Stonehenge, Virginia

Stonehenge is an unincorporated community in Albemarle County, Virginia, United States. Its elevation is 420 feet (128 m).^[1]

The Stonehenge subdivision was created from the farm with the same name that included the land of the subdivision and land adjacent to the community from Alwood Drive off Rio Road to the top of the hill and beyond along Rio Road. The farm was originally named and owned by Professor William Bradford Alwood. }Professor Alwood was known for his accomplishments as a horticulturist, chemist, entomologist, and mycologist. From 1888 to 1904 he was professor and head of the department of horticulture, mycology and entomology and co-director of the agricultural experiment station at Virginia Polytechnic Institute (now Virginia Tech). Alwood was known worldwide for his expertise in fruit culture. He single-handedly saved the Virginia fruit industry from destruction by an introduced insect, in 1892, the San Jose Scale. He started the Virginia State Horticultural Society (with the fruit growers around Crozet, VA), was the first state entomologist, and moved from VPI to Charlottesville in 1904. That is when he lived in a cottage (still occupied on Alwood Lane adjacent to the subdivision - built in 1890) while he built the farmhouse (still occupied off of Rockbrook Drive). Alwood and his family moved there after its completion and in 1907 he rented the property to the US Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Chemistry. From 1907 to 1913, it was designated as Stonehenge Laboratories and served as the national enology laboratory - Alwood was the head of the lab. From 1913 into the 1920s, the property was rented to the USDA Bureau of Entomology to serve as a research laboratory with the purpose of discovering controls for cereal insects. Alwood lived on the property and on his farm in Greenwood, VA (Mountain Hollow Farm) until his death in 1946. Professor Alwood and his family are buried in Riverview Cemetery. If one goes there they will take note of the prominent "Merite Agricole" medal etched into the grave marker. Professor Alwood was awarded the medal in 1907 for his contributions to France in enology and grape culture. He was truly a pioneer in agricultural science and one of the most talented and accomplished scientists at Virginia Tech and nationally in his discipline during his era.^[2]

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