Charlottesville (pop. 46,553; met. area pop. 221,524) is in the Blue Ridge Mountains foothills in Virginia. On one of these hills, overlooking the city, is Monticello, the home of United States President Thomas Jefferson. Charlottesville is the home of the University of Virginia, founded by Jefferson in 1819. Near Monticello is Ash Lawn-Highland, the home of U.S. President James Monroe. The city is a marketing center for the area. Charlottesville has a council-manager government. It is the seat of Albemarle County.
