monument to Montpelier’s enslaved. The buildings in their community next to the Madisons’ home were reconstructed, and award-winning exhibits dramatically illustrate the tragedy of slavery and essential role of enslaved people in Madison’s life. Foundation co-founder William H. Lewis details the nonprofit’s ambitious preservation projects and remarkable achievements.
William H. Lewis was a co-founder of the Montpelier Foundation and chair of the board of directors for its first eight years, serving for nineteen years on its governance committee. Nationally recognized as an expert on clean air regulation and litigation, he is a retired partner and, later, senior counsel, of an international law firm. He served as director of the National Commission on Air Quality, as well as executive officer of the California Air Resources Board. He was listed in Best Lawyers in America and Washington, DC Super Lawyers. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina with an AB degree and a JD with honors from its law school.