Southwest Mountains

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The Southwest Mountains of Virginia are a range parallel to and geologically associated with the Blue Ridge Mountains, which lie about 30 miles (50 km) to the west.

The range bisects Nelson, Albemarle, and Orange counties. A portion of the Southwest Mountains in Albemarle County has been designated a Rural Historic District by the National Park Service. Mineral resources of soapstone and vermiculite continue to be mined here.

The estates of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe are all located within the Southwest Mountains. The town of Schuyler, Virginia, the setting for the TV series The Waltons, is located on the eastern slope of the Southwest Mountains. These mountains were at one time also referred to as the "Chestnut Mountains".^{[citation needed]}