BUCKINGHAM COUNTY
County Offices
13380 W James Anderson Highway
Buckingham 434-969-4242
www.buckinghamcountyva.org
Chamber of Commerce
Dillwyn 434-983-2372
http://buckinghamchamberofcommerce.com
Proud of its strategic location as the geographic center of Virginia, beautiful Buckingham County is situated south of the James River. Depending upon their location, most residents are just 40 minutes from the vibrant city of Charlottesville. Lynchburg and Richmond are approximately an hour’s drive, the latter offering an international airport. Diversification ensures a strong local economy that blends agricultural activity, forestry and recreation with manufacturing and construction. Major highways include US Routes 15 and 60 along with a network of state routes.
Services
Quality educational services begin with a strong public school system crowned by a high school that holds the Bronze medal award for Best High Schools from US News & World Report. Career and educational programs for adults and high school students are available at the Buckingham County Career and Technical Center. Piedmont Virginia Community College with its flagship campus in Charlottesville offers a wide range of two-year career and transfer programs close to home. Regional four-year institutions include Longwood University, offering more than 100 baccalaureate-level major, minors, and concentrations and a number of graduate programs. Recognized as a Top 10 public university in the South by US World & News Report, Longwood University is also listed among the Best Colleges and Universities in the Southeast by Princeton Review. Approximately 35 minutes from home, the private institution of Hampton-Sydney College is one of only three four-year, all-men’s liberal arts colleges in the nation. Charlottesville is home to the 1,682-acre campus for the University of Virginia, an internationally recognized public-private research institution with graduate programs that include the highly ranked Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, Curry School of Education, School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Law, and School of Medicine.
State-of-the-art healthcare is as close as Centra Southside Community Hospital in Farmville, a full-service facility that offers all-private rooms as well as the latest diagnostics and treatment options. Serving a multi-county region, the hospital provides comprehensive care including emergency service, cardiology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, surgical services, and family medicine. Should the need for highly advanced care arise, UVA Health System in Charlottesville is anchored by a 570-bed Magnet® hospital with a Level I Trauma Center. UVA Hospital and UVA Health consistently earn top rankings in publications such as US News & World Report and national Top Doctor lists, garnering honors for superior nursing processes, quality patient care, and programs and specialties from orthopedics to UVA Children’s Hospital. Charlottesville is also home to Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, a 176-bed facility with a patient-centered philosophy and all private rooms. Offering a beautiful, healing environment, the Hospital recently received national accreditation as a Primary Stroke Center by Det Norke Veritas Healthcare.
Lifestyle
“Livin’ is easy” in scenic Buckingham County, brimming over with rural charm and old-fashioned Southern hospitality. The unspoiled beauty of this region makes it a four-season paradise for outdoor adventure and recreation. Surrounded by the 19,687-acre Buckingham-Appomattox State Forest, Holliday Lake State Park offers miles of scenic trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians as well as outstanding opportunities for camping, fishing, boating, swimming, and picnicking. James River State Park preserves 1,500 acres along the panoramic riverfront for picnicking or primitive and RV camping along with 17 miles of multi-use trails and three miles of river frontage with two boat ramps. Anglers and boaters will appreciate access to the James—the longest river in the nation in one state—for premier summer waterskiing and pulling in large blue catfish. Fishing, boating, and hiking are also available at the Horsepen Lake Management Area with an 18-acre lake and 3,065 acres of primarily forested land. Kids love the summer camping opportunities at Holliday Lake 4-H Center, while residents of all ages enjoy the activities and programs sponsored by the Buckingham County Recreation Department.
Throughout the county, scenic rural landscapes are dotted with small communities that excel in historic charm, preserving treasures like the 10-structure Buckingham Courthouse Historic District. The crown jewel of the district is the 1873 courthouse itself—rebuilt after a fire to follow the original Thomas Jefferson design of a two-story, temple-style Greek Revival building fronted by a Doric order portico. The Historic Village at Lee Wayside features nine buildings including a post office, one-room schoolhouse, general store, blacksmith shop, and log tobacco barn with a colonial heritage garden. This 40-acre complex offers a lovely nature trail, costumed tour guides, historic reenactments, Native American artifact displays, and a stage for special events and performances. For world-class dining, expanded shopping, and performance centers from grand to intimate, the bright lights of Charlottesville are just a few minutes from home. Nearby attractions include wonderful wineries and breweries, famous museums like the Lewis & Clark Exploratory Center, and star-studded events like the Virginia Film Festival and the Virginia Festival of the Book. Those who are looking for an idyllic country setting are sure to find the perfect home in lovely Buckingham County.
COMMUNITIES
Dillwyn
Town Offices
434-983-2076
www.dillwynva.org
Chamber of Commerce
434-983-2372
http://buckinghamchamberofcommerce.com
Well-served by US Route 15, the small community of Dillwyn is the only incorporated town in Buckingham County. Local highlights include Ellis Acres Memorial Park, a conversion of the Historic Buckingham Training School that operated from 1924 through 1953. This nine-acre complex now offers facilities and programs for workforce training, youth self-esteem enhancement, older adult enrichment activities, family fitness, and recreation. Dillwyn is also home to regional assets like the Discovery School of Virginia for teens with learning disabilities or emotional challenges and the County Pavilion for community and special events. Residents are an hour’s drive from Charlottesville but only 30 minutes from Farmville, the proud home of Longwood University and Centra Southside Community Hospital. Characterized as a small but vibrant college town, Farmville offers wonderful restaurants and eateries, local shopping, and an area dotted with popular golf courses.
