Meet Scottsville on the James
Looking for small town Virginia charm? Might I suggest a visit to my darling village of Scottsville.
As you might imagine based on the name of this blog, living in historic places is kind of our thing. For 18 years we called Charleston, South Carolina, home and the allure of its Colonial history, antebellum architecture, and fascinating port city culture is what kept us there for so long. But alas, growth can take the patina off a place and for us, nearly two decades as Charlestonians was enough. We wanted seasons and government oversight on unchecked development, so we headed north.
It was a chance Zillow listing that convinced us to make Scottsville—where Albemarle County was founded in 1744 in our living room (more on that later)—our new home. The added bonus? Loads and loads of history.
Given its age and proximity to the properties of founding fathers Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and James Madison’s homes, you can imagine that this area is a hotbed of historic sites. The former two presidents’ homes are but a twenty-five minute drive from downtown Scottsville. But you don’t even have to leave the city to see some remarkable things.
Scottsville Itinerary
Visit the Scottsville Museum
A river port during the Revolutionary War, Scottsville has played an outsize role in much of the state’s success since its founding. You can learn all about it in the town’s downtown museum where volunteer docents keep the past alive.
Walk the Canal Basin Square
With its position on the James River’s horseshoe bend, Scottsville was a perfect port for waterway trade. In the 18th-century, this was conducted via batteaux boats, flat bottom poled vessels that could carry 11 hogsheads or 11,000 pounds of tightly packed tobacco to Richmond for sale. I wrote all about it for the Washington Post highlighting our next itinerary stop. But more on them later.
What you’ll also see at the Canal Basin are reproduction batteaux along with packet boats, vessels that travelled along the James River & Kanawha Canal, a feat of engineering that ferried passengers and freight from 1821 to 1877 until the dawn of railroads made it obsolete.
Take a James River Batteau Co. Tour
Want to relive the batteaux days? Join captains Will Smith and Will Cash aboard their two batteaux for an afternoon or sunset cruise with James River Batteau Co. The veterans of the annual James River Batteau Festival have years of experience poling their hand hewn batteau and provide a smooth ride with plenty of fun history to go with it.
Ride the Last Poled Ferry in America
Romans may have had bridges all figured out centuries ago, but their arrival in America took some time, especially across rivers. Enter: poled ferries. Up and down the James River, small operators would take passengers from one side to the next by poling a small wooden raft and Scottville has the distinction of having the last operating pulled ferry still going. Mid-April through October on Saturdays and Sundays, volunteers take visitors across for a trip back in time.
Dine at the Batteau Restaurant
Consider all that you’ve seen in our cute little town with dinner at the aptly named Batteau Restaurant.