Morven, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Morven, Virginia
|
|
|---|---|
Little Union Baptist Church, Morven
|
|
 Morven, Virginia
Location in Virginia
Morven, Virginia
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Amelia |
| Elevation | 403 ft (123 m) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
23002
|
| Area code(s) | 804 |
| FIPS code | 51-53320 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1477555 |
Morven is a small, rural community in Amelia County, Virginia. It is not a city or town with its own government. Instead, it is an unincorporated community, meaning it's a group of homes and businesses without a separate local government. Morven is located in the northwestern part of Amelia County, just south of the Appomattox River. It sits where two roads, SR 681 (Clementown Road) and SR 616 (S. Genito Road), meet. Sometimes, the name is misspelled as "Moryen." A part of U.S. Bicycle Route 1, a long bike path, goes through Morven on SR 616.
Contents
Morven's History
How Morven Got Its Name
The exact reason for Morven's name is not fully known. It might have come from places in Scotland, as "Morven" is a common name there. Many Scottish settlers came to Virginia, bringing names from their homeland.
The name "Morven" was first used for a large estate in Amelia County. This estate was just north of the crossroads where the community is now. The area was once called Eanes Crossroads. By the mid-1800s, it had a post office. In 1855, this post office was officially named Morven. The Morven post office closed in the early 1900s. Today, people in Morven get their mail from the post office in Amelia Court House, which is about 10 miles away.
Morven During the Civil War
Morven played a small part in the Civil War in April 1865. This was during the very last days of the war. General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia were retreating westward. They were tired, hungry, and running out of supplies.
On April 5, 1865, a Confederate wagon train was carrying much-needed supplies from Richmond. It had just passed through Morven. However, Union cavalry soldiers stopped and destroyed these wagons. The wagons had been delayed because a river crossing was flooded, forcing them to take a longer route. This event was one of the few times that Black Confederate troops were involved in a fight. Just a few days later, on April 9, General Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House.
Morven Schoolhouse
The Morven School was built around 1915. It was a one-room public schoolhouse. This means all students, regardless of age, learned in the same room. The school was located on Route 616.
In the late 1960s, the school was sold. It is not clear if Morven School was a Rosenwald School. Rosenwald Schools were part of a special project in the early 1900s. This project built thousands of schools across the Southern United States. Their main goal was to improve education for African American children. After schools became integrated, many Rosenwald properties were no longer used or were sold.
Historic Places Near Morven
There are several old and important buildings around Morven. These structures help tell the story of the area's past:
- Shrum House: This house is about two-thirds of a mile south on Route 681. It was built shortly after the American Revolution. It was later restored in the late 1960s.
- Union Baptist Church & Cemetery: This church was started in 1833. It was an important local landmark by the time of the Civil War. It is on modern-day Route 616, between Morven and Paineville.
- Little Union Baptist Church: This church, shown in the picture, was established in 1874. It is on Route 681, just north of the crossroads.
- Haw Branch Plantation: This historic plantation is about 4 miles east of Morven. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
