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Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau Announces Launch of New Podcast

New podcast launch provides local perspectives on 250th anniversary of America in coordination with local 250th committee

June 26, 2025

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – The Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau (CACVB) and the VA250 Charlottesville-Albemarle-Scottsville committee have officially launched a new podcast: Founding Footprints: Tracing America’s Journey in Charlottesville & Albemarle County, in honor of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, and the Independence of the United States in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The podcast, co-produced by historian Dr. Benjamin Bernard and WTJU 91.1 FM, is a project of the local VA250 committee, which CACVB leads on behalf of the communities of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and the Town of Scottsville.

Through Founding Footprints, listeners will hear directly from the organizations, businesses, and individuals who bring history to life for area residents and visitors. The first episode, From Tobacco Fields to Richmond Markets: James River Batteau Company, is available now on the Virginia Audio Collective site, as well as on most major streaming networks. New podcast episodes will be released every two to three weeks between June and the end of 2025.

“What's impressed me most through interviewing public history practitioners is the remarkable depth and diversity of historical knowledge and community engagement in the Charlottesville area—from writers and museum directors to archaeologists, from historic chefs to boat captains, these experts share a passion for lively stories from the past and a sense of the significance of the 2026 anniversary moment,” says Benjamin Bernard, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Research Associate and Lecturer at the University of Virginia.

Additionally, each podcast episode will be accompanied by a two- to three-day suggested itinerary, which expands on the episode topic and encourages visitation and in-person exploration of history throughout Charlottesville and Albemarle County.  You can find the first itinerary on the CACVB’s new dedicated landing page.

“The goal of the Founding Footprints project is three-fold: to share an approachable, inclusive history of Charlottesville and Albemarle, to tie that history to the work of local organizations’ experiences, and to serve as a record of our community and culture at this moment in the national semi-quincentennial anniversary,” says Courtney Cacatian, Executive Director of the CACVB. “This project was selected and approved by our local committee with wide participation from local government employees and elected officials; area schools; non-profits such as the Jefferson Madison Regional Library, the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, and the Thomas Jefferson Foundation; and regional businesses.

Founding Footprints is funded by the CACVB and matched through a grant from the VA250 Marketing Leverage Program, a reimbursable grant program of the Virginia Tourism Corporation that leverages existing marketing dollars to carry out a targeted, research-based marketing plan promoting America’s 250th commemoration. The CACVB partnered with the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, Amtrak-Virginia, Dr. Benjamin Bernard, and WTJU 91.1 FM to apply for this grant on behalf of the local VA250 committee.

The grant also funded marketing to attract out-of-town attendees for the 4th Annual C’ville Puzzle Hunt, which was held on March 15, 2025. The event’s theme focused on factors that led to the Revolutionary War and wartime espionage.

Nathan Moore, General Manager at WTJU, shares his thoughts. “I'm so pleased that WTJU 91.1 FM can amplify both famous and lesser-known stories of Charlottesville in the American Revolution. The Cville Puzzle Hunt brings together close to 1,000 people for an afternoon of whimsical and challenging puzzles, with clues based around real historical people and themes. It's an unusual format, but attendees love learning about American history through puzzle-solving play.”

Residents should be proud of this area’s efforts to bring history to life through the podcast and puzzle hunt, which are timely and attractive to a wide range of audiences. Explore the region’s efforts at visitcharlottesville.org.


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About the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau (CACVB) welcomes thousands of visitors to the region each year from all over the world who are seeking a variety of unique experiences in history, food, wine, spirits, and adventure. The CACVB serves as the global resource for marketing the tourism assets of the City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle, and assists tour operators, meeting planners, and other groups in planning visits to the destination. The CACVB’s mission is to enhance the economic prosperity of the people of the City and County by promoting, selling, and marketing the area as a destination, in pursuit of the meetings and tourism markets.