Charlottesville, Virginia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
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| Founded Incorporated |
1762 |
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| County | Independent City | |||||
| Mayor | David Brown | |||||
| Area - Total - Water |
177.0 km² (68.3 mi²) 0 km² (0 mi²) 0.0% |
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| Population - City (2000) - Density - Metropolitan |
45,049 1,695.3/km² |
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| Time zone | Eastern (UTC –5) | |||||
| Coordinates WGS-84 (GPS) |
38.0319° N 78.477° W | |||||
| Official Website www.charlottesville.org |
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Charlottesville is an independent city located within the confines of Albemarle County in the state of Virginia and named after Princess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the wife of King George III of England. As of the 2003 census update, the city proper had a population of 39,162. It is the county seat of Albemarle County6 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. In 2004, Charlottesville was ranked the best place to live in the United States in the book Cities Ranked and Rated by Bert Sperling and Peter Sander. Sperling and Sander ranked the cities based on cost of living, climate, and quality of life. It is best known as the home of the University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson.
The city is served by Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport and by Amtrak.
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Geography and History
Charlottesville is located in the center of the Commonwealth of Virginia along the Rivanna River, a tributary of the James, just west of the Southwest Mountains which parallel the Blue Ridge about 20 miles to the West. It was formed by charter in 1762 along a trade route called Three Notched Road (present day US 250) which led from Richmond to the Great Valley. Other major highways through Charlottesville are US 29, from Washington, D.C. to Danville, Virginia, and I-64 which parallels US 250 in the vicinity of Charlottesville.
During the American Civil War several battles took place in Charlottesville including the Battle of Rio Hill. During the American Revolutionary War the Convention Army was imprisioned in Charlottesville between 1779 and 1781. On June 4, 1781, Jack Jouett warned the Virginia Legislature meeting at Monticello of an intended raid by Banastre Tarleton, allowing a narrow escape. Jouett's Ride
John Mosby and Meriwether Lewis were both born in Charlottesville (disputed — see talk page), and Edgar Allan Poe lived in the city while attending the University of Virginia. William Faulkner was a writer in residence at the University of Virginia, to which he bequeathed all of his original manuscripts. Also, William McGuffey lived in Charlottesville while serving as a professor at the University. Dave Matthews was a bartender in a Charlottesville bar called Miller's when he formed the Dave Matthews Band, and now divides his time between homes in Seattle and the Charlottesville area. John Grisham currently makes Charlottesville one of his two homes. Actress Sissy Spacek, famous for her portrayal of tormented highschooler Carrie, lives just outside of Charlottesville, in Albemarle County. Actors Jessica Lange, Sam Shepard, and Tom Cruise have maintained homes in the area as well. Both Stephen Malkmus of rock band Pavement and David Berman of rock band Silver Jews lived for a time in and formed their respective bands while residing in the city.
Charlottesville is the home of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory headquarters. It is served by two area hospitals, the Martha Jefferson Hospital founded in 1903, and the UVA Hospital.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26.6 km² (10.3 mi²). None of the area is covered with water.
Attractions & Culture
Charlottesville has a large series of attractions for its relatively small size. Sometimes referred to as the "city of the three presidents," 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 45 minutes north of Charlottesville, lies the home of James Madison, Montpelier.
Nearby Shenandoah National Park offers great recreational activities. It's famous for its rolling mountains and many hiking trails. Skyline Drive, part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, is a famous scenic drive that runs the length of the park, twisting in between thick forests and sweeping overlooks.
Charlottesville's bustling downtown is the center of business for Central Virginia. It is home to the Downtown Mall, one of the longest outdoor pedestrian malls in the nation, with many stores, restaurants, and civic attractions. The newly renovated Paramount Theater, hosts various venues, including Broadway shows and concerts. Also on the mall is the Virginia Discovery Museum, and a newly built 3500 seat outdoor amphitheater. Court Square, just a few blocks from the downton mall, is the original center of Charlottesville. Its historic buildings date back to the cities' founding in 1762.
The University of Virginia, ranked #2 public university in the nation by U.S. News and World Report in 2005, adds a youthful touch to Charlottesville. During the academic year, 20,000 students pour into Charlottesville to attend the university. UVa's main campus is located along West Main St., forming a district known as The Corner. This area full of hip bars, eateries, and UVa merchandise stores, is constantly pulsing with student activity. Thomas Jefferson's academical village, known as The Lawn, is the center of the campus. It's a long esplanade crowned by two prominent structures, The Rotunda (designed by Thomas Jefferson) and Old Cabell Hall (designed by Stanford White).
Sports
Charlottesville has no professional sports teams, so its loyalties lie with the University of Virginia Cavaliers. The Cavaliers have a wide fan base throughout the region. Everything from soccer to hockey to basketball has a state of the art stadium which become packed with fans during the season. Cavalier football season is a major event in the academic year. Scott Stadium, which has even played host to venues such as the Dave Matthews Band and Rolling Stones, is filled with a "sea of orange" (the team's colors are orange and blue) at each game. A particulary exciting game comes every season when UVA plays long time rival Virginia Tech.
Media
Charlottesville has one main daily newspaper The Daily Progress. Weekly publications inculde C-ville Weekly and The Hook. UVa also has its own newspaper, the Cavalier Daily. Charlottesville is served by most of the major national networks: WVIR 29 (NBC), WHTJ 41 (PBS), WCAV 19 (CBS), WAHU 27 (FOX), and WVAW 16 (ABC).
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 40,099 people, 16,851 households, and 7,633 families residing in the city. The metropolitan area population is 185,000. The population density is 1,695.3/km² (4,389.7/mi²). There are 17,591 housing units at an average density of 662.0/km² (1,714.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 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 are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 16,851 households out of which 20.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.2% are married couples living together, 13.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 54.7% are non-families. 34.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.27 and the average family size is 2.85.
The age distribution, strongly influenced by the University of Virginia, is: 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 are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 26 years. For every 100 females there are 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 84.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $31,007, and the median income for a family is $45,110. Males have a median income of $31,197 versus $26,458 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,973. 25.9% of the population and 12.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 20.8% of those under the age of 18 and 7.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Sister Cities
External links
- City of Charlottesville
- Area Guide to Charlottesville
- Charlottesville Virginia Guide
- Charlottesville Guide from an International Student Perspective
- Charlottesville's Historical Markers
- Jefferson's Monticello
- Ash Lawn-Highland - Home of James Monroe
- James Madison's Montpelier
- Virginia Discovery Museum
- University of Virginia Art Museum
- McGuffey Art Center
- Jefferson-Madison Regional Library
- University of Virginia Library
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Local or Yahoo! Maps
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Satellite image from Google Local or Microsoft Virtual Earth
