We spent some time in Charlottesville, Virginia, with the main purpose of seeing Thomas Jefferson's home called Monticello, though we did visit James Monroe's Highland (only two miles away from the Jefferson residence) and did take a morning walk through downtown Charlottesville. Here's what we saw on our walk.
We parked near a geocache, Controversial Art, in the heart of the city. The name of the cache is based on the monument where it is located. Lewis and Clark are depicted looking nobly to the west as Sacajawea crouches on the side.
As is clear from the picture above, we did visit in the morning with the rising sun right behind the statue looking west. Better shots came from the sides.
The controversy is over the subservient depiction of Sacajawea, who was the main guide and translator for the two explorers. Her role was much more significant than the statue suggests. To ameliorate the situation, the city invited two descendants of Sacajawea to write text for a plaque put in her honor in 2009.
Across the street is a federal building that has all the blandness of a government office building.
We started walking toward the University of Virginia and saw a large mural in an alleyway.
A Cheyenne man is depicted on the mural. The artist used a 1927 photograph as the basis for his work.
We tried to find another geocache without success but did see a good looking church building. It wasn't open otherwise I would have snuck inside.
Just before getting to the university, we saw a statue dedicated to George Rogers Clark. The pedestal claims that Clark was the "Conqueror of the Northwest," which seems dubious since none of us had heard of him. He fought during the American War for Independence and he took over the area north of the Ohio up to the Great Lakes, the area then being called the Northwest Territory. It was ceded to America by England in the Treaty of Paris (1783). Clark died in Louisville in 1818. He was born locally, so that's why the statue is here.
We knew we were very close to the university when we saw a giant book store that sold text books. Somehow my family stopped me from going. I'm sure they realized I could spend the whole rest of the day perusing volumes!
We saw young people pouring through some gates that were clearly the entrance to the campus. We used the same gates.
The main thing we wanted to see on campus was the Rotunda. It was designed by Jefferson in imitation of an ancient temple he saw in Europe. We went inside, but just to use the bathroom.
The Rotunda is at one end of a grassy mall that served as the original college. We saw a lot of tour groups coming through the area. Most likely they were high school students checking out UVA as a possible college.
The buildings had some fun decorative bits.
We also saw Brooks Hall, which we assumed was a science building based on the name of Aristotle over the front and a bunch of more contemporary scientists around the sides of the building (along with some impressive animal head sculptures).
After all this walking, we wanted to get a snack. We wandered off campus and found a coffee shop (Grit Coffee) with some in-house made treats that were wonderful.
We had a fun walk and thought there was plenty more to see if we ever visit again. The kids are a long way from college, but that time will come faster than we think.
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| Front view of the statue |
As is clear from the picture above, we did visit in the morning with the rising sun right behind the statue looking west. Better shots came from the sides.
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| Sacajawea's side |
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| The other side |
The controversy is over the subservient depiction of Sacajawea, who was the main guide and translator for the two explorers. Her role was much more significant than the statue suggests. To ameliorate the situation, the city invited two descendants of Sacajawea to write text for a plaque put in her honor in 2009.
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| Info on her contribution |
Across the street is a federal building that has all the blandness of a government office building.
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| Boring offices |
We started walking toward the University of Virginia and saw a large mural in an alleyway.
 |
| Street art not directly on the street |
A Cheyenne man is depicted on the mural. The artist used a 1927 photograph as the basis for his work.
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| Slightly better look at the mural (hard to get a good shot in an alley) |
We tried to find another geocache without success but did see a good looking church building. It wasn't open otherwise I would have snuck inside.
 |
| Cool church |
Just before getting to the university, we saw a statue dedicated to George Rogers Clark. The pedestal claims that Clark was the "Conqueror of the Northwest," which seems dubious since none of us had heard of him. He fought during the American War for Independence and he took over the area north of the Ohio up to the Great Lakes, the area then being called the Northwest Territory. It was ceded to America by England in the Treaty of Paris (1783). Clark died in Louisville in 1818. He was born locally, so that's why the statue is here.
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| George Clark memorial |
We knew we were very close to the university when we saw a giant book store that sold text books. Somehow my family stopped me from going. I'm sure they realized I could spend the whole rest of the day perusing volumes!
 |
| Book store! |
We saw young people pouring through some gates that were clearly the entrance to the campus. We used the same gates.
 |
| Gate of the university |
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| Words above the gate |
The main thing we wanted to see on campus was the Rotunda. It was designed by Jefferson in imitation of an ancient temple he saw in Europe. We went inside, but just to use the bathroom.
 |
| The Rotunda |
The Rotunda is at one end of a grassy mall that served as the original college. We saw a lot of tour groups coming through the area. Most likely they were high school students checking out UVA as a possible college.
 |
| Mall with groups in the distance |
The buildings had some fun decorative bits.
 |
| A little relief at college is welcome |
We also saw Brooks Hall, which we assumed was a science building based on the name of Aristotle over the front and a bunch of more contemporary scientists around the sides of the building (along with some impressive animal head sculptures).
 |
| Brooks Hall |
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| Rhino protecting Lyell, Scotish Geologist |
After all this walking, we wanted to get a snack. We wandered off campus and found a coffee shop (Grit Coffee) with some in-house made treats that were wonderful.
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| Enjoying a blueberry muffin |
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| My apple pastry |
We had a fun walk and thought there was plenty more to see if we ever visit again. The kids are a long way from college, but that time will come faster than we think.
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