LoCoHistory

What do the terms in the title have in common ? All three refer to vermiculite, a grayish, basaltic mineral. Jefferisite is a synonym for vermiculite, named after the American mineral collector, William Jefferis (1820-1906). Vermiculite derives its name from the Latin “vermiculare” which means “to breed worms.” This description alludes to the exfoliation (or expansion) of the mineral when exposed to intense heat. And finally, all of this ties in to Albemarle County with the old Charlottesville Quarry, located in Shadwell. In fact, Virginia is one of the larger producers of vermiculite (although today, the closest mining of this substance is in Louisa County). The mineral is extracted from deposits that are between 1.5 and 3 billion years old. It was discovered by geologists in 1824 and is still used in insulation, fireproofing, packing material, and even as a substrate for the incubation of chamelon eggs. To date, 86 known minerals have been located within Albemarle County. Accordingly, old county maps show dozens of mines and quarries that were dug for copper, gold, sulpher, soapstone, slate, limestone, etc. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this mineral is that its synonym “Jefferisite” is one of the only Albemarle County names beginning with “Jeffer…” that does not refer to the former president.

This Sunday the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society (ACHS) hosts an open quarterly meeting, for members and the public. The event is scheduled for Veteran’s Day, November 11th, at 2pm in the Emmanuel Church in Greenwood. The meeting will include the ACHS Annual Report, elections of officers, and an illustrated talk on the tree industry by Tom Dierauf (formerly with the Virginia Department of Forestry). After the talk there will be a chance to tour two lumber companies: Yancey (the origin of the name Yancey Mills) and J.B. Barnes. For more information (and directions), visit the ACHS Website.

When settlers first arrived in Albemarle they spent a great deal of time clearing the then heavily forested Piedmont. Shortly there after, this lumber was used to build houses and fences. In the early 20th Century, W.W. King built a warehouse for storing timber products, shown here in an old photograph (the warehouse, not Reid’s Supermarket). This company went out of business during the depression, but many other industries flourished and continue into the present. Come join us this Sunday to learn more about this historic industry.

Visit the Albemarle County Historical Society for their newest exhibit titled: The Story of Albemarle’s Trees and her Forest Industries. Quoting from the historical society website: “Trees were an integral part of early settlers’ lives and work, and they fueled one of Albemarle’s most important industries–lumber. The story of the trees–use, overuse, and conservation–is the story of the growth of the County, both socially and economically.” This exhibit contains an array of material culture that pertains to forest products: from split-oak baskets to locally-made oak chairs, from wooden slats to forestry tools, from photographs to advertisements from area timber industries.

The exhibition was curated by Catherine Anne Daley, a University of Virginia summer intern through the Institute for Public History, with assistance from ACHS staff and volunteers. Click here to get more information about visiting the exhibition (on display through Fall 2007).

I am back from the field (an Assyrian city in southeastern Turkey which I assist in directing an archaeological excavation). I plan to return to once or twice a week postings. This week’s post is broad in its scope: animals from the past, focusing on the use of animals in place names. One can imagine the 18th and 19th Century flock of pigeons that lent their name to Pigeon Top. Or the herds of buffalo that once roamed the Piedmont, today only preserved as a geographic entity: Buffalo Meadow; the lodge of beavers that resulted in Beaver Dam; the brace of bucks memorialized in Buck Mountain; the sleuth of bears at Bear Creek; the gang of Elk in Elk Run; the pack of Wolves at Wolf Trap Mountain (today known as Edgehill Mountain); a volery of birds at the Birdwood Golf Course; a plague of locusts at Locust Grove. We need to update this list for the 21st Century with a labor of moles, a bevy of otter, and a muster of peacocks. For more trivia on clusters of animals visit: Fun with words: collective nouns.

I cannot end this post without a nod to a 21st Century animal sighting website: www.beaverlikemammals.com. Well worth a visit if you have ever asked the question “Hey, is that a beaver?” Oddly enough, after visiting the site last week, I have seen 3 BLMs.

What is 980 acres, 4 miles long, and contains sassafras and witch hazel ? If you guessed one of C-villes many wonderful parks, you’re on the right track. Today, the Ragged Mountains contain hiking trails, two lakes, and several historic structures. The one in the photo to the right is located along one of the original dams. Please submit a comment if you can explain why it rests atop so many courses of rocks. The original reservoir was built in 1885 due to an increased demand for water from the city and university.

Two hundred years earlier, Edgar Allen Poe featured this locale in a story by the same name. In it, a person named Bedloe seeks solace in the “wild and dreary hills.” I advise reading Poe’s atmospheric “A Tale of the Ragged Mountains” (1844) before you go (and grabbing a RMNA Trail Map). To enjoy Poe a little closer to home, visit Poe’s former dorm room on the UVA campus. Poe entered UVA in 1826, but was expelled within the year for not paying his debts. During his short sojourn in Charlottesville, he and a mysterious friend named Nella were seen hiking in the mountains mentioned above. To see a hand-colored black and white photo of the Ragged Mountain Reservoir in 1920 from Dave Norris’ historic postcard collection, visit his blog, Cville Dave.

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.