Charlottesville and Albemarle History and Research

The University of Virginia is located just east of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Central Virginia; our closest neighbors are the city of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. This guide describes resources and collections that illuminate the history of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and Central Virginia. While most of these resources are held at the University of Virginia Library, this guide will also point to resources at other libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations.

For additional research support on Charlottesville or Virginia, reach out to the University of Virginia Library Reference team or the University of Virginia Library Special Collections. 

Direct questions or feedback on this guide to the University of Virginia Library Reference Team via chat or email at library@virginia.edu. 

What's in this guide:

Use this guide to learn about researching Charlottesville and Albemarle County. You'll find information about archival collections, vital records, and where to find specific materials such as yearbooks. Most of these resources will be found at the UVA Library or UVA Library Small Special Collections, but some will be found in other places. 

Individuals and Families | Directories | Newspapers | Organizations | Businesses | Schools | Architectural History | Maps and Mapping | Photographs | Government Information, Vital Records, and Data | Cemeteries, Graveyards, and Further Burial Grounds |

The University of Virginia Library is open to faculty, staff, and students of the University, community members, researchers, and the general public. These tips will help you use the Library and its many services in the course of your research. 

Access

• Visitors are welcome to Library buildings for research during regular operating hours. 
• Visitors 16 years of age and older may register for a UVA Library card. Registration may be done online, or in person at any Library circulation desk. Please bring a photo ID to register. 
  • Learn more about Community Borrower circulation privileges.
• Many print materials are housed off-Grounds at the Ivy Stacks, and may take 2-3 business days to retrieve should you wish to check them out or see them in person. Please allow enough time for staff to retrieve these items while planning your visit.

Online Resources

• Many of the e-books, images, and other databases created by the UVA Library are generally freely available to all.
• Other resources may be covered by copyright, and require licensing to access. UVA Library holds licenses for many of these e-books, databases, and journals.
  • For non-UVA researchers, electronic access is restricted to UVA library buildings. 
  • Visitors can access research databases from public computer terminals or the UVA Guest wireless network. We encourage you to bring your own laptop or computing device, as Library computers are limited. Guess access to these public terminals requires a Library card, while the UVA Guest wireless network is open to all. 
  • Read more on using the Library's public computers.
  • Learn about connecting to the UVA Guest wireless network.

Preparing to Visit

• See the Library's current operating hours here; please note that many locations may have reduced hours over the summer and during academic holidays.
• View a map of Library locations, as well as parking information and walking directions to Library branches. 

Visiting other libraries on Grounds

• The School of Law Library is open to the public for research and study during weekday operating hours, and community borrower privileges apply. The Law Special Collections is accessible by appointment. Contact the UVA Reference Team or the Law Special Collections for more information 
• The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library is open to the public, and community borrower circulation policies apply. Note: walk-in reference services are not available.
  • Submit a consultation form for historical and archival questions.
  • View current operating schedule. 
  • The Eleanor Crowder Bjoring Center for Nursing Historical Inquiry is open to visitors and researchers by appointment. Browse their archival collections here.  
  • HSL's Historical Collections are available to visit in-person by appointment only. Browse their digital web exhibits, archival materials, and lecture series through their website. 
• The Camp Library at the Darden School of Business is located in the North Grounds area of the University. Their hours may vary; call before your visit to ensure that your desired materials will be accessible. 

The Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library houses the University of Virginia's rare books, manuscripts, archival records, broadsides, maps, photographs, audio and video recordings, and more. Collections are particularly strong in the history of Virginia and the University of Virginia. 

Efforts to digitize materials are ongoing, and many resources may be accessed digitally in Virgo or requested for scanning. However, most items are best used on-site. Use Virgo to search for items held by Special Collections. 

Learn to make requests, plan a visit, and use materials in-person at Special Collections. Materials are non-circulating, and may only be used on-site in a designated reading room; materials are not available for InterLibrary Loan.

Many organizations around the state hold strong collections in Virginia history. This list of highlights gives you a place to start as you learn more about Charlottesville and Central Virginia history. 

• Jefferson School--Dedicated to legacy of Charlottesville-Albemarle's African-American community. Includes information and exhibitions both digital and physical.
• Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society--Resources on the history of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, including books, manuscripts and pamphlets, clippings, maps, photographs, objects, and artifacts. 
• Library of Virginia--The official state library and archives, located in Richmond. Includes printed, manuscript, map, and photographic collections, both physical and digital. The Library of Virginia also manages the State Records Center, where inactive, non-permanent state and local records are housed.

• Archival Resources of the Virginias--A database of finding aids for manuscripts and archival materials located in Virginia.

• Cvillepedia--A Charlottesville/Albemarle collaborative encyclopedia dedicated to people, places, and events in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. 

• Scottsville Museum--the museum and archives for the town of Scottsville in Albemarle and Fluvanna Counties. 

• Encyclopedia Virginia--a multimedia resource comprised of topical and biographical entries on the history and culture of Virginia. A project of Virginia Humanities and the Library of Virginia.

• Virginia Museum of History and Culture--holds collections in printed and museum materials, and features exhibits about Virginia culture, history, and geography. Operated by the Virginia Historical Society. 

• Virginia Department of Historic Resources--the official office of historic preservation for the state of Virginia. Archives are the principal repository for survey files on architectural and archaeological sites, archaeological reports, and photographs concerning sites in Virginia. 

Race & Place: Oral History Projects is a collection of recorded oral histories from Black residents of Charlottesville, collected between 1982 and 2002. A collaboration between the Carter G. Woodson Institute, the Virginia Center for Digital History, and the University of Virginia. 

Virginia Historic Marker Database: See information about Virginia's Roadside Markers, which can be filtered by location, keyword, or route. 

Libra--UVA's open access institutional repository. This archive of scholarship created by members of the University community includes journal articles, datasets, theses, and dissertations. Learn more about Libra. 

LibGuides

UVA and Charlottesville LGBTQ+ History

Birdwood 

Untold Narratives of Albemarle County

University of Virginia History

This guide was written by Zoe Spellman, 2025.