Colleen, Virginia facts for kids
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Colleen is a small, unincorporated community located in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. An "unincorporated community" means it's a group of homes and businesses that doesn't have its own local government, like a city or town. Instead, it's governed by the larger county.
Colleen: A Historic Virginia Community
Colleen has a long and interesting history. It was originally known by a different name: Cabellsville.
The First County Seat
Back in 1761, Colleen played a very important role. It became the very first "county seat" for the original Amherst County. A county seat is like the main town or city where the county government offices are located. This is where important decisions were made.
The county court first met at a home near Colleen. They even asked a surveyor named William Cabell to help draw the border for the new county. By March 1762, a new courthouse was built in Colleen. This building was where legal matters were handled and local laws were made.
Changes and New Counties
Over time, things changed. In 1807, the state of Virginia created a brand new county called Nelson County. Because of this, the county seat for Amherst County had to move.
The judges of Amherst County decided to move their government to a place called New Glasgow. A new courthouse was built there by 1810. This courthouse was later replaced by the current one in 1870.
Meanwhile, Nelson County also needed its own county seat. It was decided that Lovingston would be the main town for Nelson County. A courthouse was built in Lovingston in 1809.
Colleen remains a quiet community today, but its early history as a center of government is an important part of Virginia's past.
