Albemarle County · 22901 / 22903

Farmington
~5 min from UVA.

Farmington is a private, invitation-only country club community immediately west of Charlottesville, built around an 18th-century plantation whose original clubhouse wing was designed by Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is widely considered Charlottesville's most prestigious traditional address — rolling hills, mature trees, large estate lots, and a Jeffersonian-architecture social hub.

Character

Farmington is one of Charlottesville's most established and prestigious residential addresses. Spacious lots with mature hardwoods, classic Virginia and Jeffersonian architecture, and quiet, winding lanes characterize the neighborhood. The Farmington Country Club — with its 18-hole golf course, tennis and pickleball courts, swimming pools, fitness, and multiple dining venues — anchors social life. Residents skew toward UVA leadership, established professionals, retirees, and old Charlottesville families. The community blends tradition, amenities, and 5-minute proximity to UVA, downtown Charlottesville, and Ivy.

History

How Farmington came to be.

Founded: Land first conveyed in 1745; the Jefferson-designed octagonal east wing of the clubhouse was completed in 1803 as an addition to a pre-1780 structure built for the Divers family. The country club was sold to the membership in April 1979 (purchased from Farmington, Incorporated).

Named for: Named after the Farmington plantation — Thomas Jefferson designed an addition to George Divers' Farmington home, completed in 1803.

The east-wing of Farmington's clubhouse was designed by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 (completed 1803). It is one of the only Jefferson-designed buildings still in active use as a clubhouse.

Original 1745 land grant to Charles Lewis of Goochland; passed through the Jerdone, Divers, White, Carter, Peyton, Harper, and Wood families before becoming a country club in 1927.

By 1820, 112 enslaved African Americans lived in separate quarters on the Farmington plantation (per the Princeton & Slavery Project).

Membership is by invitation only and the club has historically been a center of Charlottesville's establishment social and political life.

In July 2018 a memorial service for John Henry James — an African American man lynched in 1898 at what was then Wood's Crossing on the property — was held on the club grounds.

Farmington is also the name of an adjacent unincorporated community/neighborhood in Albemarle County (the residential neighborhood that surrounds the club).

Amenities & Anchors

What anchors Farmington.

private country club

Farmington Country Club

Invitation-only private club. Jefferson-designed clubhouse (1803). 18-hole golf course, tennis and pickleball, swimming, fitness, multiple dining venues, weddings and events.

resort

Boar's Head Resort

UVA Foundation-owned resort just south of Farmington (in Ednam area); spa, the Boar's Head Sports Club, tennis, golf at Birdwood — frequently used by Farmington residents.

park

Ivy Creek Natural Area

215-acre nature preserve nearby, with 6+ miles of trails along Ivy Creek/Rivanna Reservoir.

university

University of Virginia

UVA Grounds and the UVA Health system are 5-10 minutes east of Farmington.

Schools

Where children go to school.

elementary · PK-5

Meriwether Lewis Elementary School (now Ivy Elementary School)

Renamed from Meriwether Lewis to Ivy Elementary School effective July 1, 2023 by the Albemarle County School Board. Serves the Farmington/Ivy area. Albemarle County Public Schools.

middle · 6-8

Henley Middle School

Public middle school in Crozet serving students from Brownsville, Crozet, Ivy (formerly Meriwether Lewis), and Murray elementaries. Graduates feed into Western Albemarle High School.

high · 9-12

Western Albemarle High School

Public high school located in Crozet serving Farmington and the broader western Albemarle area.

private · PK-12

St. Anne's-Belfield School (STAB)

Independent K-12 day and boarding school adjacent to the Farmington area; one of the top private schools in Central Virginia.

private · K-12

The Covenant School

Independent classical Christian school in Charlottesville nearby.

Housing

What sells in Farmington.

Typical price range

$1.0M – $5.0M

2025

Typical acreage

Typically 0.5 to 3+ acres, with some larger estate parcels near the perimeter of the country club.

Architectural styles

Georgian · Federal · Jeffersonian / Classical Revival · Colonial Revival · Custom traditional estate

Common features

mature hardwood landscaping · country club views · golf-course frontage · established gardens · circular drives

Lifestyle

Established Charlottesville old guard with Jeffersonian architectural pedigree; understated, social, club-centered.

Activitiesgolf at Farmington Country Club · tennis and pickleball · club dining and social events · UVA arts/athletics · Boar's Head spa and tennis

FAQ

Frequently asked about Farmington

Farmington is known as one of Charlottesville's most prestigious traditional addresses — built around the Farmington Country Club, whose clubhouse contains an octagonal wing designed by Thomas Jefferson in 1802. The club is invitation-only and its 18-hole golf course, tennis, and dining anchor neighborhood life.

Membership at Farmington Country Club is by invitation only. Since the membership purchased the club from Farmington, Incorporated in 1979, the club's stated policy does not discriminate on the basis of age, national origin, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or physical ability, but new members are sponsored by existing members.

No. Farmington is a residential community in Albemarle County, just west of the city of Charlottesville's western boundary along Route 250, adjacent to the Ivy area.

Public school students typically attend Ivy Elementary School (renamed from Meriwether Lewis in 2023), Henley Middle School in Crozet, and Western Albemarle High School. St. Anne's-Belfield, The Covenant School, and other independent schools are within easy reach.

Farmington is in Albemarle County, where the 2026 real estate tax rate is $0.894 per $100 of assessed value (per the Albemarle County government website).

Yes — Thomas Jefferson designed the octagonal east wing of what is now the Farmington Country Club clubhouse for his friend George Divers. The wing was completed in 1803 as an addition to a pre-1780 plantation house.

Sources