Amherst County is a county, located in the Piedmont region and near the center of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The county is part of the Lynchburg metropolitan area, and its county seat is also named Amherst.

Amherst County was created in 1761 out of Albemarle County, and it was named in honor of Lord Jeffery Amherst, the so-called "Conqueror of Canada". In 1807 as population increased, the county was reduced in size in order to form Nelson County. Tobacco was the major cash crop of the county during its early years. The labor-intensive crop was worked and processed by enslaved Africans and African Americans before the American Civil War.

As of the 2020 census, the population of the county was 31,307.

History

thumb|left|[[Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst|Jeffery Amherst, called the "Conqueror of Canada", for whom the county was named]]

Beginning thousands of years in the past, Native Americans were the first humans to populate the area. They hunted and fished mainly along the countless rivers and streams in the county. With the establishment of the Virginia Colony in 1607, English emigrants arrived in North America. By the late 17th century English explorers and traders had traveled up the James River to this area. Early trading posts were established between 1710 and 1720. By 1730, many new English colonial families moved into the area currently known as Amherst County, drawn by the desire for land and the good tobacco-growing soil.

Amherst County was formed in 1761, from part of southwestern Albemarle County. The original county seat had been in Cabelsville, now Colleen, in what would later become Nelson County. The county was named for Lord Amherst, known as the "Conqueror of Canada", who commanded the British forces that successfully secured Canada from the French during the Seven Years' War. Jeffery Amherst had previously been named as Governor of Virginia, although he never came to this colony.

In 1806 the county took its present proportions, when Nelson County was formed from its northern half. At that point, the county seat was moved to the village of Five Oaks, later renamed Amherst. The present county courthouse was built in 1870 and has served the county ever since. Amherst County produced more Confederate soldiers per capita than anywhere else in the Confederate States of America.

In the early days, the major crop raised in Amherst County was tobacco. Apple orchards were part of mixed farming that replaced tobacco, especially in the late 19th century. Timber, mining and milling were also important industries. The introduction of the railroad in the late 19th century greatly influenced the county's growth. The county contains many good examples of 18th, 19th and early 20th century rural and small town architecture. The downtown area of Amherst is a classic example of early 20th century commercial architecture.

Recreation and attractions

Recreational attractions are located throughout the county. There are four recreational and public lakes, namely Mill Creek, Thrashers Lake, Otter Lake and Stonehouse Lake, which offer opportunities to fish, canoe or kayak. There are many parks and trails in the county, including about 25 miles of the Appalachian Trail, which runs through the George Washington National Forest. Offshoot trails lead to peaks in Amherst, such at Mount Pleasant, Cole Mountain, and Tar Jacket Ridge.

Adjacent counties / Independent city

  • Rockbridge County – northwest
  • Nelson County – northeast
  • Appomattox County – southeast
  • Campbell County – south
  • Lynchburg – south (independent city)
  • Bedford County – southwest

National protected areas

  • Blue Ridge Parkway (part)
  • George Washington National Forest (part)

Major highways

  • (N & S Amherst Hwy, S. Amherst Hwy is US BUS 29 south of Amherst and then turns into the Lynchburg Expressway in Madison Heights; Monacan Trail)
  • (Lexington Turnpike; Richmond Hwy)
  • (joins SR 130 and becomes Elon Rd.)
  • (Elon Rd; Amelon Hwy)
  • (Patrick Henry Hwy)
  • (S Amherst Hwy)
  • (Old Town Connector)

Demographics

<!-- PresRow should be -->

Education

Amherst County is served by Amherst County Public Schools, which operates one central high school, two middle schools, and several elementary schools. Temple Christian School is a private school located on the grounds of Temple Baptist Church. Sweet Briar College is also located in Amherst County, just south of the town of Amherst.

Communities

Town

  • Amherst

Census-designated place

  • Madison Heights

Other unincorporated communities

  • Clifford
  • Elon
  • Monroe
  • Riverville
  • Stapleton
  • Sweet Briar

Notable people

  • James John Floyd (1750–1783), born in Amherst County, co-founder of Louisville, KY and early settler in that area; Kentucky Colonel and pioneer judge
  • William Barnett (1761–1834), born in Amherst County, United States Congressman
  • William Becknell, born in Amherst County, first white man to open what would become the Santa Fe Trail
  • Pierre Thomas (b.1962) is an American journalist. He serves as a senior justice correspondent at ABC News. He has twice won an Emmy, as well as winning a Peabody Award and DuPont Award and been named "Journalist of the Year" by the National Association of Black Journalists.
  • William H. Crawford (7th United States Secretary of the Treasury)

See also

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Amherst County, Virginia

References