The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society

Collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of our community!

Membership

“Encampment of the Convention Army,” an etching originally published in London in 1789. After the critical American victory in the Battles at Saratoga, New York in October 1777— a turning point in the War for Independence— thousands of British and their allied Hessian soldiers were taken prisoner. After having been kept in Cambridge for a year, nearly 4,000 of the enemy troops were marched hundreds of miles south to be kept in a rural area of Albemarle County, west of the town of Charlottesville. They arrived in the winter, January 1779 to what one survivor described as “truly horrible” conditions. This “Convention Army” established a prisoner of war camp known as the “Albemarle Barracks.” In 1781, as British forces marched on Virginia, the prisoners of war at the Barracks were moved north to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where they remained until released in 1783. The western road, from Charlottesville out to the Albemarle Barracks, is to this day still referred to as Barracks Road.

Become A Member Today!

The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society was founded as a membership organization eight decades ago with community members uniting in a shared commitment to explore our history and to share what they learned. Membership is a statement of dedication to support our important work of collecting, preserving, and interpreting our history.

As a member you receive our annual scholarly magazine, regular newsletters and updates, and access to all our programs, activities, and events. You make our Vision and Mission possible.

Please use the secure online form to become a member using your credit card. If you would like to send a check instead, please mail your membership support to:

Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society

200 2nd Street, NE

Charlottesville, VA 22902-5245

Gifts of stock and from donor-advised charitable funds are welcome. If you would like to discuss a major gift, legacy gift, a bequest, or planned giving, please contact us by email at [email protected] or call (434) 296-1492.

Thank you!

$ 45.00
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Donation Total: $45.00 One Time

PLEASE NOTE: This is the online form to become a Member of the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, set at $45.00 per year. If you are interested in also giving a donation online that is more or less than that amount, you can visit our Support page right now. Click here.

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