Evolution of Emporia, Virginia

This article is sponsored by the sexual assault attorneys of Emporia. Learn about the history of the area and explore its many notable sites.

Emporia: From Past to Present

Emporia is an independent city located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The area has been a transportation crossroads dating back to when native peoples used it has a major north-south trail called the "Halifax road." In 1709, Caption Robert Hicks purchases a 1280-acre land tract along the northside of the Meherrin River. He, then, establish the Town of Hicksford, where the Fort Road of eastern Virginia crosses the Meherrin River en route to Fort Christianna. In 1799, the Virginia General Assembly recognized the town a year after the Town of Bellfield on the river's northern bank was recognized.

In 1887, the incorporated town of Emporia was formed after Hicksford and Bellfied merged. It was named after the town of Emporia, Kansas – the home of Greensville County native and delegate Benjamin D. Tillar Jr.'s friend U.S. Senator Preson B. Plumb of Kansas. Five years later, the town was re-chartered. In 1900, it issued its first bonds to establish lighting, a water plant and street improvements. Banks, land improvement companies, insurance companies, automobile companies, cola bottlers, and a number of stores were established. In 1967, the Town of Emporia was rechartered as an independent city.As of the 2010 census, there is a population of 5,927 people living in Emporia. It is the second-least populous city in the state of Virginia.

Continue with an Overview of Covington, Virginia.

Historic Sites

Sites in the area that have been included in the National Register of Historic Places are:

• Bellfield-Emporia Historic District
  • North Emporia is a national historic district that encompasses 41 buildings in the Bellfield section of Emporia. Notable buildings in the district are the Petersburg and Danville Railroad passenger station, the Bethlehem Building or former First National Bank of Emporia, Hotel Virginia, Pair's Furniture, and the H. T. Klugel Architectural Sheet Metal Work Building.
• Hicksford-Emporia Historic District
  • The national historic district encompasses 36 buildings and 2 objects in the Hicksford section of Emporia. Notable buildings in the area are the Greensville County Courthouse Complex, Greensville County Auditorium, Citizen's National Bank, the Widow's Son's Masonic Lodge, First Presbyterian Church, Emporia Elementary School, Emporia Armory, Emporia Post Office, and the Old Merchants and Farmers Bank Building.
• Greensville County Courthouse Complex
  • The historic courthouse complex was built in 1834. It consists of a two-story, porticoed courthouse, a clerk's office, and the former Greensville Bank Building.
• Greensville County Training School
  • Built in 1926, the one-story, "U"-shaped brick building is a historic Rosenwald school. It is also known as the Greensville County Learning Center.
• H. T. Klugel Architectural Sheet Metal Work Building
  • Built in 1914, it is an Edwardian Classicism-style historic factory building in Emporia.
• Old Merchants and Farmers Bank Building
  • Currently featuring the Greensville-Emporia Historical Museum, the historic bank building, or Old Public Library, was built in 1902. Up until 1914, a bank occupied the building before it housed the city's public library until 1977.
• Village View
  • The two-story Federal-style frame dwelling is a historic home built around 1815. During the American Civil War, it served as a Confederate headquarters.

Transportation

As a major transportation crossroad, Emporia is served by several major roads and railways. Providing travelers with easy access to and from the city are Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 301 running north to south and U.S. Route 58 running east to west. The major north-south CSX railway line also crosses a Norfolk Southern east-west line in the city.

Our Local Office

Were you or a loved one a victim of sexual assault? Our Emporia sexual assault lawyers can assist you in getting the justice and compensation you are entitled to. Call our local office today to discuss the detail of your potential claim.