ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) – This Black History Month, a nature preserve in Albemarle County stands as more than just a place for hiking and open space. Long before it became trails and protected land, it was a Black-owned farm with a story that helped shape the community.
Today, Ivy Creek Natural Area is home to Historic River View Farm — land once purchased by Hugh Carr, a formerly enslaved man who built one of the largest Black-owned farms in Albemarle County.
“A lot of people visit Ivy Creek. We have wonderful hiking trails, but a lot of people don’t know about the history,” said Kathy Mallory-Orr, Youth Programs Education Director with the Ivy Creek Foundation…