Author
Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau Staff
Discover the History of Ivy Creek Natural Area and River View Farm
Just minutes from Downtown Charlottesville, you’ll find Ivy Creek Natural Area, a 215-acre nature preserve with seven miles of trails, perfect for birding and viewing other wildlife.
Ivy Creek is situated on what was River View Farm, historically significant land that is listed on the Register of Historic Places.
This place is a rare, surviving example of a flourishing African American farm that preserves the history of a family, their home, and their barn. The initial 58 acres were purchased for $100 in 1870 by Hugh Carr, after his emancipation. By 1890, Carr owned 125 acres of the land, making him one of the largest African American landowners in Albemarle County. His eldest child, Mary Carr, married Conly Greer in 1913, and together they took over responsibility for the farm and tripled the size of the original house. Conly Greer was the first Black agent of the Virginia Agricultural Extension Division. During his tenure, he built a new barn that was not only unique for its time but is now the only surviving barn of its type in Virginia. Today, the barn serves as a museum to this influential family and was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Mary Carr Greer was a teacher and principal at the Albemarle Training School, one of the schools that provided an education for African American students during this time. During her tenure, she initiated a formal, four-year high school curriculum and pushed for the merging of the Albemarle Training School with the Charlottesville-Albemarle school system. In 1979, Albemarle County memorialized her dedication to education with the opening of the Mary Carr Greer Elementary school on Lambs Road.
Ivy Creek Natural Area is open 365 days a year and serves nearly 100,000 people annually. It’s a beautiful area, teeming with wildlife and plenty of educational opportunities for both children and adults, so it’s easy to see how Ivy Creek has continued to flourish.
You can visit this fascinating historic and natural area for yourself or connect with Ivy Creek on their website.
