Amherst County, often called “a perfect slice of Virginia,” blends the best of rural and suburban living with thriving businesses, agriculture, industry, quaint small towns, and shopping areas.
Location
Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Amherst County is just minutes north of Lynchburg, 45 minutes south of Charlottesville, three hours south of Washington, D. C., and two hours west of Richmond, Virginia’s state capital.
Workforce
Low business costs and a good workforce make the county attractive to business. A 2016 workforce study showed that Amherst has a loyal and dependable workforce with a strong work ethic. Ninety-five percent of responding employers in the survey rated their workforce as “excellent” or “good.”
Education
Seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school serve the educational needs of the county. Amherst County’s graduation rate is above the state average, and all schools are accredited in math. Amherst County is home to Sweet Briar College, a private woman’s liberal arts and sciences college. Sweet Briar’s campus is the fourth-largest (3,250 acres) among liberal arts colleges in the U.S. and is nationally recognized for its beauty. Twenty-one buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Tourism
The Amherst County Visitors Center recently was designated a Virginia Certified Visitor Center by the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Located in a restored train depot, the visitor’s center has been described as “a positive sign of economic momentum for the county.”
There is a lot to see and do in Amherst County. For the outdoor enthusiast, there are golf courses, lakes and parks, campgrounds, 50 miles of the Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, George Washington National Forest, Mt. Pleasant National Scenic Area, the historic James River and James River Heritage Trail, ATV trails, and the Blue Ridge Trail. Boating, swimming, fishing, hunting, biking, camping, birding, shopping, and antiquing are all part of this lovely area. The county operates Coolwell, Monacan, and Riveredge public parks.
For history buffs, the Amherst County Museum and Historical Society’s exhibits provide glimpses of the county’s culture reaching back to its earliest days. The Monacan Ancestral Museum located on Bear Mountain provides an ongoing collection of artifacts. An 1870s log cabin, formerly used as a church for the tribe, is undergoing restoration and is recognized as a National Historic Landmark.
Orchards offer the pleasure of picking apples straight from the tree or buying them already packed, and local wineries offer tours and tastings.
A wide variety of craft beers is available, and a farmer’s market tempts the taste buds with locally grown produce.
Festivals
Rebec Winery’s Wine and Garlic Festival, the Apple Harvest Festival, and the Clifford Sorghum Festival highlight the fall season, while spring and summer feature the Monacan Indian Nation PowWow, the James River Batteau Festival, and the Summer Solstice Festival.
Arts
Amherst Glebe Arts Response, Inc. (AGAR) in Clifford, Va. provides a wide variety of performances and workshops, including music, theater, and dance; poetry, historical readings, and lectures; exhibits of visual art and film; and Amherst County oral history projects. AGAR was a major presenter for the heritage celebration of the 250th Anniversary of Amherst County and the 100th Anniversary events for the Town of Amherst.
The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts in Amherst County is a nationally known retreat for writers, artists and composers.
Sweet Briar College’s Anne Gary Pannell Center is the College’s principal art gallery and home to its art history program. This gallery and other smaller galleries on campus hold art exhibitions for the public.
Major Employers:
NON-MANUFACTURING
Central Virginia Training Center (Residential Medical Facility)
Commercial Steel Erection (Construction)
Sweet Briar College (Women’s College)
Old Dominion Job Corps (Residential Workforce Training Program)
MANUFACTURING
GLAD Manufacturing (Plastic Bags & Wraps)
Grief (Containerboard)
Cooper Steel (Structural Steel)
Buffalo Air Handling (Air Handling Equipment)
England’s Stove Works (Wood Burning Stoves)
Truball Archery (Archery Equipment)
Quality Archery Design (Archery Equipment)
Shibuya Hoppmann (Automated Systems)
County of Amherst
www.countyofamherst.com
Population 32,000
Median Age 44
Area (in square miles) 475
Median Household Income $56,802
Median Home Value $149,400
Total Household Units 14,123
Real Estate (per $100) $0.61
Personal Property Tax Rate (per $100) $3.45
Automobile License Fee $25.00
Administrators Office (434) 946-9400
Public Schools (434) 946-9386
Main Library (434) 946-9488
Post Office (434) 946-0657
Emergency: Ambulance/ Fire/ Police 911
Non-emergency (434) 946-7874
Sheriff (434) 946-9300
Electricity 1-800-956-4237
Water, and Sewer (434) 845-1605
Voting (434) 946-9315
Licenses:
• Pet (434) 946-9318
• Business (434) 946-9310
• Hunting and Fishing
Regional Office (434) 525-7522
• Amherst DMV Select (434) 946-5218
(Does not issue licenses, learners or
identification cards)
Town of Amherst
www.amherstva.gov
Population 2,206
Median Age 49
Area (In square miles) 4.99
Median Household Income $52,209
Median Home Value $173,874
Total Household Units 11024
Real Estate (per $100) $0.00
Personal Property Tax Rate (per $100) $0.00
Automobile License Fee $25.00
Administrator’s Office (434) 946-7885
Emergency: Ambulance/ Fire/Police 911
Police (434) 946-7885
Water (434) 946-1267
Sewer (434) 946-5769
Trash (434) 946-7885
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