AMHERST COUNTY
County Offices
153 Washington Street
Amherst 434-946-9400
www.countyofamherst.com
Chamber of Commerce
154 South Main Street
Amherst 434-946-0990
www.amherstvachamber.com
Nestled along the foothills of the dreamy Blue Ridge Mountains, Amherst County is home to friendly communities, a long list of premier recreational sites, charming bed and breakfasts, wineries, and championship golf courses. Newcomers will find a thriving region that blends rural and suburban living while it contrasts a low cost of living with a superb quality of life. The beautiful campus of the private Sweet Briar College stimulates the area intellectually, culturally, and economically.
Amherst County enjoys a strategic location just north of Lynchburg, approximately an hour’s drive northeast of Roanoke, 45 minutes south of Charlottesville, and 30 miles east of Lexington. Richmond is a two-hour drive and the nation’s capital city—Washington, DC—is only three hours away. Many natural features in Amherst County have been preserved in its pristine state including the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests and the Mt. Pleasant National Scenic Area. The historic James River and the James River Heritage Trail, the Blue Ridge Rail Trail, and the Blue Ridge Parkway add to the natural richness of this panoramic region.
Services
Three full-service hospitals anchor the network of healthcare services and facilities in this region—two in Lynchburg and one in Bedford. More than 330 physicians representing all major specialties and many sub-specialties are in private practice. State-of-the-art services and advanced technologies are available to local residents at a significant lower cost than comparable care in most other section of Virginia. When highly specialized care is required, a number of outstanding hospitals and medical centers are available within a 50-minute drive, most notably the University of Virginia Medical School and Hospital in Charlottesville. Amherst County is home to hospice organizations and long-care homes for a complete spectrum of lifelong healthcare services. Wellness programs, community education, public health screenings, and outreach programs underline the proactive attitude toward maintaining health and well being.
Honoring children and young people as the source of energy and ideas within a thriving and growing area, Amherst County is dedicated to quality educational opportunities on every academic level. Opportunities for higher education range from vocational and career institutes to two-year institutions like Central Virginia Community College and Piedmont Virginia Community College. Lynchburg is home to Liberty University, Lynchburg College, Randolph-Macon Women’s College, the University of Virginia at Lynchburg, and Amherst’s own Sweetbriar College. The latter serves as a major cultural center for the community, drawing crowds to concerts, lectures and dramatic productions open to the public. The University of Virginia and the Institute of Textile Technology in Charlottesville, Longwood University and Hampden-Sydney College in Prince Edward County, Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, and Lexington’s Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University are all located within a 40-mile radius from Amherst County.
Lifestyle
Formed in 1761, historic Amherst County claims the breathtaking beauty of Blue Ridge vistas and riverfront recreation. The leading town and county seat of Amherst nestles along the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, preserving a subtle colloquial sense of the gracious Old South. Yesterday’s grand architecture blends with modern development in this unique area that seems to span the centuries. The rich sense of history, treasured landmarks, community and social events, and volunteerism are part of the way of life in Amherst County. Newcomers will discover a picturesque and disarming landscape of mountains and vast open space, scenic byways, well-preserved forests, sparkling lakes, and productive farms. Elevations ranging from 500 feet to 4,000 feet create a remarkably diverse region and spectacularly rolling countryside traversed by the James River and sparkling streams.
The residential communities and neighborhoods in Amherst County are well-integrated into the area’s natural beauty for a clean and attractive appearance. Approximately half of the population is clustered near Lynchburg and Madison Heights, serving as a bedroom community for both urban centers. The housing options are as diverse as the landscape, offering older and new single-family homes, townhouses, farm houses, and properties ripe for restoration and remodeling. Retirees, young professionals, and growing families are all drawn to this serene area of lovely established neighborhoods, elegant estates, vibrant new subdivisions, mountain views, sparkling lakes, and panoramic farm land.
The Amherst business district serves as a focal point of retail activity and services, although Madison Heights and the city of Lynchburg provide an impressive list of amenities and urban advantages. Shopping centers, institutions of higher education, cultural attractions, and fine restaurants are easily accessible. The Virginia Garlic Festival, the Amherst County Apple Harvest Festival, and the Babcock Fine Arts Center at Sweet Briar College fill the calendar with dates to remember. The Virginia Center for the Arts grants fellowships to artisans who are able to work without distraction at this wonderful 12-acre hilltop retreat. Without a doubt, “Virginia’s Most Civilized Wilderness” is transforming into a well known and popular place to call home.
Amherst
Municipal Offices
434-946-7885
www.amherstva.gov
Chamber of Commerce
434-946-0990
www.amherstvachamber.com
Nestled against the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia, the charming small town of Amherst serves as the seat of government and hub of Amherst County activity. Just north of Lynchburg, Amherst offers premier fishing opportunities and 50 mile of waterfront along the James, Pedlar, and Piney rivers. Popular recreational opportunities include boating, skiing, hiking, collegiate sports excitement, and auto racing. The local golf facilities are so plentiful that the annual Central Virginia Invitational Golf Tournament is able to use a different course for each day of its four-day run. Most recently, Popular Grove offers a new championship course designed by golfing legend Sam Snead. Because Amherst serves as a regional hub, the amenities are more highly developed than would be expected for a town of its size.
Madison Heights
County Offices
434-946-9400
www.countyofamherst.com
Chamber of Commerce
434-946-0990
www.amherstvachamber.com
The Madison Heights community lies just north of the bustling river city of Lynchburg, sharing a prime location along the James River. This area features attractive and affordable housing in comfortable, tree-lined neighborhoods and an ever-expanding support structure of business and commerce along the Route 29 corridor. The Monacan Indian Nation Pow Wow is one of the colorful celebrations in this area that draws regional attention. Boating, swimming, fishing, hunting, biking, camping, birding, golfing, shopping, and antiquing are some of the common pastimes in this truly livable corner of Virginia. For the finest in urban amenities, Lynchburg is just minutes away. Roanoke and Charlottsville are approximately 50 miles from home, and both Hampton Roads and the nation’s capital city are about 200 miles away.
