Charlotte County Virginia

The mission of the Charlotte County Government is to create a government that is effective, cost efficient, and customer friendly.

Location: Charlotte County lies in south-central Virginia and is traversed by a wonderful road transportation system including US Route 360, a four-lane divided highway built to interstate standards, along with State Routes 15, 40, 47 and 92. The county is 90 miles southwest of Richmond, the state capital. There are four incorporated towns in Charlotte County: Charlotte Court House, Drakes Branch, Keysville and Phenix.

History: Charlotte County was formed from neighboring Lunenburg County in 1764 and named for Queen Charlotte, wife of George III of England. Settlement of this new frontier began approximately 50 years before the county was formed. Charlotte County was the second governing body in the 13 colonies to declare its independence from England.

As the American revolutionary spirit unfolded, these people of newly acquired wealth and influence played important roles in the formation of the government. Its militia units helped to halt the advance of Cornwallis in 1781 and to hasten the end of the American Revolution. Tarleton's raiders passed through here. Lafayette's units camped near Charlotte Court House and George Washington stopped here on his trip south after the Revolution. Distinguished people throughout the entire country trace their ancestry to Charlotte County families. People of national importance have lived in Charlotte County. It was briefly the home of the signer of the Declaration of Independence, George Walton, later of Georgia. Patrick Henry, born in Hanover County, came to Charlotte in 1795 and is buried at Red Hill, a national shrine. John Randolph, who represented Virginia in both houses of the US Congress between 1799 and 1825, lived and was buried at his home, Roanoke Plantation. Charlotte Court House was the scene of a famous debate on states' rights between Henry and Randolph.

In late spring 1864, Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign had ground to a bloody halt outside Petersburg and Richmond, defended by Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia. In June, to deny Lee the use of the South Side Railroad and the Richmond and Danville Railroad for supplies, Grant sent cavalry divisions of Gen. James H. Wilson and Gen. August V. Kautz south of Petersburg to destroy track and rolling stock. On June 22, the Union cavalrymen marched down the South Side Railroad and destroyed track and depots with fighting rearguard actions. On June 25, they attacked the Staunton River Bridge crossing of the Richmond and Danville Railroad, where they were decisively repulsed. At this historic site, a ragtag group of Confederate old men and young boys beat the odds and held off an assault by 5,000 Union cavalry soldiers on a bridge of strategic importance to General Lee’s army, then under siege in Petersburg.

In later years, Ambassador David K. E. Bruce, the only man to be ambassador to three great European powers: Britain, France and Germany, and then to be emissary to a great Eastern power: China, lived at Staunton Hill, a Virginia and National Historic Landmark. He served as delegate from this county to the Virginia General Assembly just prior to World War II. As was his dream, Charlotte Court House, the county seat, has been likened to Williamsburg on a smaller scale. Mr. Bruce gave generously to Charlotte County. Many of its stately buildings in the Historic Village of Charlotte Court House; its agriculture (Extension) building, Red Cross building, health department, public library and gardens, besides contributing to the construction of Randolph-Henry and Central High Schools. The village of Charlotte Court House has been listed with the state and National Registers of Historic Places as an Historic Courthouse District for its uniqueness in architecture, business and government buildings.

The rich heritage of old homes is architecturally significant as they reflect the styles from the Colonial and Georgian to the Federal and Greek Revival periods. Many of these stately mansions are listed with the Virginia and National Registers of Historic Places and have been restored to their original beauty. In 1998 Charlotte County partnered with the Charlotte County Chapter of the APVA to produce a Survey of Historic Architectural Resources. From this information, many Charlotte County owners have begun the process of listing their property on these important registers.

Recreation: Charlotte County is the perfect place to live cultivating the quality of life with its vast array of recreational and cultural opportunities.

Year in and year out, Charlotte County provides hunters with the best opportunities for whitetail deer and wild turkey hunting-not to mention small game. Fishing, boating and swimming in Buggs Island Lake (John H. Kerr Reservoir), a sprawling 50,000-acre reservoir with 800 miles of shoreline, located in the southern tip of Charlotte County, is a "must" for visitors and residents of the county. The lake is especially known for its striped bass, a migratory species landlocked in this huge body of water. Other fish species include largemouth bass, white bass, perch, walleye, chain pickerel, crappie, sunfish, and catfish.

In addition, recreational activities for the children exist at five of the area ballparks and the Tower Park in Keysville.

It is centrally located in southern Virginia comprising of 471 square miles of rolling countryside, much of which is heavily forested. All that Charlotte County has to offer is only 90 minutes from Virginia's capitol in Richmond and three hours from our nation's capitol in Washington, D.C. Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens theme parks are only 2 hours away, the Blue Ridge Parkway is an hour away, and you can be at Virginia Beach in 3.5 hours.

Cultural activities in the county feature the newest of the Virginia Civil War Trails, the Wilson Kautz Raid Driving Trail, which is a driving/walking/bicycling tour through areas of the county focused around the Staunton River Battlefield State Park portraying the story of the June 25, 1864 battle. The Virginia Wildlife and Birding Trail traverses much of Charlotte County. Red Hill, last home and burial place of Patrick Henry, is located in Charlotte County overlooking the picturesque Staunton River Valley. Other County programs and events are supplemented by activities sponsored by the schools, community college, churches, 4-H clubs, civic, fraternal, and social organizations. Please see the events calendar and attractions listing for more information.

For more information about Charlotte County, please call, write or email the

Charlotte County Administration Office
P. O. Box 608
250 LeGrande Ave., Suite A
Charlotte Court House, VA 23923
(434) 542-5117
Fax (434) 542-5248
info@co.charlotte.va.us