CAMPBELL COUNTY
County Offices
47 Courthouse Lane
Rustburg 434-332-9500
www.co.campbell.va.us
Chamber of Commerce
414 Washington Street
Altavista 434-369-6665
www.altavistachamber.org
Campbell County in the Greater Lynchburg area claims roots as a tobacco producer and later a center of industrial manufacturing. This former agricultural community has emerged as a blend of rural and suburban living with a diverse and growing economy that is attracting retirees, young professionals, and growing families. Two major arterial highways traverse across Campbell County. US Route 460 connects the county to Richmond to the east and the Roanoke Valley to the west, where it links to Interstate 81. US Highway 29 leads to north to Charlottesville and on to the Washington, DC area. US Highways 29 the 501 are other major thoroughfares. The Lynchburg Regional Airport is actually located in Campbell County.
Many of the small businesses in Campbell County were launched by local residents, adding a friendly and intimate quality to daily life. A number of larger companies and leading employers have also selected this land-rich county as their home, taking advantage of the area’s many assets. The industries represented in this mix span pharmaceuticals, automotive, defense contractors, commercial printing, plastics, nuclear engineering and products, and textiles.
Service
State-of-the-art healthcare services and facilities are located nearby in the bustling metropolitan area of Lynchburg. Centra Health directly serves Campbell County with two medical centers, one in Brookneal and one in Altavista, that meet primary care needs including a number of specializations. The healthcare system also operates two full-service hospitals in nearby Lynchburg, Lynchburg General Hospital and Virginia Baptist Hospital. Lynchburg General is a 270-bed emergency and critical-care center specializing in cardiology, emergency medicine, orthopedics, neurology, and neurosurgery. The hospital has earned national recognition for its orthopedic and cardiac programs. Virginia Baptist serves as a regional 317-bed facility that is particularly noted for its cancer care, women’s and children’s care, outpatient surgery, physical rehabilitation, and home health.
Educational opportunities in Campbell County are underlined by the quality public school system operated by Campbell and Pittsylvania counties. Several organizations offer preschools, including the Altavista Area YMCA. Higher education is available close to home at the Altavista Center for Central Virginia Community College, which offers both day and evening classes to appeal to a cross-section of students. The center also provides customized training programs for local business and industry. Other colleges and universities near Campbell County include Averett University in Danville; Sweet Briar College in Amherst; and Liberty University, Lynchburg College, Randolph Macon Women’s College, and the University of Virginia Lynchburg Center all in Lynchburg.
Lifestyle
Newcomers to Campbell County will find a rapidly developing area, especially in the northern section that fringes the metropolitan center of Lynchburg. Recent years have been a boom in new construction of single-family homes, subdivisions, planned communities, and luxurious townhouses. Sleepy residential villages, pictures family farms, and thousands of acres of pasture land dominate the southern section of the county. To the southwest lies Leesville Lake, a scenic area that has welcomed many new residents. The county’s credo of “Respecting the Past, Attending the Present, Concentrating on the Future,” reflects the harmony of time-honored tradition and modern progress. The county has an active recreation department that plans seasonal activities for children and adults and manages the area’s parks. Annual events include the early summer celebration of Uncle Billy’s Day Festival and the Dixie Youth League Striped Bass Festival and Fun Float Day.
Avoca Museum crowns the cultural attractions as the home of Colonel Charles Lynch, revolutionary patriot and brother of John Lynch. This restored Virginia Historic Landmark features an eight-room Queen Anne country Victorian home with its brick kitchen, smoke house, and farm office. Neighboring Bedford County is home to the National D-Day Memorial, and the Patrick Henry National Memorial is located just beyond the border of the county near Brookneal. Known as Red Hill, the memorial invites visitors to rediscover 18th-century Virginia and enjoy breathtaking vistas of the scenic Staunton River Valley. Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest lies to the north, distinguished as his personal retreat home and one of the first octagonal residences in the nation. Just east of Campbell County, the Appomattox Court House National Historic Park marks the site of General Robert E. Lee’s surrender and the end of the Civil War.
From suburban communities that promise quick access to restaurants, shopping, and entertainment to the rolling countryside and lakefront properties, Campbell County supports every imaginable lifestyle. Many of the small businesses that dot the county were founded by lifelong residents, so expect a friendly greeting around every corner. For the ideal balance of suburban convenience and rural delights, few places can rival tranquil, inviting Campbell County.
Altavista
Municipal Offices
434-369-5001
www.ci.altavista.va.us
Chamber of Commerce
434-369-6665
www.altavistachamber.org
Altavista is a young community when compared to many of the towns within in the Old Dominion. It was 1905 when three Lane brothers plotted the community and hired engineers to layout a town with streets, lots, and utility services. The maker of the famous Lane cedar chests, the Lane Company, was founded the same year and the Lane family continued to play a major role in the community for generations. Modern Altavista offers an exceptional quality of life, mirrored in the new library and civic center buildings, the downtown gazebos, and the towering trees that grace the streets with village charm. Pride of ownership is evident in the lovely neighborhoods as well as the fresh paint and preserved facades on storefronts. Highlights include more than 60 acres of community parks, an active YMCA, the Avoca Museum, and nearby Smith Mountain Lake for premier outdoor recreation. The local center for Central Virginia Community College enrich the community and surrounding area both educationally and culturally.
Brookneal
Municipal Offices
434-376-3124
www.townofbrookneal.com
Chamber of Commerce
434-376-1046
www.brooknealchamber.org
Steeped in historic significance, the town of Brookneal is ideally situated in an area that showcases the natural beauty of the Virginia countryside. This pastoral setting is the reason that Patrick Henry named his plantation Red Hill, the garden spot of Virginia. Just outside of Brookneal, his personal retreat still nestles among rolling hills and lush meadows. Forests and streams, abundant wildlife, and the Staunton and Falling rivers surround the community and contribute to its undeniable appeal. The Staunton River is the scene of several popular special events during the year including a Fun Float Day and the Dixie Youth League Striped Bass Festival. Many families are drawn to Brookneal for its quiet and attractive residential neighborhoods and excellent school system. The Brookneal Family Medical Center provides a local healthcare facility that is capable of meeting most routine needs close to home.
