Charlottesville, Virginia

Note:  This is a "blast from the past" post as we work our way backwards to catch you up on our previous destinations.

Visited October 19 - 23, 2020

By Marty

Because "winter is coming" we expedited ourselves 602 miles south from my sister Mary’s house in Sudbury, Massachusetts to kick off our four month exploration of the southeast USA in Charlottesville, VA

Recognize this "house"?

Maybe you recognize the owner?  Thomas Jefferson, our third President, is considered the primary author of the Declaration of Independence.

On land inherited from his father Jefferson designed and constructed Monticello on the crest of a 868' mountain, also named Monticello.

There were several outdoor presentations offered on our visit to Monticello, including one by President Jefferson himself (looking remarkably spry for his age.) The role of slavery in Jefferson's estate was covered quite thoroughly (more so, I suspect, than it would have been ten or more years ago.) Jefferson owned over 600 enslaved people over the course of his life.  On that subject, this is from the Monticello website:

Along with the land Jefferson inherited slaves from his father and even more slaves from his father-in-law, John Wayles; he also bought and sold enslaved people. In a typical year, he owned about 200, almost half of them under the age of sixteen. About eighty of these enslaved individuals lived at Monticello; the others lived on his adjacent Albemarle County farms, and on his Poplar Forest estate in Bedford County, Virginia. Over the course of his life, he owned over 600 enslaved people. These men, women and children were integral to the running of his farms and building and maintaining his home at Monticello. Some were given training in various trades, others worked the fields, and some worked inside the main house.

Many of the enslaved house servants were members of the Hemings family. Elizabeth Hemings and her children were a part of the Wayles estate and tradition says that John Wayles was the father of six of Hemings’s children and, thus, they were the half-brothers and sisters of Jefferson’s wife Martha. Jefferson gave the Hemingses special positions, and the only slaves Jefferson freed in his lifetime and in his will were all Hemingses, giving credence to the oral history. Years after his wife’s death, Thomas Jefferson fathered at least six of Sally Hemings’s children. Four survived to adulthood and are mentioned in Jefferson’s plantation records. Their daughter Harriet and eldest son Beverly were allowed to leave Monticello during Jefferson’s lifetime and the two youngest sons, Madison and Eston, were freed in Jefferson’s will.

A passageway accessing many service and storage areas runs underneath the first floor of Monticello. 

 

The Beer Cellar (I would be remiss to not show it to you.)

The view from Monticello

We went for a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

It was ladybug season on the parkway. Each time we stopped to take in a view or a hike we found ladybugs flying all around us and landing on us a dozen or so at a time.

We also took a drive down Marty's memory lane, down the west side of the parkway to the hamlet of Vesuvius.

This beautiful and winding road was the last, and one of the most difficult, climbs of my 2019 cross country bike trip. I pedaled from Vesuvius to Charlottesville that day. The climb to the parkway was four miles long, gaining 1,500' vertical feet at grades of 8-14%.

Riding into Vesuvius in 2019 I ducked into the post office to wait out a downpour.

Followed by a delicious double chili dog dinner at Gertie's place across the street.

Janell and I stopped at Gertie's for lunch. The place has been spruced up a bit (just a bit mind you) but we didn't see chili dogs on the menu! It turns out that Gertie sold the business to a nice young couple about a year ago (the wife/owner waited on us with an infant child in a pack on her front). I inquired about the chili dogs and was delighted to find that we could order them "off menu".  Still delicious!

On my bike ride I pedaled past this great mural and the Star Hill Brewery in Crozet, VA. I didn't have time for a beer on that day...

...but I was not to be denied on this day!

 The Rotunda at the University of Virgina

Thomas Jefferson conceived, promoted, founded, and designed the University of Virginia as "the hobby of my old age"

From the The Jefferson Monticello website:

Jefferson included the creation of the University of Virginia as one of three accomplishments for which he most wished to be remembered. Years after the end of his presidency, at the age of seventy-six, he spearheaded the legislative campaign for the university's charter, secured its location, designed its buildings, planned its curriculum, and served as its first rector. It was his last great public service.

A UVA building and shout out to our son Garrett!

One morning in the RV park we heard a tapping sound. We looked to find a cardinal fighting with his reflection on the polished chrome top of the side mirror. This happened a few times while we were there.  Pretty bird! The mirror was no worse for wear.

The McLean House

A highlight for me, as a wannabe Civil War buff, was visiting the Appomattox Court House National Historic Park, about an hour from our Charlottesville KOA.

On April 9, 1865 the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia took place in the McLean House in the village of Appomattox Court House, Virginia signaling the end of the nation's largest war.

Something I learned that day may be news to you as well: The surrender did NOT take place in a Court House! It took place in the home of Wilmer McLean, located in the village of Appomattox Court House. We learned that it was customary in this part of the country to use "Court House" in the name of the village or town that was the county seat. So there is a court house (now a museum) in Appomattox but that is not where the surrender occurred.

Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant in this room.

 

There is a small town nearby where we had lunch. It's called "Appomattox".  Not to be confused with "Appomattox Court House".  If you paid attention above this makes perfect sense.