Proffit, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Proffit
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Country | United States |
State | Virginia |
County | Albemarle |
Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
GNIS feature ID | 1477646 |
Proffit is a small, quiet community in Albemarle County, Virginia. It's known as an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Instead, it's part of the larger county. You won't find many shops or businesses here, mostly just homes along the roads. A cool feature is a bridge where Norfolk Southern trains pass underneath! Proffit is also special because it's recognized as a Virginia Landmark. The Proffit Historic District was even added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
Contents
A Journey Through Time
From Egypt to Proffit
Long ago, right after the Civil War, this area was mostly home to African American families. It was first called Egypt, then later Bethel. The name changed to Proffit when the railroad line was built through the area. It was named after the person who helped get the land for the train tracks.
As Proffit grew into a small center for trade, more people of different backgrounds moved there. By the late 1920s, about 15 to 20 African American families still lived in Proffit.
Community Life and News
In 1974, a local newspaper called the Charlottesville-Albemarle Tribune shared news about the Proffit area. The paper mentioned Evergreen Baptist Church as an important part of the community. Rev. Blakely was the leader there.
Another church, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Earlysville, hosted a special Thanksgiving worship service. Rev. L.S. Ward, who was the pastor of Chatman Grove Baptist Church, gave the sermon. Other churches, including Evergreen at Proffit and Free Union of Stony Point, also joined this service. The plan for that year was to have the Union Christmas service at Evergreen Baptist Church.
Famous People from Proffit
A well-known historian named Claude Hall was born in Proffit. He wrote a book called Abel Parker Upshur. Claude Hall also earned three degrees from the University of Virginia, which is a big achievement!