Charlottesville and Albemarle County were home to third United States president, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was the primary author for the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence did not free all people within the United States, nor did it recognize the impact European settlers had on the First Peoples. The legacy of the Declaration of Independence is still being realized today as the United States aims to build a more perfect union. The Charlottesville-Albemarle VA-250 Committee recognizes that the story of the United States begins with Americans who trace their histories back millennia, those who arrived yesterday, and everyone in between.
White men who enlisted in the Revolutionary War were assigned to the 14th Virginia Regiment, which was raised on September 16, 1776, in western Virginia for service with the Continental Army. The regiment would see action at the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth, and Siege of Charleston. Most of the regiment was captured at Charlestown, South Carolina on May 12, 1780, by the British Army. The regiment was formally disbanded on November 15, 1783.
This region saw relatively little action during the Revolutionary War. The Revolutionary War came to Charlottesville in 1778 when the prisoners captured during the battles of Saratoga of October 1777 were moved from Boston to Charlottesville. The victory at Saratoga was a turning point for the Revolutionary War.
As the second British invasion of Virginia, led by Benedict Arnold in December of 1780, began to threaten Richmond, the Virginia legislature moved its proceedings to Charlottesville. After Cornwallis had taken charge of all British forces in Virginia in early June of 1781, he sent Colonel Banastre Tarleton and a mounted British force on a lightning raid to Charlottesville. He hoped to capture members of the Virginia legislature and (at that time) Governor Thomas Jefferson. Captain John Jouett of the Virginia Militia galloped ahead of Tarleton and was able to spread the alarm, so the crisis was averted.
The Committee will also recognize the regional contributions of the Monacan Nation, the Black Patriots of Albemarle, the annual naturalization ceremony at Monticello on July 4th, the home of James Monroe, the legacy of the James River in Scottsville and more.
Historic Downtown Mall Walking TourTake a casual, eight block guided walk around Charlottesville's historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Surr... Read More
Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Walking TourBeginning at the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse, this tour explores the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and t... Read More
Historic Downtown Mall Walking TourTake a casual, eight block guided walk around Charlottesville's historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Surr... Read More
Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Walking TourBeginning at the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse, this tour explores the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and t... Read More
Historic Downtown Mall Walking TourTake a casual, eight block guided walk around Charlottesville's historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Surr... Read More
Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Walking TourBeginning at the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse, this tour explores the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and t... Read More
Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Walking TourBeginning at the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse, this tour explores the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and t... Read More
Historic Downtown Mall Walking TourTake a casual, eight block guided walk around Charlottesville's historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Surr... Read More
Historic Downtown Mall Walking TourTake a casual, eight block guided walk around Charlottesville's historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Surr... Read More
Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Walking TourBeginning at the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse, this tour explores the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and t... Read More
Historic Downtown Mall Walking TourTake a casual, eight block guided walk around Charlottesville's historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Surr... Read More
Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Walking TourBeginning at the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse, this tour explores the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and t... Read More
Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Walking TourBeginning at the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse, this tour explores the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and t... Read More
Historic Downtown Mall Walking TourTake a casual, eight block guided walk around Charlottesville's historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Surr... Read More
Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Walking TourBeginning at the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse, this tour explores the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and t... Read More
Historic Downtown Mall Walking TourTake a casual, eight block guided walk around Charlottesville's historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Surr... Read More
Historic Downtown Mall Walking TourTake a casual, eight block guided walk around Charlottesville's historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Surr... Read More
Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Walking TourBeginning at the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse, this tour explores the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and t... Read More
Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Walking TourBeginning at the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse, this tour explores the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and t... Read More
Historic Downtown Mall Walking TourTake a casual, eight block guided walk around Charlottesville's historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Surr... Read More
Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Walking TourBeginning at the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse, this tour explores the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and t... Read More
Historic Downtown Mall Walking TourTake a casual, eight block guided walk around Charlottesville's historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Surr... Read More
Historic Downtown Mall Walking TourTake a casual, eight block guided walk around Charlottesville's historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Surr... Read More
Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Walking TourBeginning at the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse, this tour explores the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and t... Read More
Historic Downtown Mall Walking TourTake a casual, eight block guided walk around Charlottesville's historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Surr... Read More
Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Walking TourBeginning at the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse, this tour explores the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and t... Read More
Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Walking TourBeginning at the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse, this tour explores the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and t... Read More
Historic Downtown Mall Walking TourTake a casual, eight block guided walk around Charlottesville's historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Surr... Read More
New History at James Monroe's HighlandFrom a new name to new archaeological discoveries, Highland’s history has changed a lot in the past decade! Highland Executive Director, Dr. Sara Bo... Read More
Revolution 250: British Cavalry Commander LTC Banastre TarletonFew figures of the Revolutionary War are as controversial as British cavalry officer "Bloody Ban" Banastre Tarleton. While leading the British Legion,... Read More
Declaration of Independence Print ShopCome celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence by printing your own at Monticello. The Declaration of Independence was first... Read More
VA250 Book Series: The American Revolution at 250What does 1776 mean to us in 2026? That’s the question historians Frank Cogliano, Nadine Zimmerli, and Nick Guyatt discuss in Highland’s final 250... Read More
