Nottoway County: Heritage, Railroad Tradition and Nature

Nottoway County combines historic buildings and archaeological traces with railroad and broadcasting history. Rivers, streams and forests shape the landscape; cycling routes and other outdoor activities complement the cultural offerings. When planning your trip, you can focus on what interests you most: architectural history, local heritage sites or outdoor recreation.

Historic Sites and Their Stories

The Nottoway County Courthouse was completed in 1843 on the site of an earlier courthouse built in 1798. Its Jefferson-influenced architectural features include a three-part Palladian design and a Tuscan portico. The Little Mountain Pictograph Site offers a different kind of historic trace: it features a red ochre handprint, a possible sun symbol and a single turkey foot. The depictions probably date from the Late Woodland period, around 900 to 1600 AD. As a rare class of archaeological resource, the site is nationally significant.

Hyde Park’s history also spans different eras and experiences. The former tobacco plantation dates from the late 18th century. In 1938, Hyde Park became a training farm for Jewish students from the Gross Breesen agricultural institute in Germany, who had fled Nazi Germany. About 30 Jewish immigrants lived and worked there between 1938 and early 1941. Millbrook preserves a 19th-century farm typical of Nottoway County and the Southside region; the main house, built around 1840, features elements of the Federal style and Greek Revival. Oakridge is a well-preserved Georgian-style country house built around 1800, with wood shingles. Mountain Hall was the home of Dr. James Jones, a physician and politician in Nottoway County.

In Blackstone stands Schwartz Tavern, the town’s oldest building. Nottoway Presbyterian Church, known as Old Brick Church, was built in 1837. In 1865, Union soldiers used the church pews as horse stalls. The church can be rented for weddings, worship services and other events. The present-day building of Burke’s Tavern was built around 1827 at a rural crossroads on the border between Nottoway County and Prince Edward County. Thomas A. Smythe died at Burke’s Tavern on April 9, 1865.

The story of the Confederacy’s final days of the war is also tied to the region: in April 1865, Nottoway County lay directly along General Robert E. Lee’s retreat route from Richmond and Petersburg. The Route of Lee’s Retreat preserves roads, landscapes and historic sites in the county associated with those days.

Railroad Tradition and Broadcasting

Planning for the Crewe Commercial Historic District dates back to 1888, when it was laid out by Norfolk and Western Railway engineers. The district includes a former Norfolk and Western Railway Company rail yard. The Crewe Railroad Museum is housed in a building modeled on the original Crewe Passenger Station. Visitors can climb aboard a diesel locomotive, a caboose and steam locomotive No. 606. Whether this is possible may depend on current operations.

Route 360 (Hull Street Road), Route 49 South, also known as Watsons Wood Road, and U.S. Route 460 are listed as access roads to Crewe. Blackstone’s history is also linked to the region’s transformation: the town was incorporated under this name in 1888 and developed into a major tobacco market. WSVS began broadcasting on April 6, 1947, and is the oldest continuously used radio station in Southside Virginia. The WSVS Performance Studio enabled touring and local bluegrass acts to broadcast their music.

Landscape and Outdoor Activities

Nottoway County’s landscape includes rivers, streams and forests. Separately, the High Bridge Trail is suitable for hiking, cycling and horseback riding. For cycling, the adopted 2023–2028 County Bicycle Plan identifies two routes: Route A runs north–south, while Route B-1 runs in and around Blackstone.

Another option for outdoor activities is Fort Pickett’s public recreational fishing program, which is managed through the iSportsman system. Operations are subject to military access controls, so check the latest access information before making plans. With historic sites, railroad connections and outdoor activities, Nottoway County offers a range of ways to shape your stay.

Discover more destinations: Blackstone, Fredericksburg, Amherst County, Charles City County, Clarke County, Suffolk City, Pulaski County, Isle Of Wight County.

For the broader travel overview: Virginia.