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.
While there are currently no events listed specifically for City of Charlottesville, search the VA250 Statewide Calendar of Events for a comprehensive listing of programs across the state.
Gallery Talks: Monthly Talks with Monticello ExpertsJoin our staff to hear stories and discoveries about objects in our collections in these informal talks at the visitor center galleries. Each talk wil... Read More
Monticello Wildflower HikesJoin Monticello's garden and plant experts on April 25 or April 26 for a hike exploring spring botanical treasures and diverse plant communities. Vent... Read More
Annual Highland Sheep ShearingHighland’s annual sheep shearing will take place on Sunday, April 27 (rain or shine), at 2:00 p.m. Tom Stanley will demonstrate the New Zealand shee... Read More
William & Mary’s Highland: Rediscovering the Past, Shaping the FutureAs the inaugural event in the celebration of William & Mary’s 50 years of stewardship of Highland, Executive Director Sara Bon-Harper will speak abo... Read More
Farm to BatteauStep aboard a hand-built James River batteau and experience Virginia's past like never before. At James River Batteau Company, we craft unforgettable ... Read More
Pursuits of Knowledge: Conversations at MonticelloMay 6: "Jefferson & Adams: A Stage Play" by Howard Ginsberg with Bill Barker, Abigail Schumann, and Sam Goodyear Join us this spring for our ongoin... Read More
Film Screening: The Piccirilli FactorJoin us at Highland on Saturday, May 10, from 1-3 p.m. for a free screening of The Piccirilli Factor, a documentary by Eduardo Montes-Bradley. This fi... Read More
May Open House and Plant Sale at CHPCelebrate spring with a visit to Monticello’s plant nursery, the Center for Historic Plants, set within inspiring display gardens in their full spri... Read More
Farm to BatteauStep aboard a hand-built James River batteau and experience Virginia's past like never before. At James River Batteau Company, we craft unforgettable ... Read More
Native Plant SwapHighland welcomes you to native plant swap with the Piedmont Master Gardeners on Sunday, May 18th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. We’ll have lots of h... Read More
Founding Friends, Founding Foes TourOffered daily at 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Pricing: Adults, $42; Children 12-18, $13; Children 5-11 , $4; Children under 5, Free On July 4, 1826, Thom... Read More
Feast of Reason in the CourtyardJoin us in the visitor center courtyard at Monticello to kick-off Civic Season with a Feast of Reason. Inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s legendary... Read More
2025 Descendants DayJoin us on Saturday, June 14, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., for Descendants Day at Highland. The Highland Council of Descendant Advisors welcomes anyo... Read More
Pursuits of Knowledge: Conversations at MonticelloMarch 11: Smithsonian Directors Dr. Anthea Hartig and Dr. Elizabeth Babcock on Women History Makers... Read More
Founding Friends, Founding Foes Tour and Feast of ReasonMost Fridays and Saturdays, late June 20 through October 25 Price: Adults - $75; Students with valid college ID - $45; Children 12-18 - $45 Tour D... Read More
Buds, Birds, and ButterfliesJoin Monticello’s Gardens & Grounds team on a guided, family-friendly nature walk along the Saunders-Monticello Trail, a community space where natur... Read More
Voices of Freedom: Songs and Stories of the Underground RailroadIn honor of Juneteenth, join Monticello for an unforgettable evening of storytelling and music that delves into the heart of the Underground Railroad,... Read More
Feast of Reason in RichmondJoin us for an afternoon of food and discourse at Richmond's Virginia Museum of History and Culture. Inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s legendary dinner... Read More
Culinary ConversationsThomas Jefferson knew that food has the power to bring people together. With fine cuisine, meaningful conversations flow, creating the perfect environ... Read More
Farm to BatteauStep aboard a hand-built James River batteau and experience Virginia's past like never before. At James River Batteau Company, we craft unforgettable ... Read More
On the Menu: Dinner with Chef Marc Murphy at MontaltoThis summer, join Monticello in bringing culinary history forward and experience a dynamic new event series, Culinary Diplomacy at Monticello. In part... Read More
Feast of Reason in Downtown CharlottesvilleJoin us in downtown Charlottesville at South Street Brewery for an afternoon of food and discussion. Inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s legendary dinner... Read More
Oral History Workshop with Getting WordJoin historians from Monticello's African American Oral History Project for an educational workshop that explores the practice of oral history. Partic... Read More
Farm to BatteauStep aboard a hand-built James River batteau and experience Virginia's past like never before. At James River Batteau Company, we craft unforgettable ... Read More
The American Revolution: An Evening with Ken BurnsJoin Monticello and VPM off the mountain for a special program with award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns and his co-director Sarah Botstein. Guests will ... Read More
July 4th at MonticelloCelebrate July 4th at Monticello, the home of the author of the Declaration of Independence! For over 60 years on July 4th, Monticello's West Lawn has... Read More
Farm to BatteauStep aboard a hand-built James River batteau and experience Virginia's past like never before. At James River Batteau Company, we craft unforgettable ... Read More
Farm to BatteauStep aboard a hand-built James River batteau and experience Virginia's past like never before. At James River Batteau Company, we craft unforgettable ... Read More
Farm to BatteauStep aboard a hand-built James River batteau and experience Virginia's past like never before. At James River Batteau Company, we craft unforgettable ... Read More
Farm to BatteauStep aboard a hand-built James River batteau and experience Virginia's past like never before. At James River Batteau Company, we craft unforgettable ... Read More
Farm to BatteauStep aboard a hand-built James River batteau and experience Virginia's past like never before. At James River Batteau Company, we craft unforgettable ... Read More
Farm to BatteauStep aboard a hand-built James River batteau and experience Virginia's past like never before. At James River Batteau Company, we craft unforgettable ... Read More
