Charlottesville, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Charlottesville is an independent city
geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County
in the Commonwealth of Virginia
, United States
, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
, the queen consort
of King George III
of the United Kingdom
.
The official population estimate for the city, calculated in 2010, was 43,475. It is the county seat
of Albemarle County
though the two are separate legal entities. The Bureau of Economic Analysis
combines the city of Charlottesville with Albemarle County for statistical purposes, bringing the total population to 118,398. The city is the heart of the Charlottesville metropolitan area which includes Albemarle, Fluvanna
, Greene
and Nelson
counties.
Charlottesville is best known as being the home to two U.S. Presidents
(Thomas Jefferson
and James Monroe
), and nearby is that of James Madison
in Orange
, as well as the home of the University of Virginia
, which, along with Monticello
is a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
. Monticello
, Jefferson's mountain-top home, attracts approximately half a million tourists every year. . While both these gentlemen served as Governor of Virginia
, they lived in Charlottesville and travelled to and from the capitol (Richmond, Virginia
along the 71 mile (114 km) historic Three Notch'd Road
.
(present day U.S. Route 250
) which led from Richmond
to the Great Valley
. It was named for Queen Charlotte, the queen consort
of King George III of the United Kingdom
.
During the American Revolutionary War
, the Convention Army
was imprisoned in Charlottesville between 1779 and 1781 at the Albemarle Barracks
. On June 4, 1781, Jack Jouett
warned the Virginia Legislature meeting at Monticello
of an intended raid by Banastre Tarleton
, allowing a narrow escape.
Unlike much of Virginia, Charlottesville was spared the brunt of the American Civil War
. The only battle to take place in Charlottesville was the Skirmish at Rio Hill
, in which George Armstrong Custer
briefly engaged with local Confederate militia. The city was later surrendered by the Mayor and others to spare the town from being burnt. The Charlottesville Factory, circa 1820-30, was accidentally burnt during General Sheridan's raid through the Shenandoah Valley in 1865. This factory was seized by the Confederacy and used to manufacture woolen soldiers' wear. The mill ignited when coals were taken by Union troops to burn a near-by railroad bridge. The factory was rebuilt immediately after and known then on as the Woolen Mills until its liquidation in 1962.
The first black church in Charlottesville was established in 1864. Previously, it was illegal for African-Americans to have their own churches, although they could worship in white churches. A current predominately African-American church can trace its lineage to that first church. Congregation Beth Israel's
1882 building is the oldest synagogue building
still standing in Virginia.
In the Fall of 1958, Charlottesville closed its segregated white schools as part of Virginia's strategy of massive resistance
to federal court orders requiring integration as part of the implementation of the Supreme Court of the United States
decision Brown v. Board of Education
. The closures were required by a series of state laws collectively known as the Stanley plan
. Negro schools remained open, however.
Charlottesville is the home of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory
headquarters, the Leander McCormick Observatory and the CFA Institute
. It is served by two area hospitals, the Martha Jefferson Hospital
founded in 1903, and the University of Virginia Hospital
.
The National Ground Intelligence Center
(NGIC) is in the Charlottesville area. Other large employers include Crutchfield
, GE Intelligent Platforms, PepsiCo
and SNL Financial
.
, a tributary of the James
, just west of the Southwest Mountains, itself paralleling the Blue Ridge
about 20 miles (32.2 km) to the west.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 10.3 square miles (26.7 km²), all of it land.
Charlottesville is 115 miles (185.1 km) from Washington, D.C.
and 70 miles (112.7 km) from Richmond
(Koppen
Cfa), with all months being well-watered, though the period from May to September is the wettest. Winters are somewhat cool, with a January average of 35.5 °F (1.9 °C), though lows can fall into the teens (< -7 °C) on some nights and highs frequently (10 days in January) reach 50 °F (10 °C). The spring and autumnal transitions are of reasonable length, the former being dry, allowing for seasonal allergies. Summers are hot and humid, with July averaging 76.9 °F (24.9 °C) and the high exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) on 29 or more days per year.
Snowfall in winter generally occurs in light amounts and does not remain long, with a median seasonal amount of 7 inches (18 cm).
as well as the center of a sizable indie music scene.
The Charlottesville area was the home of Thomas Jefferson
, James Madison
, and James Monroe
. Monticello
, Jefferson's plantation manor, is located just a few miles from downtown. The home of James Monroe
, Ash Lawn-Highland
, is down the road from Monticello
. About 25 miles (40.2 km) northeast of Charlottesville lies the home of James and Dolley Madison
, Montpelier
. During the summer, the Ash Lawn-Highland Opera Festival is held at the downtown Paramount Theater with a performance at Ash Lawn-Highland.
The nearby Shenandoah National Park
offers recreational activities and beautiful scenery, with rolling mountains and many hiking trails. Skyline Drive
is a scenic drive that runs the length of the park, alternately winding through thick forest and emerging upon sweeping scenic overlooks. The Blue Ridge Parkway
, a similar scenic drive that extends 469 miles (754.8 km) south to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
in North Carolina
, terminates at the southern entrance of Shenandoah, where it turns into Skyline Drive. This junction of the two scenic drives is only 22 miles (35.4 km) west of downtown Charlottesville.
Charlottesville's downtown
is a center of business for Albemarle County
. It is home to the Downtown Mall
, one of the longest outdoor pedestrian malls in the nation, with stores, restaurants, and civic attractions. The renovated Paramount Theater
hosts various events, including Broadway shows and concerts. Local theatrics downtown include Charlottesville's community theater Live Arts
. Outside downtown are the New Lyric Theatre and Heritage Repertory Theatre at UVa. Other attractions on the Downtown Mall are the Virginia Discovery Museum
and a 3,500 seat outdoor amphitheater, the Charlottesville Pavilion. Court Square, just a few blocks from the Downtown Mall, is the original center of Charlottesville and several of the historic buildings there date back to the city's founding in 1762.
Charlottesville also is home to the University of Virginia
(most of which is legally in Albemarle County). During the academic year more than 20,000 students pour into Charlottesville to attend the university. Its main grounds are located on the west side of Charlottesville, with Thomas Jefferson
's Academical Village, known as the Lawn
, as the centerpiece. The Lawn is a long esplanade crowned by two prominent structures, The Rotunda
(designed by Jefferson) and Old Cabell Hall (designed by Stanford White
). Along the Lawn and the parallel Range
are dormitory rooms reserved for distinguished students. The University Programs Council is a student-run body that programs concerts, comedy shows, speakers, and other events open to the students and the community, such as the annual "Lighting of the Lawn". One block from The Rotunda, the University of Virginia Art Museum exhibits work drawn from its collection of more than 10,000 objects and special temporary exhibitions from sources nationwide. It is also home to the Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School where all U.S. Army military lawyers, known as "JAGs", take courses specific to military law.
The Corner
is the commercial district abutting the main grounds of UVa, along University Avenue. This area is full of college bars, eateries, and UVa merchandise stores, and is busy with student activity during the school year. Pedestrian traffic peaks during UVa home football games and graduation ceremonies. Much of the University's Greek life
is on nearby Rugby Road
, contributing to the nightlife and local bar scene. West Main Street, running from the Corner to the Downtown Mall, is a commercial district of restaurants, bars, and other businesses.
Charlottesville is host to the annual Virginia Film Festival
in October, the Charlottesville Festival of the Photograph
in June, and the Virginia Festival of the Book in March. In addition, the Foxfield Races
are steeplechase
races held in April and October of each year. A Fourth of July
celebration, including a Naturalization
Ceremony, is held annually at Monticello, and a First Night
celebration has been held on the Downtown Mall since 1982.
, who have a wide fan base throughout the region. The Cavaliers field teams in sports from soccer to basketball, and have modern facilities that draw spectators throughout the year. Cavalier football
season draws the largest crowds during the academic year, with football games played in Scott Stadium
. The stadium hosts large musical events, including concerts by the Dave Matthews Band
, The Rolling Stones
, and U2
.
John Paul Jones Arena
, which opened in 2006, is the home arena of the Cavalier basketball teams, in addition to serving as a site for concerts and other events. The arena seats 14,593 for basketball. In its first season in the new arena concluded in March 2007, the Virginia men's basketball team tied with UNC
for 1st in the ACC.
Also included in the arena are multiple locker rooms, coaches' office complexes, a training room, a strength and conditioning area and a large equipment room.
Both men's and women's lacrosse
have become a significant part of the Charlottesville sports scene. The Virginia Men's team won their first NCAA Championship
in 1972; in 2006, they won their fourth National Championship and were the first team to finish undefeated in 17 games (then a record for wins). Virginia's Women's team has three NCAA Championships
to its credit, with wins in 1991, 1993, and 2004. The soccer program is also strong; the Men's team shared a national title with Santa Clara in 1989 and won an unprecedented four consecutive NCAA Division I Championships (1991–1994). Their coach during that period was Bruce Arena
, who later won two MLS titles at D.C. United and coached the U.S. National Team during the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. The Virginia Men's soccer team won the NCAA Championship again in 2009 under coach George Gelnovatch
. Virginia's baseball
team, has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, under Head Coach Brian O'Connor.
Charlottesville area high school sports have been prominent throughout the state. Charlottesville is a hotbed for lacrosse in the country, with teams such as St. Anne's-Belfield School
, The Covenant School, Tandem Friends School
, Charlottesville Catholic School
, Charlottesville High School
, Western Albemarle High School
and Albemarle High School
. Charlottesville High School won the VHSL
Group AA soccer championship in 2004. St. Anne's-Belfield School won its fourth state private-school championship in ten years in football in 2006. The Covenant School won the state private-school title in boys' cross country in the 2007–08 school year, the second win in as many years, and that year the girls' cross country team won the state title. Monticello High School
won the VHSL Group AA state football title in 2007. Albemarle High School's boys 4x800 track team currently holds the world record.
, the Charlottesville Amtrak Station
, and a Greyhound Lines
intercity bus terminal. Direct bus service to New York City
is also provided by the Starlight Express. Charlottesville Area Transit provides area bus service, augmented by JAUNT, a regional paratransit
van service. University Transit Service
provides mass transit for students and residents in the vicinity of the University of Virginia. The highways passing through Charlottesville are I-64, its older parallel east-west route US 250, and the north-south US 29. Also Virginia State Route 20
passes north-south through downtown. US 29 and US 250 by-pass the city. Charlottesville has four exits on I-64.
, the national passenger rail service, provides service to Charlottesville with three routes: The Cardinal (service between Chicago and New York City via central Virginia and Washington, D.C.), select Northeast Regional trains (service between Boston and Lynchburg) and the Crescent
(service between New York City and New Orleans). The Cardinal operates three times a week, while the Crescent and Northeast Regional both run daily in both directions.
Charlottesville was once a major rail hub, served by both the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
(C&O) and the Southern Railway
. The first train service to Charlottesville was by the Louisa Railroad Company, which became the Virginia Central Railroad
, before becoming the C&O. The Southern Railway started service to Charlottesville around the mid-1860s with a north-south route crossing the C&O east-west tracks. The new depot which sprang up at the crossing of the two tracks was called Union Station. In addition to the new rail line, Southern located a major repair shop which produced competition between the two rail companies and bolstered the local economy. The Queen Charlotte hotel went up on West Main street along with restaurants for the many new railroad workers.
The former C&O station on East Water Street was turned into offices in the mid 1990s. Union Station, still a functional depot for Amtrak, is located on West Main street between 7th & 9th streets where the tracks of the former C&O Railway (leased by C&O successor CSX to Buckingham Branch Railroad
) and Southern (now Norfolk Southern Railway
) lines cross. Amtrak and the city of Charlottesville finished refurbishing the station just after 2000, upgrading the depot and adding a full-service restaurant. The Amtrak Crescent travels on Norfolk Southern's dual north-south tracks. The Amtrak Cardinal runs on the Buckingham Branch east-west single track, which follows U.S. Route 250
from Staunton
to a point east of Charlottesville near Cismont. The eastbound Cardinal joins the northbound Norfolk Southern line at Orange
, on its way to Washington, D.C.
There are proposals to extend Virginia Railway Express
, the commuter rail
line connecting Northern Virginia
to Washington, D.C.
, to Charlottesville. Also, the Transdominion Express
steering committee has suggested making Charlottesville a stop on the proposed statewide passenger rail line.
. Weekly publications include C-Ville Weekly and The Hook along with the monthly magazines Blue Ridge Outdoors, AlbemarleFamily Living and Albemarle Magazine. A daily newspaper, The Cavalier Daily
, is published by an independent student group at UVa. Additionally, the alternative newsmagazine of UVa, The Declaration, is printed every other week with new online content every week. The monthly newspaper Echo covers holistic health
and related topics.
Charlottesville is served by all of the major television networks through stations WVIR
29 (NBC/CW on DT2), WHTJ
41 (PBS), WCAV
19 (CBS), WAHU
27 (FOX), and WVAW
16 (ABC). News-talk radio in Charlottesville can be heard on WINA
1070 and WCHV 1260. Sports radio can be heard on WKAV
1400 and WVAX
1450. National Public Radio stations include WMRA
103.5 FM and RadioIQ 89.7 FM. Commercial FM stations include WQMZ
Lite Rock Z95.1 (AC), WWWV
(3WV) (classic rock) 97.5, WCYK (country) 99.7, WHTE (CHR) 101.9, WZGN (Generations) 102.3, WCNR
(The Corner) 106.1 and WWTJ (Tom) 107.5. There are also several community radio stations operated out of Charlottesville, including WNRN
and WTJU
, and community television stations CPA-TV and Charlottesville's Own TV10.
, the University of Virginia
, is located in Charlottesville. It was ranked #2 by US News and World Report in 2011 and #1 by Forbes
in 2011 amongst public universities.
Charlottesville is served by the Charlottesville City Public Schools
. The school system operates six elementary schools, Buford Middle School
and Charlottesville High School
. It operated Lane High School
jointly with Albemarle County from 1940–1974, when it was replaced by Charlottesville High School.
Albemarle County Public Schools
, which serves nearby Albemarle County, has its headquarters in Charlottesville.
Charlottesville also has the following private schools, some attended by students from Albemarle county and surrounding areas:
City children also attend several private schools in the surrounding county.
of 2000, there were 45,049 people, 16,851 households, and 7,633 families residing in the city. The population density
was 4,389.7 people per square mile (1,695.3/km²). There were 17,591 housing units at an average density of 1,714.1 per square mile (662.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.56% White
, 22.22% Black or African American
, 0.11% Native American
, 4.93% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 1.02% from other races, and 2.13% from two or more races. 2.45% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos
of any race.
There were 16,851 households out of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.2% were married couples
living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.7% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.85.
The age distribution was 15.2% under the age of 18, 33.8% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 15.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males. The city's low median age and the "bulge" in the 18-to-24 age group are both due to the presence of the University of Virginia
.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,007, and the median income for a family was $45,110. Males had a median income of $31,197 versus $26,458 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,973. About 12.0% of families and 25.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Federally, Charlottesville is part of Virginia's 5th congressional district
, represented by Republican Robert Hurt
, elected in 2010.
. The total crime index for Charlottesville was 487.9 crimes committed per 100,000 citizens for the year of 2006, the national average for the United States
was 320.9 crimes committed per 100,000 citizens. For the year of 2006, Charlottesville ranked higher on all violent crime
s except for robbery
, the city ranked lower in all categories of property crime
s except for larceny
theft
. As of 2008, there was a total of 202 reported violent crime
s, and 1,976 property crimes.
and James Monroe
, to literary giants Edgar Allan Poe
and William Faulkner
. In the present day, Charlottesville's Albemarle County is home to, or has been the home of movie stars Rob Lowe
, Sissy Spacek
, and Sam Shepherd
, novelist John Grisham
, the poet Rita Dove
, the rock band Dave Matthews Band
, and the pop band Parachute
. Charlottesville was also the home of Anna Anderson
, who claimed to be the Grand Duchess Anastasia
and to have survived the massacre of the Russian Imperial Family.
This city is also home for the renowned Tibetan lama Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
, his family and his Ligmincha Institute.
:
Besançon
, France
Pleven
, Bulgaria
Poggio a Caiano
, Italy
Winneba
, Ghana
.
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County
Albemarle County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,236 people, 31,876 households, and 21,070 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 33,720 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile...
in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the Queen consort of the United Kingdom as the wife of King George III...
, the queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The official population estimate for the city, calculated in 2010, was 43,475. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Albemarle County
Albemarle County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,236 people, 31,876 households, and 21,070 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 33,720 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile...
though the two are separate legal entities. The Bureau of Economic Analysis
Bureau of Economic Analysis
The Bureau of Economic Analysis is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that provides important economic statistics including the gross domestic product of the United States. Its stated mission is to "promote a better understanding of the U.S...
combines the city of Charlottesville with Albemarle County for statistical purposes, bringing the total population to 118,398. The city is the heart of the Charlottesville metropolitan area which includes Albemarle, Fluvanna
Fluvanna County, Virginia
As of 2002, Fluvanna County's population was 20,047. There are 7,387 households, and 5,702 families residing in the county. The population density was 70 people per square mile . There were 8,018 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
, Greene
Greene County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there are 15,244 people, 5,574 households, and 4,291 families residing in the county. The population density is 97 people per square mile . There are 5,986 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
and Nelson
Nelson County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,445 people, 5,887 households, and 4,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
counties.
Charlottesville is best known as being the home to two U.S. Presidents
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
(Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
and James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
), and nearby is that of James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
in Orange
Orange, Virginia
Orange is a town in Orange County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,721 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Orange County...
, as well as the home of the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, which, along with Monticello
Monticello
Monticello is a National Historic Landmark just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia; it is...
is a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. Monticello
Monticello
Monticello is a National Historic Landmark just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia; it is...
, Jefferson's mountain-top home, attracts approximately half a million tourists every year. . While both these gentlemen served as Governor of Virginia
Governor of Virginia
The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
, they lived in Charlottesville and travelled to and from the capitol (Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
along the 71 mile (114 km) historic Three Notch'd Road
Three Notch'd Road
Three Notch'd Road was a colonial-era major east-west route across central Virginia. It is believed to have taken its name from a distinctive marking of three notches cut into trees to blaze the trail...
.
History
Charlottesville was formed by charter in 1762 along a trade route called Three Notched RoadThree Notch'd Road
Three Notch'd Road was a colonial-era major east-west route across central Virginia. It is believed to have taken its name from a distinctive marking of three notches cut into trees to blaze the trail...
(present day U.S. Route 250
U.S. Route 250
U.S. Route 250 is a route of the United States Numbered Highway System, and is a spur of U.S. Route 50. It currently runs for from Sandusky, Ohio to Richmond, Virginia. It passes through the states of Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio. It goes through the cities of Richmond, Virginia,...
) which led from Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
to the Great Valley
Great Appalachian Valley
The Great Valley, also called the Great Appalachian Valley or Great Valley Region, is one of the major landform features of eastern North America. It is a gigantic trough — a chain of valley lowlands — and the central feature of the Appalachian Mountain system...
. It was named for Queen Charlotte, the queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of King George III of the United Kingdom
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
.
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, the Convention Army
Convention Army
The Convention Army was an army of British and allied troops captured after the Battles of Saratoga in the American Revolutionary War.-Convention of Saratoga:...
was imprisoned in Charlottesville between 1779 and 1781 at the Albemarle Barracks
Albemarle Barracks
Albemarle Barracks was a prisoner-of-war camp for British prisoners during the American Revolutionary War.Following Gen. John Burgoyne's defeat at the Battle of Saratoga, in 1777, several thousand British and German troops, of what came to be known as the Convention Army, were marched to...
. On June 4, 1781, Jack Jouett
Jack Jouett
John "Jack" Jouett, Jr. was a politician and a hero of the American Revolution, known as the "Paul Revere of the South" for his late night ride to warn Thomas Jefferson, then the Governor of Virginia, and the Virginia legislature of coming British cavalry who had been sent to capture them...
warned the Virginia Legislature meeting at Monticello
Monticello
Monticello is a National Historic Landmark just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia; it is...
of an intended raid by Banastre Tarleton
Banastre Tarleton
General Sir Banastre Tarleton, 1st Baronet, GCB was a British soldier and politician.He is today probably best remembered for his military service during the American War of Independence. He became the focal point of a propaganda campaign claiming that he had fired upon surrendering Continental...
, allowing a narrow escape.
Unlike much of Virginia, Charlottesville was spared the brunt of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The only battle to take place in Charlottesville was the Skirmish at Rio Hill
Battle of Rio Hill
The Battle of Rio Hill was a skirmish in the American Civil War in which Union cavalry raided a Confederate camp in Albemarle County, Virginia....
, in which George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
briefly engaged with local Confederate militia. The city was later surrendered by the Mayor and others to spare the town from being burnt. The Charlottesville Factory, circa 1820-30, was accidentally burnt during General Sheridan's raid through the Shenandoah Valley in 1865. This factory was seized by the Confederacy and used to manufacture woolen soldiers' wear. The mill ignited when coals were taken by Union troops to burn a near-by railroad bridge. The factory was rebuilt immediately after and known then on as the Woolen Mills until its liquidation in 1962.
The first black church in Charlottesville was established in 1864. Previously, it was illegal for African-Americans to have their own churches, although they could worship in white churches. A current predominately African-American church can trace its lineage to that first church. Congregation Beth Israel's
Congregation Beth Israel (Charlottesville, Virginia)
Congregation Beth Israel is a Reform synagogue located at 301 East Jefferson Street in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1882, it grew out of Charlottesville's Hebrew Benevolent Society, which was created in 1870....
1882 building is the oldest synagogue building
Oldest synagogues in the United States
The designation of the oldest synagogue in the United States requires careful use of definitions, and must be divided into two parts, the oldest in the sense of oldest surviving building, and the oldest in the sense of oldest congregation...
still standing in Virginia.
In the Fall of 1958, Charlottesville closed its segregated white schools as part of Virginia's strategy of massive resistance
Massive resistance
Massive resistance was a policy declared by U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr. on February 24, 1956, to unite other white politicians and leaders in Virginia in a campaign of new state laws and policies to prevent public school desegregation after the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision...
to federal court orders requiring integration as part of the implementation of the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
decision Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
. The closures were required by a series of state laws collectively known as the Stanley plan
Stanley plan
The Stanley plan was a package of 13 statutes adopted in September 1956 by the U.S. state of Virginia designed to ensure racial segregation in that state's public schools despite the ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, 347 U.S. 483 ....
. Negro schools remained open, however.
Charlottesville is the home of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory
National Radio Astronomy Observatory
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center of the United States National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc for the purpose of radio astronomy...
headquarters, the Leander McCormick Observatory and the CFA Institute
CFA Institute
CFA Institute is headquartered in the United States of America at Charlottesville, Virginia, with offices in Hong Kong and London. Formerly known as the Association for Investment Management and Research , CFA Institute awards the Chartered Financial Analyst designation...
. It is served by two area hospitals, the Martha Jefferson Hospital
Martha Jefferson Hospital
Martha Jefferson Hospital is a nonprofit community hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was founded in 1903 by eight local physicians. The 176-bed hospital has an employed staff of 1,600 and has 365 affiliated physicians....
founded in 1903, and the University of Virginia Hospital
University of Virginia Health System
The University of Virginia Health System is a nationally renowned healthcare provider based in Charlottesville, Virginia and associated with the University of Virginia. The health system includes a medical center, school of medicine and health sciences library...
.
The National Ground Intelligence Center
National Ground Intelligence Center
The National Ground Intelligence Center is part of the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command. The NGIC provides scientific and technical intelligence and general military intelligence on foreign ground forces in support of the warfighting commanders, force and material developers,...
(NGIC) is in the Charlottesville area. Other large employers include Crutchfield
Crutchfield
Crutchfield Corporation is a consumer electronics company specializing in many consumer electronics items, including mobile audio and video equipment for the automobile and televisions, speakers, and other electronics for the home....
, GE Intelligent Platforms, PepsiCo
PepsiCo
PepsiCo Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo was formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company...
and SNL Financial
SNL Financial
SNL Financial LC is a financial information firm headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia. SNL collects, standardizes and publishes corporate, financial, market and M&A data, plus news and analysis, on more than 4,000 public companies and over 50,000 private companies in these industries:...
.
Geography
Charlottesville is located in the center of the Commonwealth of Virginia along the Rivanna RiverRivanna River
The Rivanna River is a tributary of the James River in central Virginia in the United States. The Rivanna's tributaries originate in the Blue Ridge Mountains; via the James River, it is part of the watershed of Chesapeake Bay....
, a tributary of the James
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
, just west of the Southwest Mountains, itself paralleling the Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
about 20 miles (32.2 km) to the west.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 10.3 square miles (26.7 km²), all of it land.
Charlottesville is 115 miles (185.1 km) from Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and 70 miles (112.7 km) from Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
Climate
Charlottesville has a four-season humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(Koppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfa), with all months being well-watered, though the period from May to September is the wettest. Winters are somewhat cool, with a January average of 35.5 °F (1.9 °C), though lows can fall into the teens (< -7 °C) on some nights and highs frequently (10 days in January) reach 50 °F (10 °C). The spring and autumnal transitions are of reasonable length, the former being dry, allowing for seasonal allergies. Summers are hot and humid, with July averaging 76.9 °F (24.9 °C) and the high exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) on 29 or more days per year.
Snowfall in winter generally occurs in light amounts and does not remain long, with a median seasonal amount of 7 inches (18 cm).
Attractions and culture
Charlottesville has a large series of attractions and venues for its relatively small size. Visitors come to the area for wine and beer tours, ballooning, hiking, and world-class entertainment that perform at one of the area's four larger venues. The city is both the launching pad and home of the Dave Matthews BandDave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
as well as the center of a sizable indie music scene.
The Charlottesville area was the home of Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
, and James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
. Monticello
Monticello
Monticello is a National Historic Landmark just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia; it is...
, Jefferson's plantation manor, is located just a few miles from downtown. The home of James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
, Ash Lawn-Highland
Ash Lawn-Highland
Ash Lawn–Highland, located near Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, and adjacent to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, was the estate of James Monroe, fifth President of the United States. Purchased in 1793, Monroe and his family permanently settled on the property in 1799 and lived at Ash Lawn–Highland...
, is down the road from Monticello
Monticello
Monticello is a National Historic Landmark just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia; it is...
. About 25 miles (40.2 km) northeast of Charlottesville lies the home of James and Dolley Madison
Dolley Madison
Dolley Payne Todd Madison was the spouse of the fourth President of the United States, James Madison, and was First Lady of the United States from 1809 to 1817...
, Montpelier
Montpelier (James Madison)
Montpelier was a large tobacco plantation and estate of the prominent Madison family of Virginia planters, including James Madison, fourth President of the United States. The manor house of Montpelier is four miles south of Orange, Virginia, and the estate currently covers some...
. During the summer, the Ash Lawn-Highland Opera Festival is held at the downtown Paramount Theater with a performance at Ash Lawn-Highland.
The nearby Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the U.S. state of Virginia. This national park is long and narrow, with the broad Shenandoah River and valley on the west side, and the rolling hills of the Virginia Piedmont on the east...
offers recreational activities and beautiful scenery, with rolling mountains and many hiking trails. Skyline Drive
Skyline Drive
Skyline Drive is a 105-mile road that runs the entire length of the National Park Service's Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, generally along the ridge of the mountains. The scenic drive is particularly popular in the fall when the leaves are changing colors...
is a scenic drive that runs the length of the park, alternately winding through thick forest and emerging upon sweeping scenic overlooks. The Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
, a similar scenic drive that extends 469 miles (754.8 km) south to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The border between Tennessee and North...
in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, terminates at the southern entrance of Shenandoah, where it turns into Skyline Drive. This junction of the two scenic drives is only 22 miles (35.4 km) west of downtown Charlottesville.
Charlottesville's downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
is a center of business for Albemarle County
Albemarle County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,236 people, 31,876 households, and 21,070 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 33,720 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile...
. It is home to the Downtown Mall
Downtown Mall
The Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, Virginia is one of the longest pedestrian malls in the United States. Located on Main Street, it runs from 6th St. N.E. to Old Preston Ave., where it extends to Water St., for total length of eight blocks. It is laid with brick and concrete, and home to an...
, one of the longest outdoor pedestrian malls in the nation, with stores, restaurants, and civic attractions. The renovated Paramount Theater
Paramount Theater (Charlottesville, Virginia)
The Paramount Theater in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States was designed by Rapp and Rapp and opened in 1931 as a movie theater. The Paramount continued showing movies until it closed in 1974. In 1990 a group of community members purchased the theater, formed a nonprofit corporation and...
hosts various events, including Broadway shows and concerts. Local theatrics downtown include Charlottesville's community theater Live Arts
Live Arts
Live Arts community theatre, founded in 1990, in Charlottesville, Virginia. It produces and creates theatre that they label "modern, rigorous and risky." They promote themselves as being "committed to being a product of its community as well as a process for creating community."-History:Live Arts...
. Outside downtown are the New Lyric Theatre and Heritage Repertory Theatre at UVa. Other attractions on the Downtown Mall are the Virginia Discovery Museum
Virginia Discovery Museum
Virginia Discovery Museum is a nonprofit hands-on children's museum, with exhibits on the arts, sciences, humanities, history and nature. It is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and appropriate for children ages 1 to 10 and their families.-History:...
and a 3,500 seat outdoor amphitheater, the Charlottesville Pavilion. Court Square, just a few blocks from the Downtown Mall, is the original center of Charlottesville and several of the historic buildings there date back to the city's founding in 1762.
Charlottesville also is home to the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
(most of which is legally in Albemarle County). During the academic year more than 20,000 students pour into Charlottesville to attend the university. Its main grounds are located on the west side of Charlottesville, with Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
's Academical Village, known as the Lawn
The Lawn
The Lawn is a large, terraced grassy court at the historic center of Jefferson's academic community at the University of Virginia. The design shows Jefferson's mastery of Palladian architecture...
, as the centerpiece. The Lawn is a long esplanade crowned by two prominent structures, The Rotunda
The Rotunda (University of Virginia)
The Rotunda is a building located on The Lawn in the original grounds of the University of Virginia. It was designed by Thomas Jefferson to represent the "authority of nature and power of reason" and was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. Construction began in 1822 and was completed in 1826, after...
(designed by Jefferson) and Old Cabell Hall (designed by Stanford White
Stanford White
Stanford White was an American architect and partner in the architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White, the frontrunner among Beaux-Arts firms. He designed a long series of houses for the rich and the very rich, and various public, institutional, and religious buildings, some of which can be found...
). Along the Lawn and the parallel Range
The Range
The Range is part of the original grounds of the University of Virginia as designed by Thomas Jefferson in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. The Range buildings run parallel to and face away from the Lawn, and are separated from the Lawn by a series of ten gardens .There are six "hotels" on the...
are dormitory rooms reserved for distinguished students. The University Programs Council is a student-run body that programs concerts, comedy shows, speakers, and other events open to the students and the community, such as the annual "Lighting of the Lawn". One block from The Rotunda, the University of Virginia Art Museum exhibits work drawn from its collection of more than 10,000 objects and special temporary exhibitions from sources nationwide. It is also home to the Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School where all U.S. Army military lawyers, known as "JAGs", take courses specific to military law.
The Corner (UVA)
The Corner is a seven-block collection of bars, restaurants, bookstores, and night spots on University Avenue in Charlottesville, Virginia, extending from 12 Street Southwest to Chancellor Street. located across the street from the University of Virginia...
is the commercial district abutting the main grounds of UVa, along University Avenue. This area is full of college bars, eateries, and UVa merchandise stores, and is busy with student activity during the school year. Pedestrian traffic peaks during UVa home football games and graduation ceremonies. Much of the University's Greek life
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
is on nearby Rugby Road
Rugby Road
Rugby Road is a street in Charlottesville, Virginia that serves as the center of the University of Virginia's fraternity and sorority system and its attendant social activity...
, contributing to the nightlife and local bar scene. West Main Street, running from the Corner to the Downtown Mall, is a commercial district of restaurants, bars, and other businesses.
Charlottesville is host to the annual Virginia Film Festival
Virginia Film Festival
The Virginia Film Festival is hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, held usually in late October/ early November.- Themes :The Virginia Film Festival has historically had a different theme each year...
in October, the Charlottesville Festival of the Photograph
Charlottesville Festival of the Photograph
The Charlottesville Festival of the Photograph is an annual series of exhibits and lectures related to photography.Begun in 2007, the festival is held in Charlottesville, Virginia on a weekend in early June.-External links:*...
in June, and the Virginia Festival of the Book in March. In addition, the Foxfield Races
Foxfield Races
The Foxfield Race is a steeplechase race that originated in 1978 and is held twice annually in Albemarle County, Virginia, approximately eight miles northwest of downtown Charlottesville. It is a popular tradition for much of the community as well as students of the University of Virginia and...
are steeplechase
Steeplechase (horse racing)
The steeplechase is a form of horse racing and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside...
races held in April and October of each year. A Fourth of July
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
celebration, including a Naturalization
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
Ceremony, is held annually at Monticello, and a First Night
First Night
First Night is an artistic and cultural celebration on New Year's Eve, taking place from afternoon until midnight. Some cities have all their events during the celebration outside, but some cities have events that are hosted indoors by organizations in the city, such as churches and theaters...
celebration has been held on the Downtown Mall since 1982.
Sports
Charlottesville has no professional sports teams, but is home to the University of Virginia's athletic teams, the CavaliersVirginia Cavaliers
The Virginia Cavaliers, also known as Wahoos or Hoos, are the athletic teams officially representing the University of Virginia in college sports. The Cavaliers compete in 25 NCAA Division I varsity sports and are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, who have a wide fan base throughout the region. The Cavaliers field teams in sports from soccer to basketball, and have modern facilities that draw spectators throughout the year. Cavalier football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
season draws the largest crowds during the academic year, with football games played in Scott Stadium
Scott Stadium
Scott Stadium , located in Charlottesville, Virginia, is the home of the Virginia Cavaliers football team. It sits on the University of Virginia's Grounds, east of Hereford College and first-year dorms on Alderman Road but west of Brown College and the Lawn...
. The stadium hosts large musical events, including concerts by the Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, and U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
.
John Paul Jones Arena
John Paul Jones Arena, or JPJ, opened for the 2006–2007 NCAA Division I basketball season and is located at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia...
, which opened in 2006, is the home arena of the Cavalier basketball teams, in addition to serving as a site for concerts and other events. The arena seats 14,593 for basketball. In its first season in the new arena concluded in March 2007, the Virginia men's basketball team tied with UNC
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
for 1st in the ACC.
Also included in the arena are multiple locker rooms, coaches' office complexes, a training room, a strength and conditioning area and a large equipment room.
Both men's and women's lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
have become a significant part of the Charlottesville sports scene. The Virginia Men's team won their first NCAA Championship
NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship
The annual NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament determines the top men's field lacrosse team in the NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III....
in 1972; in 2006, they won their fourth National Championship and were the first team to finish undefeated in 17 games (then a record for wins). Virginia's Women's team has three NCAA Championships
NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship
The annual NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship tournament determines the top women's lacrosse team in the NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III....
to its credit, with wins in 1991, 1993, and 2004. The soccer program is also strong; the Men's team shared a national title with Santa Clara in 1989 and won an unprecedented four consecutive NCAA Division I Championships (1991–1994). Their coach during that period was Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena is a former coach of the United States men's national soccer team as well as a former professional soccer and lacrosse player...
, who later won two MLS titles at D.C. United and coached the U.S. National Team during the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. The Virginia Men's soccer team won the NCAA Championship again in 2009 under coach George Gelnovatch
George Gelnovatch
George Gelnovatch is the head men's soccer coach at the University of Virginia. He has held that position since 1996, replacing Bruce Arena. He has posted a 214-79-25 record in 14 seasons with the Cavaliers. He is most notable for leading the Cavaliers to the 2009 NCAA Division 1 title, where his...
. Virginia's baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team, has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, under Head Coach Brian O'Connor.
Charlottesville area high school sports have been prominent throughout the state. Charlottesville is a hotbed for lacrosse in the country, with teams such as St. Anne's-Belfield School
St. Anne's-Belfield School
St. Anne's-Belfield School is a co-educational, independent boarding and day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.The school is located on in Charlottesville, VA, USA, near the campus of the University of Virginia....
, The Covenant School, Tandem Friends School
Tandem Friends School
Tandem Friends School is a coeducational secondary school founded in 1970 in Albemarle County, Virginia, just outside Charlottesville, by educators John Howard and Duncan Alling. In 1995, it joined the Friends Council on Education, adopting the educational beliefs and practices of the Quakers. The...
, Charlottesville Catholic School
Charlottesville Catholic School
Charlottesville Catholic School is a private school under the jurisdiction of the Diocese Of Richmond. It is a day school for pre-kindergarten through 8th grade...
, Charlottesville High School
Charlottesville High School
Charlottesville High School is a public high school in the independent city of Charlottesville, Virginia, serving students from 9th to 12th grade. It is a part of Charlottesville City Schools....
, Western Albemarle High School
Western Albemarle High School
Western Albemarle High School is a public high school located in Crozet, Virginia and is part of the Albemarle County Public School System, serving the western and central areas of Albemarle County. Its approximate enrollment is over 1000 students...
and Albemarle High School
Albemarle High School (Virginia)
Albemarle High School is a public high school serving grades 9 through 12. It is a part of Albemarle County Public Schools and is located just outside Charlottesville, Virginia. The current principal is Jay P...
. Charlottesville High School won the VHSL
Virginia High School League
The Virginia High School League is the arbiter of interscholastic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unlike similar organizations in many other states, private or religious schools are prohibited from joining. Non-public schools belong to other organizations,...
Group AA soccer championship in 2004. St. Anne's-Belfield School won its fourth state private-school championship in ten years in football in 2006. The Covenant School won the state private-school title in boys' cross country in the 2007–08 school year, the second win in as many years, and that year the girls' cross country team won the state title. Monticello High School
Monticello High School (Virginia)
Monticello High School is a suburban public high school located in Albemarle County, Virginia, United States outside Charlottesville. Opened in 1998, it is one of three traditional comprehensive high schools in the Albemarle County Public Schools System...
won the VHSL Group AA state football title in 2007. Albemarle High School's boys 4x800 track team currently holds the world record.
Transportation
Charlottesville is served by Charlottesville-Albemarle AirportCharlottesville-Albemarle Airport
Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport is a public airport located 8 miles north of Charlottesville, in Albemarle County, Virginia, USA that has operated commercial flights since 1955. The airport serves the Charlottesville/Albemarle region and surrounding counties with 46 daily non-stop flights to...
, the Charlottesville Amtrak Station
Charlottesville (Amtrak station)
The Charlottesville Union Station, located in Charlottesville, Virginia, the county seat Albemarle County, is served by Amtrak's Cardinal, Crescent, and daily Northeast Regional passenger trains...
, and a Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
intercity bus terminal. Direct bus service to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
is also provided by the Starlight Express. Charlottesville Area Transit provides area bus service, augmented by JAUNT, a regional paratransit
Paratransit
Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules. Typically mini-buses are used to provide paratransit service, but also share taxis and jitneys are important providers....
van service. University Transit Service
University Transit Service
University Transit Service began in 1972, when fifteen student drivers started a pilot program with four rented buses at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. Today, UTS has a fleet of more than 30 buses and 140 drivers serving the UVA community...
provides mass transit for students and residents in the vicinity of the University of Virginia. The highways passing through Charlottesville are I-64, its older parallel east-west route US 250, and the north-south US 29. Also Virginia State Route 20
Virginia State Route 20
Virginia State Route 20 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 15 in Dillwyn north to SR 3 in Wilderness. SR 20 is a C-shaped route that connects Charlottesville with Farmville in Southside Virginia...
passes north-south through downtown. US 29 and US 250 by-pass the city. Charlottesville has four exits on I-64.
Rail transportation
AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, the national passenger rail service, provides service to Charlottesville with three routes: The Cardinal (service between Chicago and New York City via central Virginia and Washington, D.C.), select Northeast Regional trains (service between Boston and Lynchburg) and the Crescent
Crescent (Amtrak)
The Crescent is a passenger train operated by Amtrak in the eastern part of the United States. It runs daily from Pennsylvania Station in New York City to New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in New Orleans, Louisiana as train 19 and returns, on the same route, as train 20. Most of the route of...
(service between New York City and New Orleans). The Cardinal operates three times a week, while the Crescent and Northeast Regional both run daily in both directions.
Charlottesville was once a major rail hub, served by both the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
(C&O) and the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (US)
The Southern Railway is a former United States railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894...
. The first train service to Charlottesville was by the Louisa Railroad Company, which became the Virginia Central Railroad
Virginia Central Railroad
Virginia Central Railroad was chartered as the Louisa Railroad in 1836 by the Virginia Board of Public Works and had its name changed to Virginia Central Railroad in 1850. It connected Richmond with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad at Gordonsville in 1854, and had expanded westward past the Blue...
, before becoming the C&O. The Southern Railway started service to Charlottesville around the mid-1860s with a north-south route crossing the C&O east-west tracks. The new depot which sprang up at the crossing of the two tracks was called Union Station. In addition to the new rail line, Southern located a major repair shop which produced competition between the two rail companies and bolstered the local economy. The Queen Charlotte hotel went up on West Main street along with restaurants for the many new railroad workers.
The former C&O station on East Water Street was turned into offices in the mid 1990s. Union Station, still a functional depot for Amtrak, is located on West Main street between 7th & 9th streets where the tracks of the former C&O Railway (leased by C&O successor CSX to Buckingham Branch Railroad
Buckingham Branch Railroad
Buckingham Branch Railroad is a Class III short-line railroad operating over 200 miles of historic and strategic trackage in Central Virginia...
) and Southern (now Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
) lines cross. Amtrak and the city of Charlottesville finished refurbishing the station just after 2000, upgrading the depot and adding a full-service restaurant. The Amtrak Crescent travels on Norfolk Southern's dual north-south tracks. The Amtrak Cardinal runs on the Buckingham Branch east-west single track, which follows U.S. Route 250
U.S. Route 250
U.S. Route 250 is a route of the United States Numbered Highway System, and is a spur of U.S. Route 50. It currently runs for from Sandusky, Ohio to Richmond, Virginia. It passes through the states of Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio. It goes through the cities of Richmond, Virginia,...
from Staunton
Staunton, Virginia
Staunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
to a point east of Charlottesville near Cismont. The eastbound Cardinal joins the northbound Norfolk Southern line at Orange
Orange, Virginia
Orange is a town in Orange County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,721 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Orange County...
, on its way to Washington, D.C.
There are proposals to extend Virginia Railway Express
Virginia Railway Express
The Virginia Railway Express is a regional/ commuter rail service that connects the Northern Virginia suburbs to Union Station in Washington, D.C., via two lines: the Fredericksburg Line from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and the Manassas Line from Broad Run/Airport station in Bristow,...
, the commuter rail
Commuter rail in North America
Commuter rail services in the United States, Canada, and Mexico provide common carrier passenger transportation along railway tracks, with scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-reservation basis primarily for short-distance travel between a central business district and adjacent suburbs and...
line connecting Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, to Charlottesville. Also, the Transdominion Express
Transdominion Express
thumb|450px|right|Map of proposed stations and routes of Virginia Transdominion ExpressThe Transdominion Express is a proposed passenger rail transportation project in Virginia in the United States....
steering committee has suggested making Charlottesville a stop on the proposed statewide passenger rail line.
Largest Employers
According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Virginia Health System University of Virginia Health System The University of Virginia Health System is a nationally renowned healthcare provider based in Charlottesville, Virginia and associated with the University of Virginia. The health system includes a medical center, school of medicine and health sciences library... |
1,000+ |
| 2 | Martha Jefferson Hospital Martha Jefferson Hospital Martha Jefferson Hospital is a nonprofit community hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was founded in 1903 by eight local physicians. The 176-bed hospital has an employed staff of 1,600 and has 365 affiliated physicians.... |
1,000+ |
| 3 | City of Charlottesville | 1,000+ |
| 4 | Charlottesville City Public Schools Charlottesville City Public Schools Charlottesville City Public Schools is the branch of the government of the City of Charlottesville, Virginia responsible for operating the Charlottesville public school system... |
500-999 |
| 5 | Aramark Aramark Aramark Corporation, known commonly as Aramark, is an American foodservice, facilities, and clothing provider supplying businesses, educational institutions, sports facilities, federal and state prisons, and health care institutions. It is headquartered at the Aramark Tower in Center City,... |
500-999 |
| 6 | Region Ten | 500-999 |
| 7 | SNL Financial SNL Financial SNL Financial LC is a financial information firm headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia. SNL collects, standardizes and publishes corporate, financial, market and M&A data, plus news and analysis, on more than 4,000 public companies and over 50,000 private companies in these industries:... (HQ) |
250-499 |
| 8 | United States Postal Service United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States... |
250-499 |
| 9 | PRA International | 250-499 |
| 10 | Kroger Kroger The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 76.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2009. It is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largest grocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer... |
250-499 |
| 11 | Matthew Bender & Company | 250-499 |
Media
Charlottesville has a main daily newspaper: The Daily ProgressThe Daily Progress
The Daily Progress is the sole daily newspaper in the vicinity of Charlottesville, Virginia. It has been published continuously since 1892. According to the newspaper history published in the 75th anniversary edition in September, 1967, the paper was founded by James Lindsay...
. Weekly publications include C-Ville Weekly and The Hook along with the monthly magazines Blue Ridge Outdoors, AlbemarleFamily Living and Albemarle Magazine. A daily newspaper, The Cavalier Daily
The Cavalier Daily
The Cavalier Daily is the fully independent student-run newspaper at the University of Virginia, founded in 1890. It is the oldest daily college newspaper in Virginia and the oldest newspaper in Charlottesville, Virginia...
, is published by an independent student group at UVa. Additionally, the alternative newsmagazine of UVa, The Declaration, is printed every other week with new online content every week. The monthly newspaper Echo covers holistic health
Holistic health
Holistic health is a concept in medical practice upholding that all aspects of people's needs, psychological, physical and social should be taken into account and seen as a whole. As defined above, the holistic view on treatment is widely accepted in medicine...
and related topics.
Charlottesville is served by all of the major television networks through stations WVIR
WVIR-TV
WVIR-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for Charlottesville and Harrisonburg, Virginia. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 32 from a transmitter on Carters Mountain south of Charlottesville. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 4 and in high definition...
29 (NBC/CW on DT2), WHTJ
WCVE-TV
WCVE-TV is a Public Broadcasting Service member public television station licensed to Richmond, Virginia. It broadcasts on channel 23 and is owned by Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corporation. The station is a member of PBS, of which WCVE-TV became a charter member. The station signed on for...
41 (PBS), WCAV
WCAV
WCAV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Charlottesville, Virginia. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 19 from a transmitter on Carters Mountain. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 6 and in high definition on digital channel 212...
19 (CBS), WAHU
WAHU-CA
WAHU-CD is the low-powered Fox-affiliated television station for Charlottesville, Virginia. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 40 from a transmitter on Carters Mountain. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 9 and in high definition on digital channel 213...
27 (FOX), and WVAW
WVAW-LP
WVAW-LD is the low-powered ABC-affiliated television station for Charlottesville, Virginia. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 16 from a transmitter on Carters Mountain. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 3 and in high definition on digital channel 210...
16 (ABC). News-talk radio in Charlottesville can be heard on WINA
WINA
The Wireless Industrial Networking Alliance is a coalition of industrial end-user companies, technology suppliers, industry organizations, software developers, system integrators, and others interested in the advancement of wireless solutions for industry....
1070 and WCHV 1260. Sports radio can be heard on WKAV
WKAV
WKAV is a Sports formatted broadcast radio station affiliated with Fox Sports Radio.WKAV is licensed to Charlottesville, Virginia, serving Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia...
1400 and WVAX
WVAX
WVAX is a Sports talk formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Charlottesville, Virginia, serving Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia. WVAX is owned and operated by Saga Communications. They...
1450. National Public Radio stations include WMRA
WMRA
WMRA is a Public Radio formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Harrisonburg, Virginia. Repeater stations serve Charlottesville, Lexington, Winchester and Farmville, VA. The network broadcasts primarily NPR news and talk programming, with classical music weekday evenings, and folk and blues...
103.5 FM and RadioIQ 89.7 FM. Commercial FM stations include WQMZ
WQMZ
WQMZ is a Light Adult Contemporary formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Charlottesville, Virginia, serving Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia. WQMZ is owned and operated by Saga Communications.-External links:*...
Lite Rock Z95.1 (AC), WWWV
WWWV
WWWV is an Active Rock formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Charlottesville, Virginia, and serves Central Virginia and the Central Shenandoah Valley...
(3WV) (classic rock) 97.5, WCYK (country) 99.7, WHTE (CHR) 101.9, WZGN (Generations) 102.3, WCNR
WCNR
WCNR is an Adult Album Alternative formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Keswick, Virginia, serving the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle and Western Fluvanna Counties. WCNR is owned and operated by Saga Communications.-History:...
(The Corner) 106.1 and WWTJ (Tom) 107.5. There are also several community radio stations operated out of Charlottesville, including WNRN
WNRN
WNRN is a Public Radio, Modern rock, Adult album alternative, and Hip Hop formatted radio station licensed to Charlottesville, Virginia, serving Central and Western Virginia...
and WTJU
WTJU
WTJU is a Variety formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Charlottesville, Virginia, serving Charlottesville, Virginia and Albemarle County, Virginia, with a broadcast range of about 50 miles, as well as webcasting over the internet. WTJU is owned and operated by the University of Virginia...
, and community television stations CPA-TV and Charlottesville's Own TV10.
Education
Considered one of the original Public IviesPublic Ivy
Public Ivy is a term coined by Richard Moll in his 1985 book Public Ivies: A Guide to America's best public undergraduate colleges and universities to refer to universities which "provide an Ivy League collegiate experience at a public school price." Public Ivies are considered, according to the...
, the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, is located in Charlottesville. It was ranked #2 by US News and World Report in 2011 and #1 by Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
in 2011 amongst public universities.
Charlottesville is served by the Charlottesville City Public Schools
Charlottesville City Public Schools
Charlottesville City Public Schools is the branch of the government of the City of Charlottesville, Virginia responsible for operating the Charlottesville public school system...
. The school system operates six elementary schools, Buford Middle School
Buford Middle School
Buford Middle School is a school in Charlottesville, Virginia.The school is named in honor of Florence Buford, a Charlottesville educator, and first opened its doors in August 1966. In 1988, Buford became the city’s only middle school. Currently, 612 students are enrolled. The current principal,...
and Charlottesville High School
Charlottesville High School
Charlottesville High School is a public high school in the independent city of Charlottesville, Virginia, serving students from 9th to 12th grade. It is a part of Charlottesville City Schools....
. It operated Lane High School
Lane High School
Lane High School, in Charlottesville, Virginia, was a public secondary school serving residents of Charlottesville and Albemarle County from 1940 until 1974. It was an all-white school until its court-ordered integration in 1959; black students attended Jackson P. Burley High School. It became too...
jointly with Albemarle County from 1940–1974, when it was replaced by Charlottesville High School.
Albemarle County Public Schools
Albemarle County Public Schools
Albemarle County Public Schools is a school district serving Albemarle County, Virginia. Its headquarters are in the City of Charlottesville.-Schools:High schools:* Zoned:**Albemarle High School**Monticello High School...
, which serves nearby Albemarle County, has its headquarters in Charlottesville.
Charlottesville also has the following private schools, some attended by students from Albemarle county and surrounding areas:
- Charlottesville Catholic SchoolCharlottesville Catholic SchoolCharlottesville Catholic School is a private school under the jurisdiction of the Diocese Of Richmond. It is a day school for pre-kindergarten through 8th grade...
- Charlottesville Waldorf School
- The Covenant School (Lower campus)
- Renaissance School
- St. Anne's-Belfield SchoolSt. Anne's-Belfield SchoolSt. Anne's-Belfield School is a co-educational, independent boarding and day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.The school is located on in Charlottesville, VA, USA, near the campus of the University of Virginia....
(Greenway Rise campus) - Village School
- The Virginia Institute of Autism
City children also attend several private schools in the surrounding county.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 45,049 people, 16,851 households, and 7,633 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,389.7 people per square mile (1,695.3/km²). There were 17,591 housing units at an average density of 1,714.1 per square mile (662.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.56% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 22.22% Black or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.11% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 4.93% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 1.02% from other races, and 2.13% from two or more races. 2.45% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
of any race.
There were 16,851 households out of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.7% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.85.
The age distribution was 15.2% under the age of 18, 33.8% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 15.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males. The city's low median age and the "bulge" in the 18-to-24 age group are both due to the presence of the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,007, and the median income for a family was $45,110. Males had a median income of $31,197 versus $26,458 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,973. About 12.0% of families and 25.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Federally, Charlottesville is part of Virginia's 5th congressional district
Virginia's 5th congressional district
Virginia's fifth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia. It covers all or part of Greene, Campbell, Bedford, Albermarle, Nelson, Fluvanna, Buckingham, Cumberland, Appomattox, Prince Edward, Charlotte, Lunenburg, Franklin, Henry,...
, represented by Republican Robert Hurt
Robert Hurt (Virginia politician)
Robert Hurt is the U.S. Representative for , serving since January 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from Charlottesville to Southside and west to Bedford and Franklin counties. Prior to joining Congress, Hurt was a state senator and delegate, councilman and...
, elected in 2010.
Crime
The city of Charlottesville has an overall crime rate higher than the national average, which tends to be a typical pattern for urban areas of the Southern United StatesSouthern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. The total crime index for Charlottesville was 487.9 crimes committed per 100,000 citizens for the year of 2006, the national average for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was 320.9 crimes committed per 100,000 citizens. For the year of 2006, Charlottesville ranked higher on all violent crime
Violent crime
A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon the victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objective, such as murder, as well as crimes in which violence is the means to an end, such as robbery. Violent...
s except for robbery
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
, the city ranked lower in all categories of property crime
Property crime
Property crime is a category of crime that includes, among other crimes, burglary, larceny, theft, motor vehicle theft, arson, shoplifting, and vandalism. Property crime only involves the taking of money or property, and does not involve force or threat of force against a victim...
s except for larceny
Larceny
Larceny is a crime involving the wrongful acquisition of the personal property of another person. It was an offence under the common law of England and became an offence in jurisdictions which incorporated the common law of England into their own law. It has been abolished in England and Wales,...
theft
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
. As of 2008, there was a total of 202 reported violent crime
Violent crime
A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon the victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objective, such as murder, as well as crimes in which violence is the means to an end, such as robbery. Violent...
s, and 1,976 property crimes.
Notable residents
Since the city's early formation, it has been home to numerous notable individuals, from historic figures Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
and James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
, to literary giants Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
and William Faulkner
William Faulkner
William Cuthbert Faulkner was an American writer from Oxford, Mississippi. Faulkner worked in a variety of media; he wrote novels, short stories, a play, poetry, essays and screenplays during his career...
. In the present day, Charlottesville's Albemarle County is home to, or has been the home of movie stars Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe
Robert Hepler "Rob" Lowe is an American actor. Lowe came to prominence after appearing in films such as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, About Last Night..., St. Elmo's Fire, and Wayne's World. On television, Lowe is known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and his role as Senator Robert...
, Sissy Spacek
Sissy Spacek
Sissy Spacek is an American actress and singer. She came to international prominence for her for role as Carrie White in Brian De Palma's 1976 horror film Carrie for which she earned her first Academy Award nomination...
, and Sam Shepherd
Sam Shepherd
Sam Shepherd may refer to:*Samuel Shepherd, British barrister*Sam Shepherd , killed by Sheriff Willis V. McCallSee also:*Sam Shephard *Sam Shepard, American actor and writer...
, novelist John Grisham
John Grisham
John Ray Grisham, Jr. is an American lawyer and author, best known for his popular legal thrillers.John Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University before attending the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981 and practiced criminal law for about a decade...
, the poet Rita Dove
Rita Dove
Rita Frances Dove is an American poet and author. From 1993-1995 she served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, a position now popularly known as "U.S. Poet Laureate"...
, the rock band Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
, and the pop band Parachute
Parachute (band)
Parachute is a rock band from Charlottesville, Virginia. The members graduated from college in May 2008 and since then have been touring and promoting their debut album Losing Sleep and sophomore album The Way It Was full-time.-History:...
. Charlottesville was also the home of Anna Anderson
Anna Anderson
Anna Anderson was the best known of several impostors who claimed to be Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia...
, who claimed to be the Grand Duchess Anastasia
Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia
Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia was the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, the last sovereign of Imperial Russia, and his wife Alexandra Fyodorovna....
and to have survived the massacre of the Russian Imperial Family.
This city is also home for the renowned Tibetan lama Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche is a teacher of the Bon Tibetan religious tradition. He is founder and director of the Ligmincha Institute and several centers named Chamma Ling, organizations dedicated to the study and practice of the teachings of the Bon tradition.-Life:Tenzin Wangyal's parents fled the...
, his family and his Ligmincha Institute.
Sister cities
Charlottesville has four sister citiesTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
:
Besançon
Besançon
Besançon , is the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It had a population of about 237,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2008...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Pleven
Pleven
Pleven is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
Poggio a Caiano
Poggio a Caiano
Poggio a Caiano is a town and comune in the Province of Prato, Tuscany region Italy. The town lies 9 km south of the provincial capital of Prato.-The Medici villa:...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Winneba
Winneba
Winneba, traditionally known as Simpa, also known as the Land of the Gharteys because its royals and many of its inhabitants bear this name,...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
.
See also
- Mayors of Charlottesville, Virginia
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Charlottesville, VirginiaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Charlottesville, VirginiaThis list includes properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Charlottesville, Virginia, an independent city within the confines of Albemarle County...
- People from Charlottesville, Virginia
- Topics related to Charlottesville, Virginia