Rice, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rice
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 Rice
Location in Virginia
Rice
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Prince Edward |
| Population | |
| • Total | 2,256 |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
23966
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Rice is a small community in Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States. It is not an official town, but a group of homes and businesses. Rice has its own U.S. Post Office with the ZIP code 23966. The closest larger town is Farmville. During the American Civil War, Rice was known as Rice's Depot.
Contents
Life in Rice
Population and Homes
In 2010, about 2,256 people lived in Rice. The number of people living here grew by about 9.5% since the year 2000.
The average cost for a home in Rice is around $164,640. This is lower than the average home cost in the rest of the United States.
Schools and Jobs
Students in Rice attend public schools located in Farmville. These schools include one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. School buses help students get to and from school each day.
The unemployment rate in Rice is about 8.1%. This is lower than the average unemployment rate across the U.S. However, the number of jobs in Rice has recently decreased a little.
History of Rice
Railroad Connections
In the mid-1800s, Rice was an important stop on the Southside Railroad. This railroad later became part of the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad in 1870. Eventually, it joined the Norfolk and Western Railway system.
Civil War Battle
Rice was the site of a small but important battle during the American Civil War. This was the Battle of Rice's Station. It happened just before the larger Battle of Sayler's Creek in April 1865.
On the evening of April 6, 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee was waiting in Rice's Depot. He was with his troops, hoping the rest of his army would catch up. When he heard heavy fighting nearby, General Lee rode to investigate.
He saw many soldiers fleeing, some without their weapons. It looked like his army was falling apart. General Lee reportedly asked, "My God, has the army been dissolved?"
One soldier bravely replied, "No, General, here are troops ready to do their duty." Despite this, General Lee lost a large part of his army at the Battle of Sailor's Creek. Just three days later, his Army of Northern Virginia surrendered. This ended the Appomattox Campaign and was a major step towards the end of the Civil War.
High Bridge Trail
Today, Rice is located along the High Bridge Trail State Park. This park uses the old path of the Southside Railroad. Rice has a large parking lot, making it easy for people to access the trail for walking or biking.
Notable People
- Lieutenant General Samuel V. Wilson, also known as "General Sam," was an important person from Rice. He was the 5th Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. He also helped create a special military unit called Delta Force. Later, he became the 22nd President of Hampden–Sydney College.
