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1986 Map of Charlottesville

Name: 1986 Topographic Map of Charlottesville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1989
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1989

About this map

Monticello and the historic grounds of the University of Virginia anchor the southeastern portion of this landscape, reflecting the enduring legacy of Thomas Jefferson near Charlottesville. The map captures a sophisticated network of transportation and geography where the Blue Ridge mountains divide the rolling Piedmont from the Shenandoah Valley. Major rail lines including the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, Southern Railway, and Norfolk and Western Railway intersect the region, connecting industrial centers like Waynesboro and Harrisonburg to the outlying rural reaches of Albemarle County.

Further north, the high peaks of Shenandoah National Park, such as Hawksbill and Stony Man, are traversed by Skyline Drive. Significant historical sites are interspersed throughout the countryside, including Montpelier near Orange and Ash Lawn south of the city. The hydrology is dominated by the winding paths of the South Fork Shenandoah River and the Rivanna River, which shaped the early settlement patterns of villages like Port Republic and Free Union.