Originally inhabited by indigenous people, the county was settled by Englishman and founded in 1752. Over the following centuries, Halifax County has plenty of history to reflect upon. From hosting important battles in major wars, establishing itself as a tobacco community, to being home to a woman whose cells changed the face of medical research, Halifax has a rich and celebrated history.

Staunton River Battlefield Park

Relive the Civil War Battle of the Old Men and Young Boys at this Civil War historic site of the Battle of Staunton River Bridge of June 25, 1864, in Halifax County. A rag tag group of Confederate old men and boys beat the odds and held a bridge of strategic importance to Gen. Lee’s army, which was under siege in Petersburg. The Confederacy was won the battle, ensuring the survival of the Richmond and Danville rail supply line, a key resource for the Confederacy. However, they would go on to lose the way.

Today visitors can find remainders of the earthworks used by the Confederacy. The bridge still stands as well, now serving as a pedestrian foot bridge. The visitor center features exhibit about the Battle of Staunton River Bridge. Guests can also find exhibits on Native American history, and artifacts from the archaeological site at the park. Staunton River Battlefield State Park is truly rich and history and offers a variety of attractions. To learn more about the park, visit their website here.

Henrietta Lacks

It’s impossible to discuss the history of Halifax County without mentioning Henrietta Lacks. Henrietta, raised in Clover, was the source of the HeLa cell line, and unwittingly contributed the first immortalized human cell line. Removed from a tumor, the tissue sample was cultured into the HeLa cell line and is still used in medical research to this day. At the time, consent was not required to remove samples for research, much less from an African American. Neither Henrietta, nor her family, knew of the cells that had been removed or the untold riches they would bring researchers. It wasn’t until 1973 that the family discovered the origin of the HeLa line.

Upon her passing, Henrietta was buried at a family burial ground in Clover. Over the decades, the location was forgotten, though the family suggests she was buried next to her mother, the only marked grave in the cemetery. Today, history buffs can visit the burial ground located off Lack’s Town Road in Clover. The location is marked by a historical marker, serving as a reminder of Henrietta’s legacy. The experience is rather powerful, considering a woman of color who contributed so much to medical almost did not receive the credit and recognition she deserved. To visit Henrietta Lack’s mile marker, visit the following GPS coordinates: 36° 49′ 03.96″ N, 78° 44′ 16.32″

South Boston Historic Walking Tour

The South Boston Historic Walking Tour takes visitors on a self-guided tour of several historic homes and buildings in the town of South Boston. Weaving through the historic downtown and several the tour showcases the Victorian style facades and architecture prevalent in the 1800’s, including downtown buildings and tobacco warehouses. Several Victorian houses shaded beneath old trees also dot the trail, once homes of prominent members of the community. Because it is self-guided, the tour allows people to visit each stop at their own leisure, easily slipping into daydreams of a bygone era. For more information on the South Boston Historic Walking Tour, visit the following link.

The Crossing of the Dan

Described as the beginning of the end for General Cornwallis’s led British army, The Crossing of the Dan was a pivotal moment in the Revolutionary War. General Nathaniel Greene made the strategic decision to lead the British Army further from their supplies, as American troops moved north to safety. With British forces in hot pursuit, Greene split his army as a diversion, sending the slower moving troops with supplies to the Dan River. Reaching the Dan first in February 1781, Greene’s men crossed the swollen river, and with no boats for opposing forces to cross, Greene had won the race to the Dan.

A monument to General Greene and his men is rests at the riverside in South Boston, shaded beneath trees. A permanent exhibit at The Prizery provides detailed accounts of the race to the Dan, and an annual celebration is held at both the Prizery and the river’s edge to memorialize the efforts of Greene and his men. For more information on The Crossing of the Dan, visit the following link.

Brooklyn Tobacco Factory

One need not look far to find relics and reminders of Tobacco’s influence on Halifax County. Considered the most well-preserved Antebellum tobacco factory in Virginia, the Brooklyn Tobacco Factory perfectly symbolizes the county’s agricultural roots. The factory was constructed with bricks made from red clay found on the property and began producing chewing tobacco in 1855. The size of the building in a relatively uninhabited section of the county is a reminder and testament to the fields of tobacco that once populated the region. To view one of the largest and last standing rural tobacco factories still standing, the Brooklyn Tobacco Factory of River Road is a must stop.