Click on the county name or the county in the map and it will bring up the county details as well as additional links

 

 

Cumberland County

Cumberland County invites you to experience "Virginia's Heartland," an area rich in tradition and resources. A close neighbor to Virginia's state capital, Cumberland offers the perfect blend of a peaceful, rural setting with easy accessibility to Virginia's nearby metropolitan areas. The courthouse area is only 40 miles west of Richmond, 130 miles from the Tidewater area and 145 miles from Washington, D.C. Opportunities abound in Cumberland, one of Richmond's closest neighbors!

History

Cumberland County was formed from Goochland County by an act of the Virginia Assembly in 1749 and named for the Duke of Cumberland, second son of King George II. On Apri 22, 1776, Cumberland led the Colonies in calling for independence from Britain. This is recorded as the first positive call for American Independence issued by a governmental body.

One of the last battles of the Civil War was fought at historic "High Bridge," which spans the Appomattox River from Cumberland to Prince Edward County. This historic railroad bridge was built in 1854 with brick piers supporting a wooden superstructure, which was partially burned during the Civil War. These now stand overshadowed by their 1914 steel counterpart in use today for freight trains. General Robert E. Lee received Grant's first communication concerning the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia while camping at Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Both of the sites are included in the driving tour of the Route of Lee's Retreat, which follows the final campaign of the Civil War from Petersburg to Appomattox.

Polulation

• 1970 census...............6,179
• 1980 census...............7,881
• 1990 census...............7,825
• 2000 census....……...9,015

Local Economy

The Town of Farmville (partly located in Cumberland County) serves as the hub of retail and commercial activity for surrounding counties in Central Virginia. Farmville has a service market area of more than 100,000 people.

Cumberland County issued 496 business licenses in 2000. Employment is concentrated in manufacturing, retail trade, services, construction, public administration, agriculture and forestry.

Employment

Cumberland County has a civilian labor force of 4,269 (November 2003) and an unemployment rate of 2.4% (November 2003). The Prince Edward-Cumberland Labor Market Area (LMA) has a civilian labor force of 12,472 with an unemployment rate of 3.4% (November 2003).

Natural Resources  

Forests -- Cumberland County has 135,560 acres of woodland or more than 70% of the county's total land area. The most common commercial forest species found are oak-hickory types, followed by Virginia pine, loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, elm and ash.

Water -- Domestic supplies of groundwater are obtained from wells that are bored 20 to 70 feet below ground level. Water levels vary with climate changes. The water is generaly soft and free from mineral matter.

Minerals -- Cumberland County is in the Piedmont province and is underlain primarily by igneous and metamorphic rocks. Recent testing indicates that clay materials at selected localities in Cumberland are potentially suitable for the manufacture of brick and other ceramic products. Sulfide minerals and gold were prospected at a site near Cartersville. The abandoned Piedmont Coal Company produced coal for local use from the early 1860s intermittently until the early 1980s in the southern part of the county.