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Located in the southwestern part of the city, the history and development of the Jefferson Park Avenue neighborhood was influenced by the popularity of the Fry's Spring resort. At one point a steam rail and later an electric trolley transported local and out of town visitors to the reputedly therapeutic springs. A number of large homes were built around the turn of the century (1900) in the Fry's Spring/Jefferson Park Avenue area, among them White Cross on Stribling Avenue (now called Huntley Hall), the Barringer house on Valley Road, Piedmont Plantation (which extended south toward Hickory Hill and east, surrounding Fry's Spring), Shamrock, the Harmon house, and the Rixey house (next to the Beta fraternity).
JPA now has a very high percentage of rentals (92.89%) because of its convenient location adjacent to the University and revisions to the city's zoning ordinance in 1976 which allowed R-3 (multi-family) throughout much of the neighborhood. Its approximate boundaries are the Norfolk and Southern railroad to the southeast, city limits to the west, University to the north, and Jefferson Park Avenue to the northeast, 172.75 acres total. Major arteries are Jefferson Park Avenue (an Entrance Corridor), Fontaine Avenue (an Entrance Corridor), and Stadium Road. A commercial district is located at the intersection of JPA and Maury and Fontaine Avenues, and the University has a research park further west on Fontaine, outside the city limits.

The JPA neighborhood has been included in the following special studies (at least in part): A Study of Four Neighborhoods Adjacent to the University of Virginia (Department of Community Development, May 1980); City of Charlottesville Commercial Corridor Study (Torti Gallas CHK, 2000).