| Nelson County, Virginia | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of Virginia |
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 Virginia's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1807 |
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| Seat | Lovingston |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
474 sq mi (1,228 km²) 2 sq mi (5 km²), 0.41% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
14,445 31/sq mi (12/km²) |
| Website: www.nelsoncounty.com | |
Nelson County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 14,445. Its county seat is Lovingston[1]. It is also home to Wintergreen Resort, a local ski area; Swannanoa (mansion) a "summer home" for James H. Dooley of Richmond, VA and is the location of Walton's Mountain made famous by the television show, The Waltons. Nelson County is also home to many thriving vineyards and Crabtree Falls.
Nelson County is part of the Charlottesville Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents |
History
Nelson County was established in 1807 from Amherst County, and the government actually formed in 1808. [2] The county is named for Thomas Nelson, Jr., a signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, who served as Governor of Virginia in 1781. An earlier Virginia county, also named to honor Governor Nelson, became part of Kentucky when that state was formed from Virginia in 1792. (see Nelson County, Kentucky).
Hurricane Camille
On the night of August 19-20, 1969, Nelson County was the site of disastrous flooding due to Hurricane Camille. The hurricane had come ashore on the Gulf Coast 2 days earlier, and weakening over land, had traveled north and then stalled on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains, dumping a record quantity of 27 inches (690 mm) of rain, mostly within only a 3 hour period. The rainfall was so heavy there were reports of birds drowning in trees and of survivors who had to cup their hands around mouth and nose in order to breathe through such a deluge.
As many people slept unaware, the ensuing flash floods and mudslides killed 153 people, 31 of them from Tyro and Massies Mill alone.[3] Across Nelson County, 133 bridges were washed out, while some entire communities were under water.[4] In the tiny Davis Creek community, 52 people were killed or could not be found; only 3 of 35 homes were left standing after the floodwaters receded.[5] The bodies of some people were never found; others washed as much as 25 miles (40 km) downstream along the creeks and rivers. The entire county was virtually cut off, with many roads and virtually all bridges, telephone and electric service interrupted.
The waters of the Tye and Rockfish rivers flow into the James River. There was massive flooding elsewhere in Virginia, such as the Maury River which destroyed the town of Glasgow in Rockbridge County.
Draining all of Nelson County, and joined by massive flooding from other tributaries, along the James eighty miles to the east just above the fall line at Richmond crested more than 20 feet (6.1 m) above flood stage at Westham, as citizens watched portions of houses and buildings and dead livestock flow past. Just a few miles further downtream, the James crested in Richmond at 28.6 feet (8.7 m) at the City Locks, swamping downtown areas and a substantial portion of South Richmond which had formerly been the separate city of Manchester.[6] The Camille distaster did $140 million in damages across Virginia. However, nowhere in Virginia was the storm as devastating and deadly as in Nelson County, where 1% of the population was killed or never found.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 474 square miles (1,228 km²), of which, 472 square miles (1,223 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (5 km²) of it (0.41%) is water. The Blue Ridge Mountains form the northwest boundary of the county; the James River forms the boundary to the southeast. Internally, Nelson consists of the Rockfish, Tye and Piney Rivers, along with many known creeks.
Adjacent counties
- Augusta County - northwest
- Albemarle County - northeast
- Buckingham County - southeast
- Appomattox County - south
- Amherst County - southwest
- Rockbridge County - west
National protected areas
- Blue Ridge Parkway (part)
- George Washington National Forest (part)
Education
Nelson County Public Schools is a Virginia public school division. It operates two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. The middle and high schools are located just outside Lovingston, Virginia. Nelson County also provides free GED testing to all adults.
Unincorporated towns
There are no cities or incorporated towns in Nelson County. Unincorporated communities include but not limited to too:
- Afton
- Arrington
- Bryant
- Lovingston
- Massies Mill
- Montebello
- Nellysford
- Roseland
- Schuyler
- Shipman
- Wingina
- Gladstone
- Tyro!
Demographics
As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 14,445 people, 5,887 households, and 4,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile (12/km²). There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.65% White or American American, 14.89% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 1.35% from two or more races. 2.11% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 5,887 households out of which 27.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.70% were married couples living together, 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the county, the population was spread out with 21.70% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 25.60% from 25 to 44, 29.60% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,769, and the median income for a family was $42,917. Males had a median income of $29,684 versus $24,153 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,230. 12.10% of the population and 8.50% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 14.40% are under the age of 18 and 14.60% are 65 or older.
Recreation
The Wintergreen Resort near Nellysford opened in 1975. A planned development begun in 1969, it offers 45 holes of championship golf; seasonal skiing, snowboarding and snowtubing. On the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge, Wintergreen is a "top down" resort in which practically all of the amenities are built on the peaks and ridges, rather than at the base like a traditional ski resort. [8]
Sections of the former Virginia Blue Ridge Railway along the Tye River are now part of the Blue Ridge Railway Trail which was under development in the early 21st century. The trail will eventually connect the James River with the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Trail. [9][10]
Fishing and camping are popular activities in Nelson County. Sections of the Tye River are also popular for whitewater boating with canoes and kayaks. The rapids are rated Class I to Class II+. Depending upon water conditions some rapids on the Tye River can approach class III. [11]
Notable people from Nelson County
- Reverend Dr. William Archer Rutherfoord Goodwin grew up on farm in southern Nelson County during the Reconstruction era after the American Civil War. An Episcopalian priest, among other assignments, he served several periods as rector of Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg. It was Dr. Goodwin's dream, and his success in gaining the generous support of Mr. & Mrs. John D. Rockefeller Jr., that created Colonial Williamsburg beginning in 1926.
- Schuyler was the birthplace and childhood home of writer Earl Hamner Jr. He is best known for the CBS television series The Waltons, which was based on his experiences of growing up the eldest child of a large rural family in depression era America.
- Harvey,Sr. Thomas Bland | Thomas Bland Harvey, Sr. Attended from the personal invitation of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson's Inauguration in the front row at Washington, D.C., was the first Dodge Brothers Dealership in the World also built many buildings in Roseland by hand including the UNITED STATES POST OFFICE which his wife Warion Belle Bowles Harvey was the US Postmaster. A trusted Virginian Gentleman's families who descend from the original settlers at Jamestowne on two of the three ships landing on May 14th, 1607 A.D. A 32nd Degree Mason and Shriner also. His own house and everything in it was lost as the Seventeen Feet High water mark was left after the records rains came from Hatt Creek, Oppossum Trot and the Tye River on it that night. The US Post Office safe was washed down Tye river over five miles after his house crushed the Post Office building when the tidal Flood Wave hit it. He was seen on most all American and World newspapers the day of the flood in 1969 A.D. quoted as saying " IT is GODs Will! ".
- Robert Monroe, out-of-body experience researcher who founded the Monroe Institute, lived in Faber.
References
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ http://www.usgwarchives.org/va/nelson.htm
- ^ http://hurricanewatch.mgnetwork.com/index.cfm?SiteID=TFP&PackageID=9&fuseaction=article.main&ArticleID=66&GroupID=17
- ^ United States Department of Commerce (1969). "Hurricane Camille August 14-22, 1969" (PDF). Environmental Science Services Administration. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1969-prelim/camille/TCR-1969Camille.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
- ^ http://hurricanewatch.mgnetwork.com/index.cfm?SiteID=TFP&PackageID=9&fuseaction=article.main&ArticleID=66&GroupID=17
- ^ http://www.discoverrichmond.com/dis/sports/recreation/james_river/article/flood_wall_park/1457/
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ http://www.wintergreenresort.com/
- ^ http://www.cstone.net/users/nelsonco/RailTrail/VABRTrail.htm
- ^ http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr012.htm
- ^ http://www.nelsoncountyva.org/NelDRace/Race05/Race05.htm
External links
- Nelson County's official website
- Wintergreen Resort
- Nelson County Life Magazine
- The Healthy Living Directory
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Augusta County | Albemarle County | |
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| Rockbridge County |  |
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 Nelson County, Virginia  |
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| Amherst County | Appomattox County | Buckingham County |
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