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1939 Map of Charlottesville

Name: 1939 Topographic Map of Charlottesville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1939
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1939

About this map

The Southwest Mountains anchor this 1930s landscape, providing a dramatic backdrop to the historic estates and evolving infrastructure of Albemarle County. Thomas Jefferson's legacy is central to the sheet, with Monticello prominently featured overlooking the Rivanna River and the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad corridor. The map captures the region before mid-century modernization, showing a dense network of rural landmarks such as the Albemarle Training Sch and the Rosenwald Sch, reflecting the era's segregated educational landscape.

Transportation patterns are defined by the convergence of the Southern and Chesapeake and Ohio rail lines at Charlottesville, while the Spotswood Trail and Jefferson Highway facilitate movement through the foothills. From the northern reaches of Ruckersville to the southeastern prong of Mechunk Creek, the map details a world of country churches like Chestnut Grove Ch and small mill settlements including Advance Mills, documenting a traditional Piedmont economy transitioning toward the modern era.