Heathsville, Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Heathsville
Census-designated place (CDP)
The village green, from the porch of the Northumberland County Courthouse
Heathsville Location in Virginia Show map of Virginia Heathsville Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Virginia
County	Northumberland
Population  (2020)
• Total	136
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	22473
Area code(s)	804

Heathsville is a small community in Northumberland County, Virginia, United States. It's known as the county seat, which means it's where the main government offices for the county are located. Heathsville is in the eastern part of an area called the Northern Neck of Virginia. This region is famous because three of the first five U.S. Presidents — George Washington, James Madison, and James Monroe — were born here.

Heathsville has been home to the county's courthouse since 1663. Many historic buildings and sites are found here, some dating back to the late 1700s. Places like the Heathsville Historic District, Coan Baptist Church, and Rice's Hotel are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The town is named after John Heath, who was a lawyer and politician. In 2020, about 136 people lived in Heathsville. It is located on U.S. Route 360.

Heathsville's Early Days

In 1679, officials in Northumberland County wanted to move their courthouse to a more central spot. So, in 1680, they made a deal to build a new courthouse and a prison. These buildings were put on land that would become Heathsville. The courthouse was finished the next year.

For a long time, Heathsville was a very small village. Even during the American Revolutionary War, it had fewer than 12 buildings. These were simple wooden homes.

Growth and Development

Despite its small size, Heathsville began to grow. In 1797, important residents asked the Virginia General Assembly to officially make Northumberland Court House a town. John Heath, who the town is named after, was part of this group.

In 1798, a famous architect named Benjamin Henry Latrobe mapped out the new town. He divided it into 40 lots. By the early 1800s, Heathsville was expanding. People described it as a "handsome post-village" with a large church, a school, and a mill. Many of the historic homes you can see today were built or made bigger during this time.

Challenges and Recovery

The American Civil War slowed down Heathsville's growth. However, the town mostly recovered by 1880. In 1873, a group of local women put up a special statue to honor soldiers who died in the Civil War. Unlike many statues, it showed a woman holding an anchor. This symbolized how the women of the area were an "anchor" for their community during the war.

Even though the area was a bit isolated, steamboats helped people travel to and from Heathsville. This kept the town connected for many years. But steamboat service stopped in 1937. Also, during the Great Depression, many young people left Heathsville's farms. They moved to bigger cities to find jobs. As local industries like milling and wagon-making faded, the town relied more on its courthouse.

Heathsville Today

Today, Heathsville's population is still shrinking. It has lost more than a quarter of its residents since 1980. The local Chamber of Commerce describes Heathsville as a place "based in the 18th century but living in the 21st." This means it has a rich history but is also part of modern life.

Behind the old courthouse, there's a farmer's market. It happens on the third Saturday of each month from April to October. This area also hosts groups that work to keep old skills alive. These skills include iron forging, woodworking, quilting, and weaving.

Population Information

Heathsville's population has changed over the years. Here's a look at how many people have lived there during different census counts:

The table below shows the different groups of people living in Heathsville in 2020:

Note: The U.S. Census counts Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic group. So, this table separates them from the racial categories.

See also

• In Spanish: Heathsville (Virginia) para niños