When a city overshadows the county

By Bryan McKenzie

Published: August 8, 2008

Mama must have always liked Charlottesville best: In the continuing sibling rivalry with its sister, Albemarle continues to get second billing.

Charlottesville is one of the best places to live. Charlottesville is one of the best places to retire. Charlottesville is one of the most literate cities in the country.

Charlottesville, Charlottesville, Charlottesville! The jurisdictional equivalent of Marcia Brady was even named one of the best cities in which to enjoy the great outdoors, despite the fact that the outdoors happens to be in Albemarle County.

“I long ago realized that, if I wanted anyone from out-of-state to know where I was from, I had to say Charlottesville,” laughed Sally H. Thomas, Albemarle County supervisor. “One friend said, ‘Oh, you live in Charlottesville. That’s where John Grisham lives!’”

Doesn’t John Grisham live in the county?
“I know,” she laughed. “See what I mean?”

Albemarle County has the city surrounded, but the city won’t give up. Even when the two communities work together, Charlottesville gets top billing. Consider the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport, Charlottesville-Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau, Charlottesville-Albemarle Kennel Club, Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad, and the Charlottesville-Albemarle Technical Education Center.

Always the bridesmaid

There’s the Charlottesville-Albemarle Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. There’s the Youth Orchestra of Charlottesville-Albemarle. Youth get their kicks at the Soccer Organization of Charlottesville-Albemarle, and thirsty lawyers go to the Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association.
You get shots at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Health Department. You can pick the kids up at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Charlottesville-Albemarle and join the Charlottesville Emergency Response Team, which includes Albemarle and the University of Virginia.
All despite the fact that Albemarle is bigger, has more people, more development, mountains, pastures, livestock, Target, Wal-Mart and a bona fide indoor, suburban-chic shopping mall.
Of course, it’s not a total wash out. There’s the Albemarle-Charlottesville Historical Society, the Albemarle-Charlottesville Republican Women’s League and the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail.

Forbes rooting for Jan

Meanwhile, Ms. Thomas said residents can take comfort in Albemarle’s history and its vaunted residents, from Jefferson to Madison to Monroe.
“Historically speaking, Albemarle came before Charlottesville,” she said, nothing that Scottsville was actually the county seat before Charlottesville was created. “Plus, it may be changing. It was nice that, when Forbes Magazine recently listed their top 20 places to raise a child, they listed Albemarle County.”