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 In
1761 the County of Albemarle underwent boundary reductions,
and on December 23, 1762, an act was passed by the General
Assembly establishing a new county seat. The site chosen for
the new town was on the "Three-Notched Road", the
main route at the time, between the Shenandoah Valley and
Richmond. This new town was named "Charlottesville"
after Queen Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the
young bride of King George III of England.
 Early
Charlottesville consisted of 50 acres, bounded by Jefferson
Street on the north and South Street on the south. The public
square, containing a wooden courthouse and jail, lay on the
northeast corner just outside the designated area of the town.
The surrounding county land was subdivided into lots and gradually
sold.
In 1888 Charlottesville officially became a city, separate
from Albemarle County with its own courts and taxation. The
city continued to grow and became fairly prosperous.
Today the City of Charlottesville's population is over 39,000.
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