Charlottesville in 1825.
From an old letter the following
description of Charlottesville is quoted.
"The site of the village is upon the
summit of a gentle elevation which
begins to rise from the foot of Monticello.
It contains a court house, a half
finished church, and three or four taverns,
which constitute the whole of its
public buildings. It covers a limited
portion of ground, and from its appearance,
may number six hundred inhabitants.
When a traveller arrives in the
village, he is struck with the sublime,
beautiful and picturesque scenery
which everywhere surrounds him, and
he pauses to contemplate with eager
curiosity the magnificent prospect
which meets his view. He forgets
there is such a place as Charlottesville
in existence when he casts his eye
upon mountain after mountain rising
in regular succession, and whose lofty
summits mingle with the sky till they
are lost in the distance. At one time
the tops of these lofty hills are enveloped
in clouds, and at others when
the glorious King of Day sinks behind
them, and tinges with golden rays
their elevated heads, it calls forth an
unfeigned burst of admiration. The
pure, unadulterated air which descends
into this village, surrounded
with these mountains, gives infallable
token that the best of all earthy blessings,
health, dwells among them."
