Southwest Mountains facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southwest Mountains |
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The Southwest Mountains, northern Albemarle County
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| Highest point | |
| Peak | Carter Mountain |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 70 mi (110 km) |
| Width | 3.5 mi (5.6 km) |
| Geography | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| Region | Piedmont |
| Parent range | Appalachian Mountains |
The Southwest Mountains are a mountain range in Virginia, USA. They are located near Charlottesville and run alongside the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Blue Ridge Mountains are about 30 miles (50 km) to the west. Some of the well-known peaks in the Southwest Mountains include Carter Mountain, Fan Mountain, and Walton's Mountain.
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Where Are the Southwest Mountains?
The Southwest Mountains are not super tall or wide. They are one of the mountain ranges farthest to the east in Virginia. They are connected to other ranges like the Bull Run Mountains and Catoctin Mountain. These mountains offer amazing views of the Blue Ridge Mountains across Nelson and Albemarle Counties.
This mountain range stretches through Nelson, Albemarle, and Orange counties. A part of the Southwest Mountains in Albemarle County is a special "Rural Historic District." This means it's a protected area because of its history and natural beauty. However, it's not a state or national park. People still dig for special rocks like soapstone and vermiculite here.
How Were These Mountains Formed?
The Southwest Mountains sit on a layer of rock called Catoctin greenstone. This greenstone forms the eastern edge of a huge fold in the Earth's crust called the Blue Ridge anticlinorium. This same greenstone layer goes north into Maryland and also supports the Bull Run and Catoctin Mountains.
The rocks that became greenstone were originally basalt flows. These flows were laid down a very, very long time ago, during the latest Precambrian age. They were first pushed up during an ancient mountain-building event called the Grenville Orogeny. Later, they were pushed up again and moved westward during another big event called the Alleghenian Orogeny. This is how they got to where they are today.
A Look Back in Time: History and Famous Homes
The Virginia Board of Historic Resources has called the northern part of the Southwest Mountains in Albemarle "some of the Piedmont's most beautiful countryside." They said it has:
- rolling fields
- winding roads
- wooded hills
- small villages
The area also has many old buildings from the 1700s, 1800s, and early 1900s. These buildings show how people lived and built things over more than 250 years.
Many famous homes are located in the Southwest Mountains. These include the homes of three U.S. presidents:
- Thomas Jefferson's Monticello
- James Madison's Montpelier
- James Monroe's Highland
Other important estates, like Castle Hill, are also found here.
In the past, these mountains were sometimes called the "Chestnut Mountains." The flat areas of the Southwest Mountains in southern Albemarle were once known as the "Green Mountains."
James Barbour, who was the Governor of Virginia and lived in Orange County, wrote in 1835: "Let us, the people of the South-West Mountains, be happy and thankful that we have more good things than bad. And from what I've seen by traveling almost one-third of the world, I truly believe these mountains are the best place I have ever seen to live."
Images for kids
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Castalia Farm in the Southwest Mountains in 1899.
