Laurel Ridge near Barboursville in Albemarle County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Southwest Mountains Rural Historic District

Photographed by Kevin W., March 6, 2011

1. Southwest Mountains Rural Historic District Marker

Inscription. Extending from the Orange County line on the north to the outskirts of Charlottesville with the Southwest Mountains forming its spine, this historic district encompasses more than 31,000 acres and contains some of the Piedmont’s most pristine and scenic countryside. Thomas Jefferson often traveled along the eastern side of the Southwest Mountains to Philadelphia and Washington, D. C. and referred to the mountains as the “Eden of the United States.” The district includes a broad range of 18th through early 20th century rural architecture, reflecting the evolving cultural patterns of more than 250 years of settlement. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

Erected 2005 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number GA-42.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Natural Features. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #03 Thomas Jefferson, and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1992.

Location. 38° 6.938′ N, 78° 20.822′ W. Marker is near Barboursville, Virginia,

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in Albemarle County. It is in Laurel Ridge. It is at the intersection of Stony Point Road (State Highway 20) and Turkey Sag Road (County Road 640), on the right when traveling west on Stony Point Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4370 Stony Point Rd, Barboursville VA 22923, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Piedmont

and in Central Virginia.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Castle Hill (approx. 4 miles away); Proffit Historic District (approx. 4.2 miles away); Grace Episcopal Church (approx. 4.3 miles away); St. John School — Rosenwald Funded (approx. 4.6 miles away); Barboursville Ruins

Photographed by Kevin W., March 6, 2011

2. Southwest Mountains Rural Historic District Marker

(approx. 4.8 miles away); James Barbour, 1775-1842 (approx. 5 miles away); Maury’s School (approx. 5.1 miles away); Governor James Barbour (approx. 5.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Barboursville.

Also see . . . Southwest Mountains National Register Rural Historic District Map. (Submitted on November 5, 2011, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia.)

Panorama of the Southwest Mountains Rural Historic District image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Paul Crumlish, September 12, 2009

3. Panorama of the Southwest Mountains Rural Historic District

Old Keswick (1736, 1818, 1832) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Paul Crumlish, October 22, 2011

4. Old Keswick (1736, 1818, 1832)

Originally built as a hunting lodge for a nearby estate, it has been expanded several times to become the center piece for an 550 acre equestrian estate.

Clover Fields (1848) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Paul Crumlish, October 22, 2011

5. Clover Fields (1848)

Built on one of the original land grants in Albemarle County, it has been home to the Meriwether family for eleven generations. Explorer Meriwether Lewis's mother, Lucy Meriwether, was born here. His father, William Lewis, is buried in the family graveyard on the estate. The current house was completed in 1848.

Edgeworth (1837) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Paul Crumlish, June 16, 2012

6. Edgeworth (1837)

One of the largest antebellum plantation houses in Albemarle County. It was built on the site of the Rev. James Maury parsonage, where Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe received their early education.

Castalia stone barn complex (1929) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Paul Crumlish, June 16, 2012

7. Castalia stone barn complex (1929)

Tudor Revival style random rubble stone barn at the heart of the working farm.

East Belmont (1834) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by PaulwC3, June 8, 2013

8. East Belmont (1834)

Built on the land farmed since the 1730s, the first house was built around 1811, with the current Federal style mansion built in 1834.

Grace Church (1896) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Paul Crumlish, September 12, 2009

9. Grace Church (1896)

Added to the National Register of Historic Places (1976)

Keswick Hunt Club (1898) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Paul Crumlish, June 16, 2012

10. Keswick Hunt Club (1898)

A late Eclectic Victorian hunt club remains the social center of the area for over one hundred years.

The ruins of the A.J. Bell store image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Paul Crumlish, September 12, 2009

11. The ruins of the A.J. Bell store

Representative of the abandoned commercial buildings throughout the area is the the A. J. Bell store, located in Cobham, next to the Chesapeake & Ohio rail line.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 9, 2011, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,419 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 9, 2011, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 4, 2011, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia. 6, 7. submitted on June 16, 2012, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia. 8. submitted on June 8, 2013, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia. 9. submitted on November 4, 2011, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia. 10. submitted on June 16, 2012, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia. 11. submitted on September 12, 2009, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.