One of the wonderful things about living in central Virginia is the beautiful fall weather, perfect for exploring back country roads.
Along a recent trip, I came across a 100-year-old African-American Church: Mountain View Baptist, located in downtown Batesville. Located on a steep hillside, the original stone foundation and steeple lie in the center. While there is no contiguous cemetery, an historic black cemetery lies about half-a-mile to the north of the church, adjacent to the Wild Rose Cemetery.
Edward K. Lay discusses the architectural features of this church in his book, _The Architecture of Jefferson country: Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia. _To view historic photographs of the century-old church, visit Professor Lay’s on-line digital collection of “The Architecture of Jefferson Country.” Note, “Jefferson Country” is a moniker for Charlottesville and Albemarle County.