Charlottesville Discount Travel Deals

With the serene Blue Ridge Mountains on the horizon to the west, the rolling hills of central Virginia reveal a scenic pastoral landscape. No wonder Peter Jefferson, coming here to survey the land, decided to settle and amassed hundreds of acres. His son, Thomas Jefferson, America's third president, inherited not only his father's property but an abiding attachment to the land where he, too, spent much of his life, and where his friends included James Madison and James Monroe, two other future presidents. His presence is very much felt today in what the locals call "Mr. Jefferson's Country."It was in Charlottesville that Thomas Jefferson built his famous mountaintop home, Monticello; selected the site for and helped plan James Monroe's Ash Lawn-Highland house near Monticello; designed his "academical village," the University of Virginia; and died at home. "All my wishes end where I hope my days will end," he wrote, "at Monticello."Established in 1762 as the county seat for Albemarle, Charlottesville had its Court Square complete with courthouse, jail, whipping post, pillory, and stocks to keep fractious citizens in line. The courthouse doubled as marketplace and served as a church as well, with rotating services for different denominations (Jefferson called it the "Common Temple"). Elections were held in Court Square followed by raucous political celebrations. Needless to say, the taverns across the street were well patronized.Along with Madison, who lived at Montpelier 25 miles north of Charlottesville, Jefferson and Monroe were instrumental in developing the emerging nation. In addition to writing the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson advocated freedom of religion and public education. And though he never freed his own slaves (it's now established through DNA testing that he sired a child with Sally Hemings, his slave mistress), he believed slavery should be abolished.Charlottesville today is a growing cosmopolitan center, attracting an increasing number of rich and famous folks like author John Grisham. But its prime attractions are still Thomas Jefferson and his magnificent creations.

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