Charlottesville
[key], city (2020 pop. 46,553), seat of Albemarle co., central Va., on the
Rivanna River, in a Piedmont farm region known for its apples; founded 1762,
chartered as a city 1888. Electronic and computer equipment are made there
and the Univ. of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson, is located in the
city (see Virginia, Univ.
of). British Gen. John Burgoyne's captured army was quartered
nearby in 1779–80, and in 1781 Sir Banastre Tarleton raided the city.
Nearby are Monticello, home
of Thomas Jefferson; Highland (later renamed Ash Lawn), the plantation of
James Monroe; the birthplaces of Meriwether Lewis and George Rogers Clark;
and Michie Tavern Museum. The Institute of Textile Technology is also
located there.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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