Our present Main Street is the Colonial Three-chopt Road, which led from Richmond, passed Boyd’s Tavern and crossed the Rivanna at Secretary’s Ford—now the Woolen Mills (East Market Street). Crossing Mechum’s River it struck in a straight line for Woods’ (now Jarman’s) Gap. It was in use prior to 1746. Though not associated with the expedition, it was felt appropriate to place the explorers on a great early artery and facing into the West. MERIWETHER LEWIS Young Meriwether Lewis—he was only thirty-five at death—was born in Albemarle in 1774. He was ‘Albemarle of Albemarle.’ The Lewis family was already old Virginia stock when Robert Lewis took up large holdings in what is now this county. He was Meriwether Lewis’s grandfather. He owned the handsome estate of Belvoir, near Cismont, and some ten thousand acres in other parts of the county. Meriwether Lewis’s mother was a granddaughter of ‘the great Landowner,’ Nicholas Meriwether, who came up from tide-water where he owned large estates, and in 1727 patented in one body 17,952 acres, this being the first patent lying within the bounds of present Albemarle. Eight years later he made an addition of more than a thousand acres, adjoining, which became his home. He was Lewis’s great-grandfather. These were families of high standards and public service—vestrymen, magistrates, officers in the militia and the Revolution. Our explorer’s birthplace, Locust Grove, was west of Charlottesville about seven miles. The name and site remain; the original house was burned. The village of Ivy is near it. Meriwether Lewis was Jefferson’s secretary when the government determined upon exploration of the lands just purchased from France. He brilliantly headed this expedition—from St. Louis to the mouth of the Columbia River, 1803-06. Upon his return, Jefferson appointed him Territorial Governor of Louisiana. In 1809, while journeying to Washington city, he died by gunshot at an obscure country inn in Tennessee—whether by his own hand or that of others was not definitely known. A monument to him was erected at this spot by the Legislature of Tennessee, 1848. WILLIAM CLARK By a few years, William Clark, joint explorer of the Pacific Coast, failed to be of Albemarle birth. Jonathan Clark of King and Queen County, Virginia, in 1734 took out holdings in the county. His dwelling was a plain house on the Stony Point Road very near the site of Buena Vista, the McMurdo residence. He had two famous grandsons; the elder, George Rogers Clark, was born in that cabin. The younger, William, was born in Caroline County where his father had inherited substantial property. William Clark’s later life was successful. He was appointed by Jefferson Territorial Governor of Missouri, and later became U. S. Agent for Indian Affairs. Died, 1838. LOUISIANA PURCHASE.