Whether wandering around aimlessly on a sunny afternoon or trying to prove that they can walk a straight line after an unidentifiable number of pitchers, University students frequently find themselves on the Corner. One of the most prominent features of student life at the University, the beloved Corner, has existed since the University's founding in the 1819.
The Corner had humble beginnings, according to "The Corner" by Coy Barefoot. Starting with just The University Bookstore, a barber shop and a postal station, it endured the Civil War, experienced the revolutionary '60s and enjoyed the admittance of women into the University. Through its 250-year history, however, the Corner never lost its popularity with students.
Lisa Spaar, the director of creative writing and a double-Wahoo who received a B.A. in 1978 and an M.A. in 1982 from the University, said she believes the Corner has maintained its popularity because of its proximity to central Grounds.
"The Corner's always going to be there because it's right here," she said. "It is an elongation of the Grounds."
First-year College student Nancy Hulgrave pointed out the diversity of shops and restaurants on the Corner.
"It is so well liked because there are so many different places we can go and enjoy ourselves," Hulgrave said. "O'Neill's and Jaberwoke are two different worlds, and they are both fun."
Politics Prof. Larry J. Sabato, a University undergraduate from 1970 to 1974, was a big fan of the Corner as a student.
"Every time I visited the University in the '60s, I was drawn to the Corner," Sabato said. "It was obvious to anyone that this was the center of the student life and activity."
More than 30 years after Sabato's experience as an undergraduate, the Corner still is a favorite Charlottesville hotspot for students.
"The Corner is one of my favorite places here," Hullgrave said. "Whether for eating good food or going out at night, it is just the perfect place for a college student."
Many alumni, however, believe that some the Corner's past popularity has been eroded by new alternatives such as Barracks Road and the Downtown Mall.
"When I became a student in the fall of 1970, the Corner really was the only place to go," Sabato said. "Barracks Road Shopping Center had just been built, and there was nothing much up on Route 29."
A 1966 University graduate and the father of a first-year College student, Tony Muir also commented on the popularity of the Corner.
"It was even more popular then because that was all there was," Muir said. "No one went downtown because it was rundown."
The years have certainly taken their toll on the development of the Corner. Since the 1950s, the number of bars has increased from two to 11, and the number of restaurants has tripled according to "The Corner."
"There are many more restaurants nowadays," Muir said. "The side streets had nothing, no Coupe's or Buddhist bars. There was just University Avenue."
Spaar said she experienced a Corner with developed side streets.
"Elliwood Avenue was sort of a hippie street with communal houses and gauzy Indian clothing stores," Spaar said. "Martha's Café used to be a place called Krishna's Kitchen."
Over the years, some of the Corner's former hotspots have been forced to close. According to the "The Corner," University Cafeteria was a staple of University life for 40 years until it shut down in 1983.
"UniCaf was one of the centerpieces in the 1970s," Spaar said. "It was an old style eatery with white uniforms and serving Southern food. Being from New Jersey, it was a really big culture shock for me."
Sabato also noted the restaurant's significance during his undergraduate years.
"UniCaf provided food at reasonable prices, and literally everyone crowded in for a good lunch, cafeteria style," Sabato said. "And it was the prime place to find out what was really happening at the University."
The University Diner, where Café Europa currently is located, was the Littlejohn's of its generation, serving doughnuts rather than subs.
"Everyone crowded in from 1 to 3 a.m., and there were terrific fries and glazed doughnuts, fried, topped with fresh vanilla ice cream," Sabato said. "I can still taste those high cholesterol treats."
Another devotee, Muir also cherished the pre-Krispy Kreme doughnuts of U-Diner.
"U-Diner was on the other side of the tracks where they served ice cream on fried doughnuts," Muir said. "We always went there after drinking the whole night."
Another familiar alternative to the "Party Pics" of generation Y was a store located where Starbucks is today.
"I can't remember the name, but there was a store there which posted photos on their window from every big weekend when we had parties," Muir said.
The clothing stores on the Corner also went through transformations, but one has maintained its prominence.
"There weren't many stores to shop from and none for females because girls weren't admitted then," Muir said. "But we still had Eljo's. It was as popular for shopping as it is now."
In addition to Eljo's, several other centerpiece locales have maintained their status. The Virginian and the White Spot were as frequently visited by students then as they are in 2004.
"The Virginian was one of the popular spots," Spaar said. "They maintained a slogan of 'where mountaineer meets the debutant' then. And of course there was White Spot and its Gus Burgers."
Muir pointed out that The Virginian proved to be a revered setting for having a couple beers in the '60s like it is today.
"When I went to U.Va., 18 year olds could drink beers with 3.2 percent alcohol," Muir said. "So Virginian was very popular for younger students."
These two long-lasting eateries were later followed by other popular restaurants that were established in the late '70s and '80s. The heaven of sandwiches, Littlejohn's was opened in 1976 while Coupe's opened in 1983.
Maybe it's the Survivor Hour at Biltmore that attracts students to the Corner, or maybe it's the incredible ice-cold sensation of Arch's. Whatever it is that gives the Corner its Siren-like quality, it works.
Bob Dylan might have been right when he said that "times are a-changin'," but the Corner will always be at the heart of the University with its beer pitchers, greasy burgers and orange clad Wahoos.
Barefoot, Coy. "The Corner: A History of Student Life at the University of Virginia."Howell Press, Charlottesville 2001.
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