[MUSIC PLAYING]
(SINGING) A time it was, and what a time it was.
It was a time of innocence, a time of confidences.
Long ago, it must be.
I have a photograph.
Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you.
PRESENTER: It is difficult to consider
the renewal of a city like Charlottesville, Virginia
without considering the history and the development
of the city.
Local historian Bernard Chamberlain
summarizes the historic development of Charlottesville,
a heritage which must be greatly considered
and plans of redevelopment.
BERNARD CHAMBERLAIN: The history of Charlottesville
started pretty much right where I'm standing.
I'm standing at the moment in front of the Albemarle County
Historical Society Building museum
here, which was a law office of a great many distinguished
lawyers of the bar.
I'm looking across the way at the courthouse.
And over there, to the right of the courthouse,
is a literal plaque on the wall.
Rather, not a plaque, but a display stand.
And in that is a drawing of Charlottesville
with the buildings on it and the streets
as it existed in about 1828.
We come back to the origination of Charlottesville.
Of course, we have to go back a little further than that
to the origination of Albemarle county, which
was established out of [INAUDIBLE] in 1744,
created then and established by a ceremony down at Scotts ferry
in February of 1745.
In 1761, the various counties on the other side of the James
River, and the other side of the Rockfish River,
were taken from Albemarle county and made counters of their own.
We had to move the county seat to a new site near the center.
And this site here, between the Southwest mountains
and Blue Ridge Mountains on this hill where
we are right now in Court Square,
was chosen as a good site.
It was just verdant territory at that time.
It was a tailor patent at the moment.
And it was chosen, and a town was laid out for it.
And that was in 1762 that this town here
was established as the county seat of Albemarle county.
This is the old area, been around court square right now.
We had a regular rectangular arrangement.
We had four streets running east and west.
Where I'm standing on East Jefferson Street,
that was a first.
Some people think it must have been
named for Thomas Jefferson.
It couldn't have been, because Thomas Jefferson was only
a very young man at that time.
He was born in 1743, just in his early 20s.
His was named for his father, Peter Jefferson, of course.
Then we came down the street, and then we
had Market Street running east and west, as it does today.
Only about this side of the courthouse
is a very big market, big market right
in the center of the street, and that's how it got its name.
Then we had Main Street, because that was a continuation
of the Three Chopt road.
And then we had Water Street, which
was named because there's so many springs on it
down about 2nd Street West, where they came down,
and then they flowed across Main Street,
and down what is now Preston Avenue in the [INAUDIBLE]..
There was a great flow of water down at that time.
That was Water Street.
All right.
Then we had the streets going north and south.
We first had, not this one right here,
on the east side of the hotel building, because this
was just an alley, at that time, going back to the Eagle Tavern.
But the first street was over what is now Fist Street, right
in front of the courthouse.
And that was a properly named Court Street.
And then the next one was called School Street.
Let me see.
No, the next one was Union Street.
Next one was Union Street.
Then we came to School Street.
And then we came to Church Street, Green Street,
and finally Hill Street, right down where Christchurch
is now, and that way.
So you had what was 28 square, 7 times 4, four streets this way,
seven streets that way.
28 squares of 1 acre each divided into half acre lots.
Now that was in Jefferson's time that the new courthouse
was established.
And Jefferson called the common temple,
because everything met there.
It was the meeting hall for the whole town.
And that is the only courthouse in America
that had three presidents intimately and actively
associated with it at the same time.
It's a very unique situation that we have here
and part of our history that should be fully publicized.
Now the buildings around the square,
there was a storehouse here where the office
of Dave Wood and so forth are.
And then it became the city library,
which was next right here.
That's where my office is now.
Then we had, right opposite me, the site of Mr. [INAUDIBLE],,
the watchmaker.
And then we had the low office building here
that the old miser had for a long time.
And it was named [INAUDIBLE].
And he used to sell whiskey through a window that has been
taken away, handing it out.
And he was a weight collector of gold.
He wouldn't sell for anything less than gold.
And he supposedly buried it.
It's a long story on John [INAUDIBLE]..
Now right over here, as you can see
from that map that's on the wall over there, [INAUDIBLE],,
right over here was the Eagle Tavern.
That was a frame building with a wide front porch
and extended about the whole width of what
is now the annex of the hotels, we call it.
Originally, the Colonial Hotel.
Before that, Ferrish House.
Different names that it bore from the day of the Eagle
Tavern.
Here we had the market, this auction house
and a slave block.
Right on the side of a building now called Number Nothing.
It's called Number Nothing, because no building was
supposed to go there on that square when they laid it out.
That was all open land.
And somebody put this building up-- it's still there today--
way back.
About-- I would say that building was built about 1780
or something like that.
And they had no name for it, no number for it.
Not one of the 56 squares numbered.
And so they called it Number Nothing.
Still called it Number Nothing today.
Then the Courthouse Square was cleared
of all the other building, and that was open
until [INAUDIBLE] MacIntyre, in his great generosity,
gave us these statues.
We put the Stonewall Jackson statue, which
is one of the five finest equestrian
statues the whole world, done by Charles Keck,
and we put that in Jackson Square.
And then we rededicated Jackson Square
to Mr. MacIntyre, the original donor,
and to Mary Frazier Cash.
Now Main Street, of course, was slow in developing.
It had a few stores on it, but most of the trade
was up here around the Court Square.
The big iron fountain out in front of the court
where the horses would water, there
wasn't any other watering trough that I know
of in the early days downtown.
Now Main Street, as I say, has developed very slowly.
It first had a brick pavement, as far
as Vinegar Hill is put in there in my early days.
And then the horse drawn streetcars eventually gave way
to electric street cars.
Mayor Fife's father was--
no, his grandfather was one of the first heads
of the public transportation system.
And that was a great boon to Charlottesville
and began to bring the university
community and the downtown community closer together.
In the beginning, the university community
was way away from Charlottesville,
connected only by a dirt road.
And it would get muddy, and it was very
difficult to go back and forth.
But it's a terribly interesting city,
and we hope to keep this area around the court square.
Through the protection of the Architectural Design Control
Ordinance, we hope to keep it looking
more or less like it is for time immemorial in the future.
There's always a danger of a city
developing too fast, and too many people,
and becoming too modern and falling victim
to what they call progress, and then becoming
like any other city.
We hope to keep Charlottesville unique.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
(SINGING) A time it was and what a time it was.
It was a time of innocence, a time of confidences.
Long ago, it must be I have a photograph.
Preserve your memories.
They're all that's left you.
PRESENTER: Downtown Charlottesville
was slow in its development.
However, by the turn of the century,
a thriving business district had developed.
Two longtime residents of the city of Charlottesville,
R.M Davis and Herb Collins, take a look
at the downtown Charlottesville business
district in the early 1900s.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
SPEAKER: [INAUDIBLE] the first used car lot was ever
in Charlottesville.
And then next to that then, was a commercial store,
a restaurant.
SPEAKER: There was a restaurant there.
And next to that, then, was a drugstore which was--
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
SPEAKER: Yeah, that was back in about 1910, wasn't it?
SPEAKER: Then when we take the next corner,
that's Fifth Street now.
And this next corner, by Dominion Office Place,
that was the Dixie--
what, Dixie.
SPEAKER: Newsstand.
SPEAKER: And Mr. Williams ran it.
SPEAKER: And upstairs was a Masonic Lodge.
And then the Masonic Lodge, if my memory is right,
owned the building.
And they tore it down and built the present new building.
SPEAKER: Next to them was--
first thing I remember was a shoe shop.
SPEAKER: Shoe shop.
SPEAKER: And next to that was Bishop Barber Shop, wasn't it?
SPEAKER: Yeah.
I don't know what was there before, but as I recall--
as my memory recalls, the first thing that I know
was a Bishop Barber shop, the largest one in Charlottesville.
SPEAKER: Well, then next to that was--
[MUSIC PLAYING]
(SINGING) Going to set my heart at ease.
Going to make a sentimental journey to renew old memories.
Got my bag, got my reservation.
Spent each time I could afford.
Like a child in wild anticipation.
SPEAKER: Well, then next to that is the [INAUDIBLE] the jeweler.
And that was the old Pence and Sterling when [INAUDIBLE]..
Pence and Sterling had a dining room upstairs,
and they had a drugstore downstairs.
SPEAKER: It was a hangout for high school youngsters.
And they also had a record shop.
That's right.
SPEAKER: The hot stuff them days.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
SPEAKER: So that then was--
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
SPEAKER: Clothing store, a men's clothing store.
And they made suits.
And people from--
I think 50% the young men who graduated
from the University of Virginia always came back
to get their fine clothes from [INAUDIBLE] Woods.
SPEAKER: It was a fine store.
SPEAKER: You couldn't get fine materials any place.
SPEAKER: In fact, I have a suit now.
I haven't used it for years.
I have [INAUDIBLE] wardrobe from W&W H. Wood,
and it's still good.
SPEAKER: And then next to that, to [INAUDIBLE]
Wood was [INAUDIBLE].
Hes been there for years, as far as I remember, and still had
[INAUDIBLE] taken over.
And then next was the old Charlottesville Hardware.
That's been there ever since I remember.
And next was a corner.
That same bank, the Virginia bank, which is People's Bank,
they were in [INAUDIBLE].
And they went out, and then Tim [INAUDIBLE] bought it,
and he ran it until he got [INAUDIBLE]..
[MUSIC PLAYING]
(SINGING) I've flown around the world in a plane.
I've settled revolutions since May.
And the North Pole I have charted.
Still I can get started with you.
On the Gold Coast, I have wandered far.
[INAUDIBLE] when have asked me to starve.
I've got a house as your place.
Still I can't get no place with you.
Because you're so supreme.
Very kind right of you.
I dream, dream day and night of you.
And I sing just for the sight of you.
Baby, what good does it do?
I've been consulted by Franklin D. [INAUDIBLE]
has had me to tears.
Still, I am broken-hearted because I
can't get started with you.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[CONSTRUCTION NOISES]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MIKE GLEASON: Hi.
My name is Mike Gleason.
As you can tell we've, had a little noise.
Beside me is the city manager, [INAUDIBLE] Hendricks.
And we've asked him to come by here with us.
We're right beside City Hall, downtown on Main Street.
And now we're going to ask him to give us
a little description of what all the excitement downtown has
been for the last couple of days as they begin
to chart a whole city block.
You can see the action behind us.
And would you give us a running dialogue of the play by play
of what's going on?
MR. HENDRICKS: Well, I think what [INAUDIBLE] most people
know, Mike, what's happening is that the rest of this block
is being torn down to make way for a new parking
facility for the city.
And we have here the Canada Construction Company
which is demolishing the old National Guard Armory
and, for years, has been used as a downtown recreation center.
And I suspect in another couple days,
they'll have this nearly all torn down.
And in about 30-45 more days, we'll
be ready to start with a new parking garage here,
which will have some shops along Main Street.
And then it will have four levels of parking .
And we hope to keep the big trees,
as you can see over here.
We're going to try and keep them in a little park area.
And the parking garage then will be on the side.
We'll have shops on Main Street.
There'll be an entrance on Main Street,
also an entrance over on Market Street.
We kind of hate to see the old recreation center go,
but I'm afraid it's outlived its days.
MIKE GLEASON: How old is it?
MR. HENDRICKS: My understanding is that it dates back
to the early or mid 1800s.
And so, in that respect, it's a very old building.
We're going to save the marker, the cornerstone, so
to speak, from the building, and try
to find a suitable place to use it later on.
MIKE GLEASON: Right.
What would something like this cost?
MR. HENDRICKS: Well, the demolition of this block
is costing $15,000.
MIKE GLEASON: That's not very much, is it?
MR. HENDRICKS: No, it's a very reasonable price.
The total cost of the garage and the shops in it
will be about $2.3 million.
And that's being financed by bonds.
The people who use the garage will be paying for it.
MIKE GLEASON: So actually, it's going to be making money back.
MR. HENDRICKS: Yeah.
The garage will be making money, and people who rent the office
space, or the commercial space, and the [INAUDIBLE]
will be paying for it.
MIKE GLEASON: I see.
Now I guess we ought to explain, perhaps,
that we're facing against in a northerly direction.
And for those people who are familiar with the site,
or working [INAUDIBLE],, the building landmarks went down.
We're in the alleyway between the old buildings and city
hall.
MR. HENDRICKS: That's right.
MIKE GLEASON: And this is the backside of the armory.
And I guess what-- it might explain
we saw a few minutes ago.
The old jail and things like this.
MR. HENDRICKS: Yes.
Probably a few people remember the fact
that there used to be the old jail within this building.
And just a few minutes ago, the pieces of the old cells
came out.
I think it has not been used for that purpose for some time.
But that's where the old jail originally was,
in this building.
MIKE GLEASON: Yeah, I think the trouble with it [INAUDIBLE]
some shops, you've probably [INAUDIBLE]
old cell doors over there.
MR. HENDRICKS: Yes.
They're lying over there on the other side of the [INAUDIBLE]..
I think someone mentioned this afternoon,
this is the first time that people downtown on Main Street
really can get a full view of the--
So this side of City Hall, they've probably never seen it
before like this.
And for example, the garage is built,
they won't be able to see it again.
MIKE GLEASON: Now, won't the garage--
I understand from the plans it will look something
like City Hall.
MR. HENDRICKS: It will be very much like City Hall
in its architecture so that it blends in well
with the City Hall building.
It'll also blend in with Dominion Services building.
And it will be very comparable in terms of its architecture.
It will have some glass in front,
but will be a brick structure on the outside
and therefore will blend in quite well
with the architecture downtown.
MIKE GLEASON: I wonder if anybody
found any money under here?
MR. HENDRICKS: I haven't heard of any yet.
I don't think the same kind of operation went on here.
MIKE GLEASON: That's probably true.
We've just about run out of time that they allowed
us to do a chat about this.
We'd like to thank you for giving us a personalized tour.
We'll probably have some more scenes after we sign off.
I'd like to thank city management [INAUDIBLE] Henricks
for stepping outside of his office
and giving us a little personal description of the excitement
next door to City Hall.
And we hope that those of you in the audience who
are historic minded as well as civic minded
might have a chance to come by and see the last remains.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
(SINGING) A time it was, and what a time it was.
It was a time of innocence, a time of confidences.
Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph.
Preserve your memories.
They're all that's left you.
[INAUDIBLE]
PRESENTER: The city parking garage became a reality,
and the mall became a controversy.
Not only was the opposition from merchants a growing concern,
but economic instability plus a disastrous fire
took their toll.
Probably the greatest setback was the conflict
of interest ruling handed down by Virginia's Attorney
General, which left the vote on the mall concept
to only two councilmen.
The future of the city's heart and of the mall concept
hinged entirely on their decision.
This aspect of Charlottesville City Renewal
follows this brief intermission.