About Ettrick
From Appomattox Indians to mill workers to college students, Ettrick has hosted vastly different populations during the past 400 years.
Ettrick was named around 1765 by foreign merchant Neil Buchanan, who dubbed the eventual village Ettrick Banks for its similarities to the Ettrick area of Selkirk County, Scotland, according to Jeffrey M. O'Dell's published history of Chesterfield County.
Ettrick, Scotland even has its own tartan, the distinctive plaid materials used in clothing such as kilts.
The area has seen its share of historical events through the years, including the journeys of Capt. Christopher Newport, prosperous cotton mills, a large Confederate hospital, and Virginia's first state supported black collage, founded in 1882 as Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute (now VSU), according to O'Dell.
One of the longstanding landmarks is Campbell's Bridge, first built around 1810, which has been reconstructed several times but retains its name and status as the only direct thoroughfare from the village into Petersburg.
The population has increased over the years from an estimated 800 in the mid 1800's to thousands today, with the exact number unclear because of some models counting students from the VSU campus.
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Ettrick Historical Society
Ettrick Scotland Tartan
Greetings from the Historic Village of Ettrick
Ettrick Parsonage
Circa 1850
804-526-8367
Mary Ellen & Jeff Anderson
The event took place on the grounds of the
Old Ettrick Methodist Parsonage
21300 Chesterfield Ave. Ettrick(route 36)
On Saturday, April 14 the Society presented its
7th Annual Heritage Day and celebrated its
Scottish Heritage
Photos courtesy Photographer John A. Rooney Jr. and Webmaster Ron Roller, MSG US Army (Retired)
Society News
Veterans Day Parade
2008
It was suggested at the May meeting that the Society consider organizing a parade and/or Memorial Service in Ettrick Cemetery and alternate annually with Matoaca Cemetery.
Please call Jeff Anderson at 526-8367 with your thoughts or suggestions.
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We Need More!
Old photographs and Historic information. We now have several, but we need lots more. Please Help if you know anyone who has historic Ettrick information or old photos and is willing to share them, please call Mary Ellen at 526-8367. We will copy and return them to you. The Society is interested in putting together a pictorial history of Ettrick.
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"Route of Lee's Retreat"
The Final March
On April 2-3, 1865 the most awesome event to be seen by the residents of this small mill village was the passing of the main bodies of two great armies down the main road (The River Road as it was known) of Ettrick from Petersburg under the orders of Robert E. Lee.
After a wait of over 142 years a Civil War Trails Sign has finally arrived at it's resting place at Campbell's Bridge which crosses the Appomattox River.
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Welcome New Members
Ronald Harp
Ray Langston
Harry & Connie Marsh
Ashleigh & Cheryl Moody
Don Wells
Angie Wildeman
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It's Almost Here!!
February 23, 2008 is the date of
Ettrick's Scottish Evening
Please plan on joining us at the
Ettrick-Matoaca
Volunteer Rescue Squad
Doors open at 6:30 pm
Program begins at 7 pm
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April 12, 2008
Ettrick Celtic Festival
Start promoting this event now!
If you know anyone who would like to display, entertain or participate please contact them now!! Talk it up!
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Two Great Success's
Our last two meetings at the Amtrak Station in Ettrick were great success stories. Many thanks to Jimmy Blankenship for his presentation on "Trains of the Civil War" and to TJ Dirienzo for his "Show and Tell" presentation on Civil War artifacts that were found in this local area. Thankyou's go out also to Mr. Douglas Smith and Mr. Douglass Duncan of Amtrak for the use of the station.
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