Midlothian, Virginia
Midlothian, Virginia
The Midlothian community is in the northwestern part of
Chesterfield County, Virginia, a few miles west of Richmond, Va., USA.
It includes the unincorporated Village of Midlothian that has old and
new churches, fine and friendly restaurants, unique shopping, a modern
post office, a volunteer fire department, schools, and older homes, all
surrounded by the typical new residential development found in many
popular suburban communities across the country.
There’s a lot new things going on in this historic community. A
historic park for walking and picnics near the village core was opened
in 2006. John Tyler Community College, which came to Midlothian in
2000, continues to build and add exciting programs. Our YMCA is also
getting ready to expand its facilities. Route 288 to the west of the
village offers to greatly improve transportation in and around the
area, but also puts considerable growth pressure on our community as
well. Many of the new neighborhoods and commercial developments are
thoughtful, careful and appropriate thanks to cooperation with local
citizen groups with the Village of Midlothian Volunteer Coalition.
One reason for our community’s pride is our long history. Midlothian
started as a settlement of coal miners in the 1700s. Coal was the basis
of the Midlothian area until the late 1800s when mining ended. Later
attempts to reopen the mines were unsuccessful, but thanks to the
access of rail to Richmond, the village became a commuter town.
For years it was a friendly little southern community in the quiet
Virginia countryside. Much of that charm remains intact today on the
back roads of the village. Large-scale residential growth started in
Midlothian in the 1970s, and soon both long-established citizens and
new residents were asking if something to manage the sprawl couldn’t be
done.
Despite severe pressures, the Village of Midlothian had retained its
sense of place, unlike too many suburban towns in the U.S. that have
been "lost" under corporate concrete, poorly-planned asphalt and
franchise-business plastic.
Midlothian remains one of the region’s fastest growing communities.
Residents in the suburban neighborhoods such as Queensmill, Salisbury,
Four Seasons, Walton Park, The Grove, Rosemont and Otterdale, as well
as Old Buckingham Station Apartments, have teamed with long-time
citizens with the village to protect and enhance their community. While
the Village of Midlothian Volunteer Coalition is the primary
coordinating group working in Midlothian, there are many active groups
and individuals in the area who have done much to make the area a good
place to live.
