Amelia County, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amelia County
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Amelia County Court House
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Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
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 Virginia's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Virginia |
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| Founded | 1735 | |
| Named for | Princess Amelia | |
| Seat | Amelia Court House | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 359 sq mi (930 km2) | |
| • Land | 355 sq mi (920 km2) | |
| • Water | 3.3 sq mi (9 km2) 0.9% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 13,265 | |
| • Density | 36.95/sq mi (14.266/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP Codes |
23002, 23083, 23105
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| Congressional district | 7th | |
Amelia County is a county located just southwest of Richmond in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. The county is located in Central Virginia and is included in the Greater Richmond Region. Its county seat is Amelia Court House.
Amelia County was created in 1735 from parts of Prince George and Brunswick counties, and was named in honor of Princess Amelia of Great Britain. Parts of the county were later carved out to create Prince Edward and Nottoway counties.
As of the 2020 census, the county population was 13,265.
Contents
History
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Amelia County was created by a legislative act in 1734 and 1735 from parts of Prince George and Brunswick counties. The County is named for Princess Amelia of Great Britain, daughter of King George II. Twice Amelia County was reduced in size to form newer counties; in 1754, Prince Edward County was formed from parts of Amelia County, and in 1789, Nottoway County was formed.
During the Civil War General Robert E. Lee and his Army spent April 4 and 5, 1865 at Amelia Courthouse before his surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox. The last major battle of the war was fought at Sayler’s Creek on April 6.
Amelia is known for its minerals, including the nation's best supply of Amazonite found at the Morefield mine. In addition, the Amelia County Fair was home to the world's largest potato pancake (with apple sauce) which was built to raise money for the German American National Scholarship Fund in 1986. It weighed over two and one quarter tons and used four truck loads of potatoes.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 359 square miles (930 km2), of which 355 square miles (920 km2) is land and 3.3 square miles (8.5 km2) (0.9%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Powhatan County - north
- Chesterfield County - northeast
- Dinwiddie County - southeast
- Nottoway County - south
- Prince Edward County - southwest
- Cumberland County - west
Major highways
US 360
SR 38
SR 153
SR 307
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 18,097 | — | |
| 1800 | 9,432 | −47.9% | |
| 1810 | 10,594 | 12.3% | |
| 1820 | 11,104 | 4.8% | |
| 1830 | 11,036 | −0.6% | |
| 1840 | 10,320 | −6.5% | |
| 1850 | 9,770 | −5.3% | |
| 1860 | 10,741 | 9.9% | |
| 1870 | 9,878 | −8.0% | |
| 1880 | 10,377 | 5.1% | |
| 1890 | 9,068 | −12.6% | |
| 1900 | 9,037 | −0.3% | |
| 1910 | 8,720 | −3.5% | |
| 1920 | 9,800 | 12.4% | |
| 1930 | 8,799 | −10.2% | |
| 1940 | 8,495 | −3.5% | |
| 1950 | 7,908 | −6.9% | |
| 1960 | 7,815 | −1.2% | |
| 1970 | 7,592 | −2.9% | |
| 1980 | 8,405 | 10.7% | |
| 1990 | 8,787 | 4.5% | |
| 2000 | 11,400 | 29.7% | |
| 2010 | 12,690 | 11.3% | |
| 2020 | 13,265 | 4.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 9,233 | 9,687 | 72.76% | 73.03% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,925 | 2,546 | 23.05% | 19.19% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 39 | 18 | 0.31% | 0.14% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 27 | 63 | 0.21% | 0.47% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 10 | 50 | 0.08% | 0.38% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 166 | 476 | 1.31% | 3.59% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 290 | 425 | 2.29% | 3.20% |
| Total | 12,690 | 13,265 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
Communities
There are no incorporated communities in Amelia County.
Census-designated place
Other unincorporated communities
- Chula
- Dennisville
- Jetersville
- Little Patrick
- Mannboro
- Morven
- Winterham
Education
Public Primary and secondary schools
Amelia County is served by the Amelia County School District.
- Amelia County High School
- Amelia County Middle School
- Amelia County Elementary School
Private Primary and secondary Schools
- Amelia Academy
Transportation
Air
- Richmond International Airport is located 51 miles (82 km) northeast of Amelia County.
US Highways
- US 360 (Patrick Henry Highway. Eastbound to Richmond. Westbound to Burkeville and Danville.)
State Routes
- SR 38 (In Amelia Court House: Virginia Street, Court Street, Washington Street, Church Street, Five Forks Road. In Amelia County: N. Five Forks Road, to SR 153.)
- SR 153 (Military Road. To
US 460 and Blackstone.) - SR 307 (Holly Farms Road. To US 460 and Farmville.)
Secondary Routes
SR 604 (Chula Rd and Genito Rd. To Powhatan and Chesterfield Counties.)
SR 609 (Grub Hill Church Rd and Royalton Rd. To 
US 60 and Powhatan Court House.)
SR 614 (Dennisville Rd. To Blackstone.)
SR 616 (Genito Rd. Serves the northwest and southwest area of Amelia County. To SR 307 near Rice.)
Rail
- Norfolk Southern - freight rail service
Notable residents
- William S. Archer, born in Amelia County, United States Senator from Virginia
- Van T. Barfoot (1919-2012), U.S. Army Colonel and a U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
- William Wyatt Bibb, born in Amelia County, United States Senator from Georgia and first Governor of Alabama
- Jesse Bragg, Negro-league baseball player
- William Cocke (1747–1828), born in Amelia County, first United States Senator from Tennessee
- Henry William Connor (1793–1866), born near Amelia Court House, elected United States Congressman from North Carolina
- David Fanning, (1755–1825), born in Amelia County. A Loyalist officer during the American Revolutionary War, he captured Thomas Burke, a court-martial judge and Governor of North Carolina. One of only three individuals excluded from the amnesty after the Revolutionary War, Fanning moved to New Brunswick in present-day Canada for resettlement.
- William Branch Giles, (1762–1830), born in Amelia County. Planter, United States Congressman, United States Senator, and Governor of Virginia
- Edmund Harrison (1764–1826), Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates (1802–1803)
- John Winston Jones, (1791–1848), born in Amelia County. Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
- Nellie A. Ramsey Leslie (c.1840s-c.1920s), born into slavery in Amelia County. She became a noted musician, teacher and composer, founding a musical conservatory in Corpus Christi, Texas.
- Robert Russa Moton (1867–1940), noted African American educator. He was born in Amelia County but was raised in Rice in nearby Prince Edward County, Virginia.
- Mary Virginia Terhune (1830-1922), born in Amelia County. A prolific and bestselling author in both fiction and non-fiction, the first woman elected to the Virginia Historical Society
Images for kids
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Princess Amelia of Great Britain, for whom the county is named
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See also
In Spanish: Condado de Amelia para niños
