Historical Guide to Old Charlottesville / With mention of its statues and of Albemarle's shrines

BUILDINGS ON THE SQUARE TOWN HALL

These old, early nineteenth-century houses have a grave and quaint charm of their own. At the corner of Park and East High Streets stands a large red brick building now known as the Park View Apartment, 350 Park Street. It was erected in 1851 “for the purpose of a town Hall.” Up to that time the lot had served as a playground for men and boys, and was known as the Battery. Later, the hall became the Levy Opera House, but with the coming of the movies its public functions declined.

SWAN TAVERN

The Red Land Club now occupies the site of one of the old buildings of the village, the famous Swan Tavern. The exact date of the tavern’s building is not known; the lot was bought in 1773. The building was a wooden structure with its painted sign of a swan hanging over the door. It was the home of the Jouett family. Jack Jouett, hero of the famous ride, lived here, and here the refugeeing members of the Virginia Legislature convened in 1781. In 1812 the tavern became known as the War Office, as military matters connected with that war were handled here. Following this, it gradually fell into decay and in 1832 collapsed. The present brick building was then erected.

SLAVE TRADE

Farish House. Now Old Wing of Monticello Hotel. J. Rawlings Thomson

Number Nothing (now Numbers 240-242 Court Square) is the original house on this lot. It was built in 1820; a double store, separately owned and handled. The name comes from the fact that at first the lot was intended for a horse lot. When it was sold the other lots had been numbered in rotation; a sequence was impossible, so Number Nothing was chosen. Traditions of the slave trade cluster here. Until some forty years ago there was on its Southern side, at the curb, a large stone, some eighteen inches high, by fifteen inches wide, and thirty long, which was known as the slave block. Here the village auctioneers long functioned, and doubtless when slaves were brought in, their dealers made use of these facilities. A fragment of an old sign may still be deciphered on this wall: “... and Bros. Auction Rooms.” The stone was unintentionally removed during recent street repairs.

VILLAGE LIBRARY

223 Court Square was built in 1815 as a store. Next, where Number 222 now stands, formerly stood two small wooden buildings. The first was a small, one-room affair, the village library. Mr. Jefferson made substantial contributions of books from his great collection. A few of these volumes, bearing both his signature and the stamp of the library, are preserved in the Alderman Library at the University.

SWISS WATCH-MAKER

The second little house was the shop of a Swiss watch-maker, who was induced to settle here by Mr. Jefferson, who at intervals brought in other European artisans: Italians to introduce wine-making, an Italian coach-builder, and stone-cutters to carve the capitols at the University.

EAGLE TAVERN

On the Square’s South side stood the famous Eagle Tavern. Its site is now the East wing of the Monticello Hotel. For almost two centuries this spot has been the site of a house of entertainment, and has never had any other use.

The date of the first building is not recorded. The lot was cut off and sold in 1765; the village then was two years old, and the lot was new. When sold for the second time, in 1791, it is described as a tavern. The building probably followed the first purchase.

The Eagle Tavern was a wooden, two-and-a-half story building, with the sign of the eagle displayed. A deep porch covered its front, and on this travelling peddlers habitually sold their goods: saddles, boots, dry goods, etc. This for some decades was an important item in the supplies of the village, but after 1835-36 it died away.

Later, this wooden structure was replaced by the present low brick building. The name became Eagle Hotel, and so continued until 1863, when it became the Farish House.

Of its use before the coming of the railways we are told that on court days 200 or more persons dined here, and in the stables and lot 250 horses were fed. Reminiscing, an early citizen wrote:

“In 1833 the price of board and lodging was ten dollars per month. The public room was a spacious hall, having in it a large open fireplace.... In one corner of this public room was the bar, having shelves on which were ranged decanters and bottles of the ardent—the elixir of life.... Our farmers sat down to a superb dinner, and cheerfully paid the landlord fifty cents for it—not as in the present times, when many bring snacks in their pockets and eat them while sitting at a fire kept up by the landlord for the guests of the hotel.”

As late as the 1790’s public dances were given here, and were attended by high and low, the different classes keeping to themselves, though without friction. (This mingling was doubtless due to the scarcity of music.) Here, too, the political parties celebrated their victories with great dinners, and endless speeches and toasts.

An old book gives this somewhat disconcerting glimpse of the village in 1818:

“SATAN’S THUMB”

In passing through the place in 1818, Dr. Conrad Speece attempted to preach at night in the court house, but nearly failed, due to the insufficient light, and the rudeness of the boys. He spent the night at the tavern, and such were the sentiments uttered by the prominent gentlemen, and such the conduct of the young men frequenting the tavern, that he said the next day: “When Satan promised all the kingdoms of the world to Christ, he laid his thumb on Charlottesville, and whispered, ‘except this place, which I reserve for my own especial use’.”

This old hostelry in its day housed all the great men of the vicinity, and a great many from a distance.

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