New Albemarle Areas on the National Register of Historic Places

The Southern Albemarle Rural Historic District has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places as of this month. It is the largest Historic District in the eastern United States, comprising 83,627 acres which contain 2,169 historic buildings, structures, sites, or objects, created in the period from 1729 to 1955.

In addition, the Martha Jefferson Neighborhood District, containing 118 historic buildings and structures, and Carr's Hill, the University of Virginia President's House, have also been added to the list.

Dec. 15, 10:30 am - Book Signing at New Dominion Bookshop

Hi, all -- I'll be at the New Dominion Bookshop for one hour (or more if people keep buying books!) on Saturday. The Guide is a great gift for Christmas, especially if it's dedicated to that special person! See you there ...

Virginia Festival of the Book, March 2008

I'm very excited! I just found out that I will be a participant in the Virginia Festival of the Book this coming spring. I'll be on a panel of authors talking about writing travel books. More details will be forthcoming on the Festival's website at http://www.vabook.org/.

First Saturday Bird Walk -- Ivy Creek Natural Area

Greet December with a free early morning bird walk at 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 1st, led by Teresa Shaner of the Monticello Bird Club. Meet at the parking lot of Ivy Creek Natural Area off Earlysville Road. For more information, call 434-973-7772 or check ivycreekfoundation.org

Monticello Holiday Signature Tours - December 2007

These are hour-long, small-group house tours (including the Dome Room, which is never included in the standard 20-minute tour), which offer visitors an intimate look at how the holidays were celebrated in Jefferson's time, plus the rare opportunity to experience Monticello after dark. $40. 5:30pm and 5:45pm. Tickets required and must be purchased in advance. 434-984-9822. Check the Monticello website for more information and exact dates. http://www.monticello.org/visit/holiday_signaturetours.html

Cut Your Own Christmas Tree at Ash Lawn-Highland

Every year Ash Lawn-Highland, the former home of President James Monroe, invites local families to come cut their own Christmas tree on the Ash Lawn-Highland property. This year, the fun begins on Saturday, November 24th, and goes through December 24th. Cutting is permitted from 11 am to 4 pm daily. A donation, which will be used to help preserve the historic Monroe home, is requested. Check in at the Gift Shop for directions to the cutting fields.

Holiday Open House at Wintergreen Winery

Wintergreen Winery in Nellysford is having a Holiday Open House on Friday, November 23rd, from 10am to 5pm. Free wine tastings. For more information and directions, see the Wintergreen Winery website: http://www.wintergreen-winery.com/

Free Stuff!

I'm very excited about the free stuff I just added to my author's website (www.jeancooper.com). One item is a free website that helps researchers find genealogical materials in the University of Virginia Library.

The newest item is My Favorite Places in Historic Tidewater Virginia, a supplement to my guide to Charlottesville and Albemarle County. This is a set of tours that were cut from the original manuscript because of page limitations, but which I believe are worthwhile for the traveler to the Tidewater area. Therefore, I offer it to you free, to go with my guide. Enjoy!

A Taste of Virginia, Nov. 5, Charlottesville

The Inaugural Virginia AgriTourism Conference is being held in Charlottesville on Nov. 5-6th, at the Doubletree Hotel and Conference Center.

Registration for the conference itself is $85. However, on Monday, Nov. 5th, from 5:30-7:30 pm, the public is invited to A Taste Of Virginia reception. Tickets for A Taste of Virginia cost $5. For more information on the public reception, check out the website.

Virginia Film Festival 2007: Kin Flicks - Nov. 1-4

Next weekend is the 20th Virginia Film Festival, with the theme "Kin Flicks." Tickets are still available from the Festival website.

Apple Tasting at Tufton Farm, Oct. 27

As one of its annual fall events, Monticello is holding an "Apple Tasting" at Tufton Farm on Oct. 27. As it says on the Monticello calendar, "Tom Burford, Professor Apple, will provide numerous apple varieties, each introduced with a discussion of their history and culture. Participants will taste, savor, and, most importantly, rate each apple. Reservations required. Meets at 9:30 a.m. at the Tufton Farm nursery." Cost is $10 per person.

This is a great chance to see a Jefferson property that isn't always open to the public.

For more information about Monticello events (including Montalto tours), see the Monticello site (Interesting Links in the sidebar), and look at the calendar.

Where to Get My Book, or Amazon.com v. Barnes and Noble

If you look to the sidebar under "Buy the Book," you'll see links for both Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com. Barnes & Noble has the book for $17.99 ($16.19 for B&N club members). I was told that, for some reason, Amazon is slow to get books from the History Press into its warehouses, so there are no new copies available. There is, however, a "used--like new" copy available on Amazon from an independent seller for $94.87. (Ed. note: These prices were good as of 10/19/2007.) Do not ask me why the seller decided on that price. I don't even know if that's one of the copies I signed! But I have to admit, I'm kind of flattered that I'm considered collectible.

If you're in Charlottesville or nearby, you can get copies at New Dominion Bookshop on the Downtown Mall and Barnes & Noble at Barracks Road Shopping Center. In Lynchburg, you can get them at Givens Books (where I'll be signing books tomorrow from 1-3pm).

Enjoy!

Crozet Music Festival, Oct. 20, 11am-8pm

Here's another event that sounds like fun in Central Virginia. This Music Festival is being held at Crozet Park, and features blue-grass musicians such as the Hogwaller Ramblers, Terri Allard, and the Sons of Bill. Check out their website for details.

Chocolate Festival, Charlottesville, Saturday, Oct 20, 10am-4pm

Imagine my surprise when I found a notice for a Chocolate Festival on the Virginia Tourism website!

A whole day devoted to chocolate! (I think I may have seen Nirvana.) The site is Lee Park, at Market St. and First St. NE in Charlottesville (across the street from McIntyre Library -- the home of the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society).

The program will include chocolate tastings, learning more about chocolate and its history, a 5K run/2 mile walk (the better to work off those chocolate calories!), a variety of children’s activities, and baking contests. The site is handicap-accessible.

Charlottesville Spirit Walk - Oct. 26-28, 2007

Every year right around Halloween, the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society has a Spirit Walk. The Spirit Walk is a guided history tour of historic Charlottesville.

Here's the information on the ACHS website:

"This year's Spirit Walk takes place on the evenings of October 26th, 27th and 28th. Tickets go on sale September 24th at the Society, and are $12 for adults, and $5 for children under 12 for tours before 8:00 p.m. Tours leave from the County Courthouse every 15 minutes."

For more information on the Spirit Walk, check out the ACHS site at http://www.albemarlehistory.org/spirit_walk_PR.htm. While you are there, why not take a look at the other wonderful online resources provided by ACHS as well.

Ideas for the Second Edition

I've received a number of positive comments from people who've bought the Guide. However, some people are also telling me I forgot their favorite place in the county ...

Unfortunately, the publisher limited the book to 140 pages so that it would be useful as a portable guide, and I had to cut some of my favorite spots.

If your favorite Albemarle or Charlottesville site is missing, and you want to recommend a place that you think visitors should see while they are here, please email me (my email address is on my profile page) and tell me about it. I'm already thinking of a second edition ... or a second volume!

UVa Fall Lecture Series - James Madison and Robert E. Lee

Here are two lecture series sponsored by the University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies:

The first is "Madison and Montpelier" - about James Madison, the Father of the U.S. Constitution, and his famous home, Montpelier. Lectures on Tuesdays, Sept. 18 through Oct. 30, 2007, 7-9 pm, plus a Saturday after-hours event at Montpelier on October 20. Cost: $125.

The second, "Robert E. Lee at 200," explores Lee's life and his place in the memory of the nation. Lecturers include Gary W. Gallagher, Robert K. Krick, William C. Davis, and J. Holt Merchant. Wednesdays, Sept. 26 through Oct. 31, 2007, 7-9 pm. Cost: $110.

Register at www.uvaenrichment.info or call 434.982.5316

Special Event: New Dominion Bookstore

New Dominion Bookshop on the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville is sponsoring my first signing, which will take place on Sept. 6, 2007, from noon until 1 p.m. I hope that many of you can join me there.

An Introduction

I'm very happy to announce that my book, A Guide to Historic Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia, will be available at the end of August, 2007, from the History Press of Charleston, SC.

This year has been a bit of a whirlwind. One day, I was calmly working at my computer, the next, I was doing research on this book. Along the way, I have learned more about Albemarle County and its history than I could ever have imagined; enough, in fact, to write a book twice the size of The Guide.