Episode 3 Itinerary: Explore Lesser-Known History (Local Stories and Personal Roots)

We’ve put together an itinerary that helps you explore the Historical Society and similar organizations whose work influences our understanding of the past in Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

Listen to the Founding Footprints podcast HERE or on your favorite audio streaming platform.

Itinerary Length: 2.5 – 3 days

Day 1: Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society

In the Founding Footprints interview with Executive Director Olivia Brown, she describes the Historical Society as “small, but mighty”. Its thousands of holdings include books, manuscripts and pamphlets, historic maps, photographs and paintings like Frances Brand’s Gallery of Firsts, audio recordings, archaeological artifacts, and everyday objects, such as textiles, glassware, and advertising ephemera. All of which convey the histories of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, its residents and visitors, through decades of development.

1. Check out the Research Library

Housed in the 1921 McIntire Building, the Library serves as a resource for members of the public interested in conducting research. Two of the Library’s most useful and used tools: vertical files on a wide range of local topics and its guide on how to search property records. Not sure what to expect? Feel free to visit during regular hours, Monday – Friday, 8 am - 4 pm.

Ready to start a research project? Email library@albemarlehistory.org to make an appointment. ACHS staff and volunteers can meet 1:1 and help point you in the right direction. They may recommend other local collections, like the Ready Reference and Local History Resources at the University of Virginia Special Collections Library Reading Room.

2. Take a Tour

Plan for guided walking tours by the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society to relaunch this fall. In the meantime, stop by the ACHS to pick up a printed copy of the self-guided Historic Charlottesville Walking Tour map, which explores Downtown Charlottesville, including Court Square, one of the oldest parts of the City, and the history of Vinegar Hill.

3. Attend an Event

ACHS is one of many organizations in the area, including the Central Virginia History Researchers, Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, Preservation Piedmont, Rare Book School, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library at UVA, and Virginia Humanities, that regularly host talks and public programs.

Cemeteries serve many roles. Gravestones chronicle the lives and relationships of decedents, often in just a handful of words and dates. Memorials highlight changes in societal fashions and symbols of grief. Of course, tombstones also act as physical markers, so family members can find where their loved ones and ancestors are buried. In some cases, cemeteries are spaces set apart for solace and quiet reflection. In others, cemeteries are embedded in the fabric of neighborhoods and utilized as public parks.

4. Walk around Maplewood, Daughters of Zion, and UVA Cemeteries

Can you identify the oldest graves? Look for names of families that now grace businesses, streets, and buildings in Virginia and beyond. Are there signs of neglect or mistreatment? Remember to be respectful!

Day 2: We Are Family

Genealogy and property records are the most requested information from the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society. Consider: what stories and objects has your family preserved over the years? How do they affect your sense of self and your connection to the people and events that came before you? What is missing? What do public records reveal about your collective story?

Local research projects like Take Them in Families, Bleak House Plantation, and Virginia Emigrants to Liberia trace individual ancestors through property records and deed books, ships lists, and the letters of others (often people whose personal paperwork was deemed important by society and historians at the time).

1. Get Word

Learn more about Getting Word, an oral history project, which collects, records, and preserves the family histories of those enslaved at Monticello.

All admission options at Monticello provide access to the extensive grounds and exhibits at the visitor center and mountaintop. Admission also includes guided walking tours focusing on the gardens and the legacies of slavery at Monticello. Don’t miss the following spaces!

The South Wing, where you can find displays about Sally Hemings, Monticello's enslaved cooks, and Getting Word;
Mulberry Row, the industrial and manufacturing center of the Mountaintop; and
The Contemplative Site, which offers a place for reflection while visiting.

You can also pay your respects at the Burial Ground for Enslaved People at Monticello.

2. Honor Those Who Labored

Visit the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers at UVA. This sculptural monument is a moving tribute to the thousands of enslaved individuals who worked at the University between 1817 and 1865. It is also an ongoing research project in collaboration with the Descendants of Enslaved Communities at UVA. Memory marks stand ready to be inscribed with names as they are discovered. You can request a Descendant-led tour of the Memorial for your family or group.

3. Embrace the Traditions of Others

Dine at these family-owned and -operated restaurants where the menus reflect personal travels and adventures as well as recipes shared and adapted through generations: Arepas Steakhouse, Beer Run, La Flor Michoacana, Mai Tea Vietnamese Cuisine, Monsoon Siam, Pearl Island Catering & Café, Praha Bohemian Bakery & Cafe, and Smyrna.

4. Bring the Family Together

Consider hosting your own extended family reunion here. Whether you have deep roots in Virginia or are looking for a new place to gather, Charlottesville and Albemarle County offer a wealth of event venues, group activities, and welcoming accommodations. Start making plans here.

Day 3: Pieces of the Puzzle

Researching history is very much like solving puzzles. Historians, whether professionals or passionate hobbyists, amass evidence from what clues remain. They uncover information, taking into account perspectives of period and place. They interpret what they have learned to answer a question, grow a family tree, or form a narrative.

Charlottesville and Albemarle County are rich with history and fun opportunities for visitors who live to learn and love to geek out on mysteries, trivia, and brainteasers.

1. Escape to the Past

Decipher messages, unravel mysteries, and learn about history! Unlocked History Escape Rooms feature stories about the 1781 British invasion of Charlottesville, Allied spies in France on the eve of the D-Day Invasion, and UVA alumnus Edgar Allan Poe. Rated PG and PG-13 and A+ for problem solving and teamwork.

2. Puzzle Your Pints

Combine stops at 4 craft breweries along Preston Avenue with music-themed conundrums and clues. Puzzled Bee also offers a more challenging wine and cider crawl, with puzzles based on Civil War espionage.

3. Test Out Your Trivia Knowledge

Check the latest schedule for Trivia with Olivia – yeah, that Olivia, and bring your thinking cap. Geeks Who Drink lead trivia at Random Row Brewing Co on Sundays and at Firefly on Tuesdays. King Family Vineyards stays open until 8:30 pm on Wine Wednesdays, with weekly trivia beginning at 6 pm and food trucks serving dinner from 4 pm to 7:30 pm.

Look for future episodes of Founding Footprints and make your travel plans now. Charlottesville and Albemarle County offer a variety of places to stay including resorts, inns, B&Bs, hotels, and vacation rentals – so you can book the lodging that aligns with your travel preferences.

Places to Stay Charlottesville and Albemarle County offer visitors a wide variety of places to stay, including resorts, hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, cabins, and vacation rentals. Learn More

Visit our Mobile Visitor Centers for maps, recommendations, and more!