Dating back to the mid-1700s, Prince Edward County is neatly—and prettily—nestled in the south-central Piedmont region of Virginia, USA. Sharing its county seat, the Town of Farmville, with the county of Cumberland, this attractive and historic region once played an interesting part in the closing days of the Civil War, and also in the history of the American Civil Rights Movement. Nowadays, the county is known for its moves toward economic prosperity while carefully preserving its heritage and pristine natural beauty for all.
In the pages of history
Displaying the rich textures of local culture, the Moton Museum in Farmville occupies what was once the Robert Russa Moton High School, which gained fame as the birthplace of the student-led Civil Rights movement in 1951, when 16-year-old Barbara Rose Johns took a public stand against segregation, giving rise to a student strike that would reverberate down the years through collective American memory.
To mark this significant moment in history, the state of Virginia commissioned a statue of the brave young woman, which now stands in the Statuary Hall in Washington, DC. The museum was later nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
With the majority of plaintiffs in 1954’s Brown v. Board of Education (another landmark case during the Civil Rights Movement) from Prince Edward County, the area’s legacy of commitment to equality prevails. As a friendly county known for its creativity and warmth, it has also been home to a string of glitterati, from hip hop star The Lady of Rage (Robin Yvette Allen) to admired screenwriter and filmmaker Vince Gilligan of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, to Founding Father Patrick Henry.
Today, this ACT Work Ready Community is experiencing a renewed surge in popularity, and not a moment too soon. Flush with unique assets ranging from the historical to the recreational, Prince Edward County offers variety in addition to natural beauty. In addition, buying land here remains within the reach of ordinary Americans, while the county’s welcoming attitude to new business creates an ideal economic climate for continued, sustainable growth.
Committed to quality education, the county is also home to two proud institutions of higher education, Longwood University, dating back to 1839, and Hampden-Sydney College dating back to 1775, both liberal arts colleges with the latter open only to men.
Weddings this way
Famous for its exquisite landscapes and hospitality venues alongside other amenities, Prince Edward County has carved a special niche for itself in the wedding industry. With the area providing everything couples could wish for on their big day, the sector is expanding at a healthy pace as growing numbers of former students choose to marry near their alma mater.
In addition, for the benefit of the wide selection of vendors in the region, the economic development team has partnered with the Farmville Chamber of Commerce to host an annual Bridal Expo where soon-to-be newlyweds can explore options to their hearts’ content.
Complete with an enterprise zone managed in collaboration with the Virginia Enterprise Zone program, local businesses here benefit from local incentives like reimbursement grants for job creation and property improvement, as well as tax reinvestment grants whereby certain areas of investment earn business owners welcome tax breaks—perks that a growing number of businesses are taking advantage of.
“We have been very intentional about economic development and tourism while promoting both. We’ve invested in local BRE (Business Retention and Expansion) efforts, job creation, and regional collaboration through various partnerships,” says Chelsey White, Director of Economic Development and Tourism, whose family has been here for generations. White and her team are stationed at the local visitor center, a designated marketing organization under the leadership of the Virginia Tourism Corporation.
Some of the organization’s most recent work has been in collaboration with the Virginia Heartland Regional Economic Development Alliance (VHREDA). “We foster a pro-business, solution-oriented culture from community development to economic development,” says White.
Also proud of the work his organization is doing to improve the local labor situation and provide opportunities for all communities is County Administrator Doug Stanley. This is achieved, he says, by aligning local priorities with business needs. As a result, the county vigorously fosters a healthy organizational environment, evident in its recognition in both 2025 and 2026 by Virginia Business Magazine as one of the region’s Best Places to Work out of 95 counties, cities, and towns.
Economic leadership
Prince Edward County is committed to serving the public with strong economic leadership and support through its collaborations with the Board of Supervisors and Industrial Development Authority, which provides flexibility and the confidence to lead. “From a staff resource standpoint, we bring a lot to the table to help folks navigate the development process and to investigate what kind of incentives are available,” says Stanley. The economic development team also collaborates with Longwood Small Business Development Center, helping prospective entrepreneurs in the planning phases of their business journey.
In this context, the lively downtown area’s most noteworthy anchor, Green Front Furniture, offers around a million square feet of retail space, contributing to the region’s reputation as a shopping hub for quality fare across seven surrounding counties.
Then there are the South Central Workforce Development Board (SCWDB) and the Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce, in addition to a clutch of regional and state agencies. “It’s common for us to partner on different grant applications. Sometimes it’s better for us, being smaller, rural areas, to pool our resources,” White adds.
Business at high speed
To ensure the region advances in sync with the times, the team has worked hard across numerous grant programs to make high-speed internet a reality in every area. What has now become a long-term project is expected to conclude next year. The ultimate goal is to give students improved access to online education and adults more freedom to work from anywhere.
Moreover, the reality of stable, reliable internet has also allowed the county to establish and further develop the 280-acre Heartland Innovative Technology (HIT) Park into a $3 to 4 billion hyperscale data center campus project in collaboration with Dominion Energy and AVAIO Digital, with an estimated two-year construction phase ahead.
Another new arrival, YakAttack, which moved here following a $2 million renovation by the county to ensure the firm’s future in the business district, has seen business go from strength to strength. 5 Pillar Meats has also invested multiple millions in the county, which is reaping results. Harbor Freight and Wawa are other respected operators that have planted roots.
The county also has an impressive new website, developed in collaboration with its tourism council, that brings flair to covering the region’s every amenity and activity. Moreover, the economic development team is expanding its social media presence through channels like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
A good claim to fame
Wrapped in verdant glory, Prince Edward County is famous for having the most state parks in the region, alongside incredible fishing opportunities. Interestingly, many of its recreational spaces have historic significance, with Twin Lakes State Park having perhaps the most significant history of them all.
Dating back to the pre-Civil War era, this park offers a nostalgic piece of African-American heritage in the area. “During segregation, people from all over the state would come to Twin Lakes as it was one of its kind, serving as a social hub for African-American families in the region,” White says. Generations of African-Americans have grown up with fond memories of weekends, holidays, and vacations here. Nowadays, it is a popular destination for family reunions.
One of the county’s rail-to-trail conversions, the High Bridge Trail State Park, which dates back to the Civil War, traverses Cumberland, Nottoway, and Prince Edward Counties and the towns of Burkeville, Farmville, Pamplin City, Prospect, and Rice. Popular amongst horse riders, the bridge’s elevation measures 125 meters at its highest point.
Sandy River Outdoor Adventures is another example of a business that has benefited from the economic development team’s support. Following an Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund grant, the business expanded and now offers a wide selection of activities including tipi glamping, ziplining, a whiskey and bourbon distillery, and a restaurant offering wood-fired pizzas. The Sandy River Reservoir is also known as one of the region’s hottest bass fishing spots, together with Briery Creek Lake.
Stanley, who has worked in local government for 30 years, is positive about the economic development team’s future. “Economic development brings business and brings tax base jobs that help generate funds for us to achieve the other functions of the county, whether it’s making improvements, capital improvements to improve our schools, or other services in the community. It’s an important function because it really drives growth,” he says.
White agrees, especially when it comes to developing the region’s housing provisions and evolving commercial potential. “Over the next five years, we see Prince Edward County continuing to emerge as a regional, commercial, and industrial hub while also beginning to realize the residential growth that we know the community can support,” she adds.
None of these goals come at the expense of the county’s commitment to authenticity, however. It’s plain to see that the charm of Prince Edward County is much of what makes it so attractive to so many, and safeguarding its heritage and keeping its character will see it continue to flourish for decades to come.
