In the early 1700's, settlers traveled the major east-west route from Richmond to a pass in the Blue Ridge Mountains named Wood's Gap. This thoroughfare, called the Three Notch'd Road, threaded its way through the Southwest Mountains east of the current town at the Rivanna River Gap, following an Indian hunting path through the region.

In Colonial Albemarle County the sole point of civic focus was the courthouse and its enclosing square of shops and taverns, with a mercantile area emerging along Main Street several blocks below the courthouse. The hilly terrain led to the development of several independent and nearly disconnected neighborhoods within close proximity to the downtown area. Throughout the early 1800's, business activity and urban development slowly began to shift from Court Square down to the Three Notch'd Road, now called Main Street.

In 1850, the Louisa Railroad Company (later the Virginia Central and then the Chesapeake and Ohio) was the first to arrive in Charlottesville. In 1858, the railroad connected with the Shenandoah Valley through new tunnels in the Blue Ridge Mountains, facilitating a major expansion in the shipment of goods and raw materials through Charlottesville.

Charlottesville saw expansion and prosperity with the increasing availability of good transportation. In the mid-1970's, the city decided to eliminate car traffic on Main Street downtown in favor of exclusive pedestrian access, with the construction of the Mall as a part of a larger urban renewal strategy. A strong economic base exists to this day.

Charlottesville (2004 population estimate of 36,605) has earned a reputation as a writers' and readers' paradise, with more newspaper readers per capita than anywhere else in the nation. The annual Virginia Festival of the Book attracts thousands to the Charlottesville area.

Charlottesville, VA has been listed among Money magazine's 100 best places to live for four years in a row, and it has been the most highly ranked city in Virginia each year. The University of Virginia Health Systems provides medical research and training that is renowned worldwide. Complementing the mix with their strong community focus is the Martha Jefferson Hospital, providing a comprehensive women's health center and oncology center. The area also supports a variety of specialists in traditional and non-traditional medical fields.

Many major employers consider the Charlottesville area to be a strategic location, among them: GE Fanuc, Inova Corporation, Lexis Publishing, Litton Sperry Marine Services, Martha Jefferson Hospital, National Optronics, SNL Securities, Pepsi Cola Bottling Company and Wachovia Bank.

Charlottesville, Virginia abounds in educational opportunities as home to the famed University of Virginia, as well as Piedmont Virginia Community College. Charlottesville, Virginia City Schools provide a place for every child to learn with a low student/teacher ratio and a high commitment to success.

The city of Charlottesville, VA offers 23 neighborhood parks, movie theaters, museums, a year-round ice skating rink and the McIntire Skateboard Park, which consists of ramps, jumps, and boxes. A thriving art, music and theater community keeps the creative spirit alive in Charlottesville. The downtown pedestrian mall is a magnet for art, music, dining, shopping, and entertainment. Other popular activities in the area include tennis, golf (The Birdwood Golf Course and Meadow Creek Golf Course are both well know venues), horseback riding, fishing, biking, camping, hunting and hiking, which takes on a whole new avenue for adventure at Fortune's Cove Preserve. This 755 acre preserve, situated within some 29,000 acres of relatively intact forest habitat, provides a challenging hike, and rewards visitors with stunning mountain vistas. Wine-tasting is popular at Beaver Creek Lake, Chris Greene Lake, Hardware River and Rivanna River

Tourism plays an important role in the Charlottesville, VA's economy, much of it based on its rich historical legacy. On a nearby mountain sits Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson and a celebrated emblem of his genius. Ash Lawn-Highland, home of James Monroe, which features beautiful gardens and furnishings reflecting the Federal style, is just a few miles away. The Virginia Discovery Museum downtown provides interactive exhibits for children and adults to enjoy together.

The Charlottesville area has wonderful library resources. Aside from the municipal Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Network , there is the Piedmont Virginia Community College Jessup Library, and the extensive network of field specific libraries that are a part of the University of Virginia Libraries.

Charlottesville, Virginia appears to be an urban center that got it right a few decades ago, and is now reaping the rewards of its foresight. Its one of the state of Virginia's shining stars.

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