Preservation Piedmont

A Charlottesville legend, Mel Walker of Mel’s Cafe has died. There have been many articles highlighting his work- The below piece from Vinegar Hill Magazine by Channing Matthews in 2023 highlights his contributions “Working in kitchens since 11 years old and working alongside his mother well into her 70’s, Mel reminds us ‘I’m not just a soul food place, I’m American food.’”

This is a huge loss for the community. Mel will be remembered for a long time to come.

Community Cornerstones: Mel’s Cafe - Vinegar Hill Magazine by Channing Mathews This month my journey through the Black food and wine-ways of Charlottesville led me to Mel’s Café on Main Street, run graciously by its dedicated, self-taught chef […]

🎉 Exciting Update! 🎉

As we bid farewell to an incredible 2023, we're thrilled to share a major milestone that has made this year truly special. In late Spring 2023, Preservation Piedmont proudly accepted the transfer of the historic Woolen Mills Chapel from the Woolen Mills Chapel Foundation. 🏰

Our mission? To breathe new life into this iconic local landmark! 🌟 With your support, we aim to stabilize and repair the chapel, restoring it to its rightful place as a vibrant hub for community gatherings. 🤝💒

But here's where YOU come in! 🌟 We ask you to consider making a generous donation to support our cause and help us match the incredible $25,000 already donated to jumpstart our planning.

Your contribution will play a pivotal role in launching our in the new year, propelling us closer to our vision of a fully restored and thriving community space. 🚀💖

Ready to be a part of something amazing? Click the link below to make your donation and be a vital force in preserving our local heritage: https://www.preservation-piedmont.org/membership

Thank you for being the heartbeat of Preservation Piedmont! 🙌 Let's make 2024 the year we transform dreams into reality. 🌟🏡

💚 We are filled with gratitude for our all-volunteer board and board of advisors and donors and supporters like you for your dedication to preserving historic resources in Central Virginia’s Piedmont. 💚

Include us in your donations by visiting:

JOIN & DONATE | PreservationPiedmont Preservation Piedmont is a non-profit corporation that is dedicated to protecting historic structures, sites, landscapes, and neighborhoods, as well as rural areas and open spaces. We do this in order to create an appreciation for the historic resources of the Central Virginia Piedmont region. Based...

🌟 Giving Tuesday Alert! 🌟

As we celebrate the gratitude of Thanksgiving and hopes and dreams for the 2024 New Year approaching, we are so grateful to you, our generous supporters, and to the places of Central Virginia that make our home an inspiring place to live and work, as we daily learn more about our Piedmont environment and its multi-layered histories and cultures! 🏛️🌳

Our organization works tirelessly to protect and preserve the natural, cultural, and historical resources of our community. 🌍 We ask you to support Preservation Piedmont now by becoming a member or making an annual donation. Our work has never been more critical as we face new and continuing challenges in a difficult economic climate for local businesses and those seeking housing.

But here's where YOU come in! ✨ Today, let's join hands and make a positive impact together. Your support, no matter the size, can make a huge difference. Every donation contributes to the ongoing efforts of our organization. 🙌🎁

Join us today: https://www.preservation-piedmont.org/membership

https://www.preservation-piedmont.org/events-1/woolen-mills-chapel-open-house

We invite community members to register to attend our Woolen Mills Chapel Labor Day Pop-Up Tour and Open House, Monday September 4, from 9:30AM - 11AM. Coffee and Donuts will be provided! Learn how you can help Preservation Piedmont stabilize and repair this iconic landmark! Please click the link to register for the event.

Woolen Mills Chapel Open House | PreservationPiedmont How can you help Preservation Piedmont stabilize and repair this iconic Landmark?

Preservation Piedmont is the new owner of Woolen Mills Chapel This is only the second time in 136 years that the chapel has changed ownership.

The Woolen Mills Chapel finally gets a proper owner The Woolen Mills Chapel on East Market Street quietly changed hands for only the second time in 136 years last month, when a neighborhood non-profit formed in 2015 transferred the deed to the property, which has been in legal limbo for decades, to Preservation Piedmont, a non-profit long-dedicated t...

https://www.c-ville.com/preserving-the-past

We are excited to take on the stewardship of the Woolen Mills chapel. We are committed to carrying out the mission of the former Woolen Mills Chapel Foundation, and working with our community to restore this special building. Check out the most recent press:

Preserving the past An organization that seeks to foster appreciation for older buildings in the hopes of preserving them for the future now owns a significant Woolen Mills landmark. “The 1887 Woolen Mills ch...

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/096ae9182d3a4667a06fb428f962c69e

Check out this new project of Jorday Yager's and Jefferson School African American Heritage Center

"With the Picture Me As I Am StoryMap, the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center has selected portraits of 38 local African Americans and situated them in time, place, and community.

At the turn of the 20th century, there were 12,950 Black Americans shaping the future of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Through the lens of these 38 individuals, we hope to show some of what made that community possible. We hope it shows a more complete landscape, a more complete history of interconnectedness.

All portraits, unless otherwise noted, were taken at the Holsinger Studio on West Main Street and are from the Holsinger Studio Collection at the University of Virginia's Small Special Collections Library.

Picture Me As I Am was made possible with the support of the Jefferson Trust, the Holsinger Studio Portrait Project, the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center Board, and the Annual Fund."

Picture Me As I Am Mirror and Memory in the Age of Black Resistance