Prince Edward County: History and Things to Do

In Prince Edward County, you can explore topics ranging from civil rights history, art, and historic sites to a water trail for canoes and kayaks. There is also a specific way to take a walk through history: a self-guided, two-mile tour with 17 marked stops.

Explore Civil Rights History at Various Sites

The Robert Russa Moton Museum is a National Historic Landmark and is considered the birthplace of the student-led civil rights revolution in the United States. Its permanent exhibition, “The Moton School Story: Children of Courage,” tells the stories of students from Prince Edward who broadened the understanding of equality for all Americans. The museum and exhibition thus give civil rights history a specific local connection.

The Civil Rights Walking Tour also focuses on Prince Edward County’s contributions to the civil rights movement. The self-guided tour is two miles long and includes 17 sign-marked stops at influential sites and events. While the permanent exhibition centers on students’ stories, the walking tour explores the subject along its route. This lets you consider different formats based on your interest in this history.

Another perspective is offered by the exhibition “Celebrating Virginia’s History: A Look at Prince Edward County,” announced on January 22, 2025. It uses interactive videos, artifacts, and storytelling. Its subject matter covers the county’s contributions during the American Revolution, the Civil War, and the civil rights movement. These three historical sections provide a broad look at regional history without equating the different eras.

Battlefield, Art, and Historic Buildings

Sailor’s Creek Battlefield is a National Historic Landmark. The battle there ultimately led to the surrender of the army of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The Overton-Hillsman House on the battlefield served as a field hospital during and after the battle. The historical context thus extends from the course of the military campaign to the use of a specific house at the time.

In the Farmville Historic District, commercial, residential, and industrial areas stand alongside an instructive collection of historic buildings. The district’s northern section contains an impressive group of large warehouses dating from around the turn of the 20th century. They reflect the importance of the tobacco industry to Farmville’s economy. Visitors interested in urban history can also see the architectural traces of an industry that was once important to the local economy.

Also located in the Farmville Historic District, the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts is at the intersection of Third Street and Main Street, where US 460 and US 15 meet. The center is a shared forum for students and faculty of Longwood University and the people of South Central Virginia, where they engage with visual art and its significance in everyday life. The collection includes more than 100,000 works of art and design, from antiquity to the present. Admission is free for everyone.

The Esther Thomas Atkinson Museum, meanwhile, focuses on the history of Hampden-Sydney College and its role in the history of Virginia and the United States. Together with the museums and historic sites, it adds to a broad cultural program that brings individual institutions and wider historical contexts together.

Paddling, Golf, and Other Activities

The Farmville Blueway Paddle Trail is a protected waterway corridor maintained for recreational canoeing and kayaking. The four-mile water trail begins at the eastern end of Wilck’s Lake, crosses the lake, and enters Buffalo Creek. It then follows the Appomattox River to the take-out point at Riverside Park. The description gives a clear route through several bodies of water; it is intended for travelers who would rather spend their time on the water than in an exhibition.

Other options include the Manor Resort Golf Club, an 18-hole, PGA-sanctioned golf course in Prince Edward County. The Adventure Park at Sandy River Retreat has four courses at heights of 12 to 36 feet above the ground. The annual Farmville Wine Festival takes place at Riverside Park in Farmville. If the festival is important to your travel plans, check the event dates for your travel dates.

The attractions offer different points of focus: museums and historic sites explore art and history, the Civil Rights Walking Tour combines a self-guided walk with a clearly defined subject, and the Blueway is designed for recreational paddling. You can shape your trip around the interests that bring you to Prince Edward County.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Farmville, Carroll County, Essex County, Dinwiddie County, Winchester, Rockingham County, Albemarle, Chesterfield.

For the broader travel overview: Virginia.