The Red Lands Club.
The Red Lands Club of this city
was organized in February, 1905. It
has just moved from its quarters on
Jefferson street to its fine new home
on Park street opposite the Courthouse.
The premises are fitted throughout in
the most elaborate manner and are a
credit to the city. It may be interesting
to note that on the site of this
building formerly stood the ancient
Swan Tavern conducted by old John
Jewett and his son. It is not generally
known to most of us that it was John
Jewett who rode forty miles from
Louisa Court House and gave the
alarm to Jefferson at Monticello and
to the Governor and Legislature of Virginia
then in session at the Courthouse
here, that the British under Tarleton
were on their way to capture them.
The body of Trooper Jewett lies buried
in the grounds in rear of the club
house. In the early part of the last
century a movement was on foot to
place a bronze tablet on the building
to the memory of this hero of whom so
little has been said or written. The
Red Lands is the swell and aristocratic
club of Charlottesville, and it is here
that the F. F. V's. of the masculine
gender meet o'nights in executive
session.
