LoCoHistory

Due to the wonderful comments in the earlier post, I decided to add a little more information about the Marchant Building off the corner of Dale Avenue & Harris (visible from Preston Avenue). The Sanborn excerpt below is thanks to the contribution of Bill Emory (read his original comment in the earlier post).

I edited the description within the building because it would not be visible at the scale necessary to fit in this post. Because Sanborn’s were made by a fire insurance company, they list details on construction and assets within structures. The main room in the Marchant building was described as a “pressing and stock room” on the 1st floor and a “cutting and sewing” room on the 2nd. And in this map the company is described as the H.C. Marchant Manufacturing Co., Inc., manufacturers of overalls and clothing. For a detailed description of the attendant Woolen Mills neighborhood, visit the Historic Woolen Mills site compiled by Bill Emory and his neighbors.

What is a colonial ordinary ? (a) a daily meal, consumed before dinner, (b) a second-rate menu item, (c) a tavern providing a meal at a set price. If you guessed “c” treat yourself to an extra dessert at your favorite modern-day inn. In the 18th Century, an Ordinary was an establishment that served meals and, sometimes, provided shelter. Ordinaries, later called taverns or inns, were spaced at regular intervals across the county so that travellers could rest and feed themselves and their horses. Historic Charlottesville had dozens of ordinaries. Alas, from all accounts they were nothing like today’s idyllic bed & breakfasts. Instead, the beds were often infested with bugs and vermin. And Moore (Albemarle, 1976: 39) reports that a typical meal consisted of eggs, bacon, hoecake, and local moonshine, either peach brandy or whiskey. One famous local tavern was the Michie Tavern. Transcribed from the 1745 County Court Order Book, Mary Rawlings (194, MACH 5: 9) reported that the rates at Albemarle ordinaries included “good Virginia cyder by the quart” for 7 pence half penny; “a servant’s diet” for six pence; “peach brandy by the gallon” for 18 pence; and “Indian corn by the gall” for 4 pence (note to tourists: 12 pence=1 shilling; 20 shillings = 1 British pound) in today’s currency the “Virginia cyder” would cost about $7.60). If numismatics is your thing, I recommend the Measuring Worth site for all of your Colonial currency conversion needs.

Following on the fruit theme from the last post, what is 1,307 acres, 179+ years old, and 14 miles south of C-ville ? Answer: The Covesville Historic District. Created in 2005, the district includes 90 “primary resources” (buildings or features that have historic significance) that date between 1750 and 1954. Many of these buildings illustrate Greek Revival and Federal styles.

The Peyton Map illustrates the significant structures as of 1875. Note the Cove Chapel (today the Cove Presbyterian Church).

As the name suggests, Covesville was one of the most successful commerical apple orchards in the state of Virginia. Today, one of the most visible historic structures is the Covesville Antique Store. The store was built prior to 1910 by the Boaz Family to sell the annual crops of apples and apple-products. The store was known for its smoked ham and for being racially integrated as early as the 1930s. In 2002, the store was bought by Sarah and Rick Ovenshire and has been renovated and re-opened as an antique store and country store.

How can you use maps to reconstruct C-ville history ? While not all contemporary street/geographic names are authentically historic, many reveal past events, livelihoods, and historic personages. Obvious examples include Rio Mills, Barracks Road, and J.P.A. Some neighborhoods contain dense concentrations of historically oriented street names. One example is Fifeville (itself named after the Fife family). As you drive down Cherry Avenue, look for other fruit-related street names. In the 19th Century, this area contained fruit orchards, as evidenced by street names: Apple, Cherry, Grove, and Orangedale. Some of these streets have disappeared since the early 20th Century. For example, Apple Street once ran east/west from 5th Street to Ridge. This short street was demolished and Cherry Avenue was built in the same general location, but running northwest to the southeast (where it turns into Elliott Avenue and passes south of the Oakwood Cemetery). The map is provided courtesy of the Geospatial & Statistical Data Center at UVA and illustrates a snippet from a 1920 Sanborn Map. The street names in red are modern, and the green line shows the rough path of today’s Cherry/Elliott streets. As you can see, Apple Street lies under today’s Tonsler Park.

The atmospheric photo of the Rivanna is provided courtesy of Bill Emory. His blog provides wonderful images of local resources, both cultural and natural. In the past, rivers provided an important route for travel. If you imagine the county without Route 29 and envision 250 as its muddy/rocky predecessor, Three Notched Road, you can appreciate why an unobstructed waterway would be a desirable alternative for moving people and goods through the county. The main river in Albemarle is the Rivanna River. It originates in the Blue Ridge (at altitude) and then flows down, to the east, and eventually joins the James River (that connects to Richmond and then empties into the Atlantic). Prior to the arrival of Europeans, indigneous groups built villages along the river. The river is named after Queen Anne (1665-1714) who reigned as the Queen of England, Ireland, and Scotland between 1702 and 1714. William Keppel (2nd Earl of Albemarle, see earlier post on this blog) was Queen Anne’s godchild, hence his middle name “Anne.” If you are interested in helping conserve the river, visit the Rivanna Conservation Society homepage.

Today the river can be enjoyed by canoeing or walking along its banks on the Rivanna Trail. If you look closely as you canoe or hike, you will see the remains of dams, locks, and bridges that once supported the vital trade in agricultural goods by enabling boat travel along the river’s course. These boats, referred to “bateaux,” the French word for “boats,” were specifically designed to carry heavy weights and navigate shallow waters. Prior to the creation of canals (circa 1840), the James River bateaux were the most common means for transporting hogshead of tobacco to market. Scottsville holds a “Bateaux Festival” each year with reproductions of these boats. In 2007 the “Batteau Night in Scottsville” will be held at 4pm on June 20th. Visit the Scottsville Museum Website for more information.

Place names often provide historical clues. For example, the County is named after Willem van Keppel, the second Earl of Albemarle. The Earl (1702-1754) was a British diplomat, Colonel, and later governor of the colony. The county was formed in 1744, but the current boundaries date to 1777.

Originally, the county seat was in Scottsville, but it was moved to Charlottesville in 1761. Charlottesville is named after Queen Charlotte (1744-1818), the wife of George III of England. Her direct descendants include the current Queen of England, as well as Queen Victoria. Her husband reigned as King of England, and thus ruler of the American colonies, during the last decade before the American Revolution. Accordingly, the citizens of Charlottesville chose the name of the then ruling Queen for their newly created village.