Emporia • Franklin • Portsmouth • Suffolk
Greensville • Isle of Wight • Southampton • Surry • Sussex

Click on the following links for more information on each county or city.

Emporia - Perched on the fall line of the Coastal Plain, the City of Emporia has historically been a commercial hub in Southside Virginia. The area along the Meherrin River was first explored in 1670. The Town of Hicksford was settled in 1710 where the Fort Road of eastern Virginia crossed the Meherrin River en route to Fort Christianna. The Town of Belfield was established in 1798 on the north bank of the river. The two Greensville County towns merged in 1887 to form Emporia, which was chartered as a City in 1967.

Franklin - The City of Franklin is located in the southeastern, or Tidewater Section of Virginia, 40 miles west of Norfolk and nine miles north of the North Carolina border. Within an hour’s drive to the east is Virginia Beach a famous seashore resort. Within an hour’s drive to the northwest are the historical attraction of Richmond and Petersburg. An hour’s drive to the south is the fishing and bathing resort area on the Outerbanks of North Carolina. An hour’s drive to the north is the famous restored Colonial Williamsburg.

Portsmouth - Portsmouth is a small seaport city in the southeastern part of Virginia. For more than 250 years, Portsmouth has managed to hold on to its 18th- and 19th-century history and charm. In the city’s oldest historic district, called Olde Towne, visitors will find an impressive collection of antique homes, as well as ongoing redevelopment of the downtown waterfront. The city has 30 square miles of land and nearly 80 miles of shoreline. In recent years, Portsmouth has had a surge of new development, including a new waterfront hotel and conference center, a waterfront performing arts amphitheater, and newly renovated golf courses.

Isle of Wight - Established in 1634, Isle of Wight County is one of the oldest county governments in the United States of America. Nestled on the shores of Virginia's James River, Isle of Wight's 29,000 residents enjoy the rural nature of the County coupled with the quaint atmosphere of the two incorporated Towns, Smithfield and Windsor.

Suffolk - Suffolk is a dynamic fusion of rural and suburban life, preserving nearly four centuries of history, a quaint downtown, prospering industries and unparalleled southern hospitality. Known world-wide for Planter's Peanuts, Suffolk has evolved into a diverse city offering rolling green golf courses, historic homes and churches, a restored train station, self-guided walking tours and even sky diving. With endless recreation possibilities, nature trails and exciting festivals, Suffolk is a perfect family-friendly destination.

Suffolk honors heritage and community spirit with annual festivals and events such as the Nansemond Indian Tribal Pow-Wow, Civil War Weekend, Suffolk Peanut Fest and Driver Days Fall Festival. From celebrating ancestry to commemorating community service, Suffolk happily acknowledges significance of tradition and family. It's a good time to be in Suffolk.

Greensville - Greensville County is generally at the intersection of I-95 and U.S. Route 58 in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Greensville County is situated in the Piedmont and the Tidewater Regions. More than 11,873 people call Greensville County home, but because of our location, relative to the excellent road and highways, the area effectively draws in labor and customers from a much larger region -- serving a potential population of nearly 147,000 people. The Greensville County landscape, location, and market area are some of the factors businesses and industries find attractive.

Southampton - With a population of 17,482, Southampton County is stratigically located between I-95 (4 miles west) and the Virginia Port (45 miles east), with US 460 and US 58 connecting the two. With traditional values and progressive attitudes, the county's greatest asset always has been, and remains, its people.

Surry - Surry County, Virginia, was named for the English County of Surrey. County court records begin with 1652, when Surry was formed from the part of James City County that lay southwest of James River. Mr. William Thomas, Mr. William Edwards, and Mr. George Stephens were Surry County's first representatives in the House of Burgesses (the General Assembly) that year.

Sussex