Town of Scottsville, Virginia

Scottsville is gifted with a unique cultural and historical heritage. The history of settlement in early America and westward expansion are the history of Scottsville. It was a major river port in the trade of goods and produce in the mid-1800s. Scottsville's history is linked with the history and geography of the James River. Scottsville was established prior to the founding of the nation itself, and grew and prospered as a hub of commerce and transportion in early America. Scottsville's Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register.

Today, Scottsville is a thriving community with river adventures, outdoor entertainment, and one of the largest collections of Greek Revival Architecture in Virginia. AAA World includes Scottsville as one of the Atlantic's "Most Pacific Places", stating: "It is a simple place, made by a beautiful river, absent of crowds, with the architecture and authenticity of a working small town." Walking tour maps are available at the Town Office (401 Valley Street, 2nd Floor) and at numerous merchants throughout the town.

The gracious tradition of Virginia hospitality is at its best in Scottsville. Fine dining and down-home cooking are both available. Scottsville is home to a number of charming bed and breakfasts and fine restaurants, each with its own unique history and character. A wide array of shops line the downtown streets within easy walking distance of one another.

Canal Basin Square is a recently-completed outdoor transportation history park. Exhibits explain river and canal travel in the 18th and 19th centuries and how different means of transportation affected Scottsville. On display is a replica of a James River batteau and a scale-model demonstration canal lock. Full-scale reproductions of a canal packet boat and a canal freighter are also planned. Canal Basin Square adjoins the original site of Scottsville's canal basin on the James River and Kanawha Canal, and the park is also a Virginia Civil War Trails Site.

The Scottsville Museum hosts permanent and rotating exhibits on James River transportation, local history, the Civil War, Native American artifacts, and photographs. The museum is open on weekends from April through October, as well as Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day.

Visit the informational kiosk at Bruce Park for brochures, maps, and event postings. Bruce Park is located on the corner of Harrison Street and West Main Street, diagonally across from the Scottsville Post Office.

The Scottsville Confederate Cemetery is located on Hardware Street, where the United Daughters of the Confederacy erected a granite shaft monument and 40 markers in 1914 to signify the soldiers who died in Scottsville hospitals during the Civil War and were buried there. During the war, four Scottsville buildings were used as Confederate hospitals.

Canal Basin Square, Scottsville Museum, and Confederate Cemetery photos by John Bowers.