How the McIntire Amphitheatre became a parking lot—and found its way back again

The unique space on Grounds wasn’t always so beloved.

Georgia O’Keeffe’s UVA Years

Before her fame, O'Keeffe spent several summers at UVA, with notable results.

Gratitude for a Grand Old Tree

Remembering the McGuffey ash

Take a look back at the McGuffey ash, which loomed large over Pavilion IX for over a century.

The Gardens, According to Plan

Learn how the gardens of Grounds have changed—and stayed the same—from Jefferson’s original plans.

Tom the Builder

Sure, Jefferson had the big idea for the University, but he also sweated the small stuff, brick by brick.

Thomas Jefferson was a visionary leader--and a meticulous construction manager.

The Founder’s Secular Vision

The reason Thomas Jefferson didn’t want religion at the University of Virginia was reason

Jefferson’s University of Virginia was to be a modern, secular, science-centered university taught by scholars of distinction, with the students expected largely to govern themselves.

A Classroom as Big as the Lawn

Jefferson wanted students to learn all the angles

Through architecture, Jefferson hoped students would gain a sense of design, order and beauty.

Politics, by Any Other Name

Why Jefferson chose “Central College” over center stage

Coy Barefoot (Grad '97) recounts how the University had to overcome determined opposition to come into existence.

Thomas Jefferson’s Prayer for the Future

A look back at his forward-looking mission for the University

The Magazine kicks off its series of retrospective pieces commemorating the UVA Bicentennial with a look back at Jefferson's dreams for his University’s future.

A Flight Forgotten

A brief history of a familiar statue

The Aviator was crafted to recognize UVA alum and French Air Service pilot James McConnell, whose plane went down in France in 1917. But it’s not your typical WWI memorial.

Good Science

Years ago, a UVA scientist made a discovery that led to a Nobel Prize

In a series of experiments in a lab on Grounds in 1977, pharmacology professor Alfred G. Gilman made a breakthrough that won him a Nobel Prize.

Labs of Yore

In the time before personal computers and smartphones, there were computer labs

Faculty and alumni remember some true relics of University history: computer labs.

Human Computer

As a teenager, Caroyl Beddow Gooch measured the stars on Mount Jefferson

Caroyl Beddow Gooch's careful calculations of astronomical measurements helped McCormick Observatory become one of the world's top observatories in the mid-20th century.

Peculiar Properties

UVA owns several mysterious buildings with rich histories

Tour of some of the mysterious, historic—and empty—properties owned by the University.

The Pioneer

Remembering Bernard Duncan Mayes

Bernard Mayes had a long list of achievements before he even came to UVA But on Grounds, he is perhaps best remembered as a Cambridge gentleman in a tweed jacket who broke down barriers for gay students and colleagues alike.

The Many Faces of Cavman

A look at how UVA’s mascot has changed over time

Admiral of the Antarctic

Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd sought adventure wherever he went

Before embarking on a naval career that would send him to the North and South poles, Rear Adm. Richard E. Byrd spent a year studying at UVA.

Ringing the Carillon

How the University Chapel bells keep chiming

Ringing the Carillon

How the University Chapel bells keep chiming

If you thought the sounds of the University Chapel's bells are made by an expert ringer toiling inside the steeple, think again.

Back to the Future

Warren Manning’s 1913 master plan made an indelible imprint on how the University looks today

Only some of Manning's ideas came to be, but he defined a way of thinking about growth at the University and raised important questions about building values.