Mecklenburg County is a county in Virginia, United States, on the North Carolina border along the Kerr Reservoir (Buggs Island Lake). It had a population of 30,319 at the 2020 census and covers 679 square miles (1,760 km2), of which 625 square miles is land and 54 square miles is water, centred near 36°41′N 78°22′W.
Boydton is the county seat, and its postal code is 23917. The county has six incorporated towns — Boydton, Brodnax (partial, shared with Brunswick County), Chase City, Clarksville, La Crosse and South Hill — plus roughly ninety unincorporated communities and crossroads. Mecklenburg County sits in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Mecklenburg County
The county’s largest town by population is South Hill; the rest are small courthouse and lakeside communities. The table below marks the six incorporated towns, including Boydton, the county seat; every other place is an unincorporated community (Unincorp.) with no town government of its own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antlers | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Averett | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Baskerville | Unincorp. | — | 23915 |
| Beechwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Big Fork | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Black Branch | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blackridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blanks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bluestone | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Boydton | Town · seat | — | 23917 |
| Bracey | Unincorp. | — | 23919 |
| Bracy Station | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brodnax | Town | — | — |
| Buffalo Junction | Unincorp. | — | 24529 |
| Buffalo Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Busy Bee Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Callahans Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Carters Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Castle Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cedar Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chase City | Town | — | 23924 |
| Clarksville | Town | — | 23927 |
| Cox Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cusco Willa | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dockery | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dodson Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dortch Store | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Drapersville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dunns Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elamtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eppes Fork | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Esnon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairview Acres | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Finchley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Finneywood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Forksville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gordon Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Greenfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gregory Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hagood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hanford Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Henrico | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Invermay | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jeffress | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Johnson Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Keats | Unincorp. | — | — |
| La Crosse | Town | — | 23950 |
| Lombardy Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marengo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Merifield Acres | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Midway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mill Village | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mooresville Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Muck Cross | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nelson | Unincorp. | — | 24580 |
| Newmans | Unincorp. | — | — |
| North View | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Norvello | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oak Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ogburn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Opie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Orgainville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Palmer Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Palmer Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Perfect Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pettys Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Philbeck Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Phillis | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pleasant Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ponderosa | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Presbyterian Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Prestwould | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Puryear Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Radcliff | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Redlawn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Richardson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rogers Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Russell Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sandy Fork | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Scotts Crossroad | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shiny Rock | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Siddon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Skipwith | Unincorp. | — | 23968 |
| Smiths Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Soudan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| South Hill | Town | — | 23970 |
| Spanish Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| The Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Thynedale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Union Level | Unincorp. | — | — |
| White Wing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Whits Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Whittles Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wightman | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wilson Fork | Unincorp. | — | — |
Brodnax straddles the Mecklenburg–Brunswick county line; its post office and most of its footprint sit in Brunswick County, but a slice of the town lies in Mecklenburg. Henrico here is an unincorporated crossroads community, unrelated to the much larger Henrico County near Richmond.
ZIP Codes
- 23970 — South Hill
- 23924 — Chase City
- 23927 — Clarksville
- 23950 — La Crosse
- 23917 — Boydton
- 23919 — Bracey
- 23915 — Baskerville
- 24529 — Buffalo Junction
- 23968 — Skipwith
- 24580 — Nelson
The remaining crossroads and rural communities share one of these ten ZIP codes with their nearest post office town rather than having a code of their own.
Geography
Mecklenburg County lies in Southside Virginia on the North Carolina line. Kerr Reservoir, known locally as Buggs Island Lake, forms much of the county’s eastern and southern shoreline and dominates its economy and recreation. The Roanoke and Dan rivers feed the reservoir before it narrows back into the Roanoke River downstream. The county borders Lunenburg County to the north, Brunswick County to the east, Halifax County to the west, and Charlotte County to the northwest, with Warren County and Vance County, North Carolina, across the state line to the south.
Demographics
Mecklenburg County had 30,319 residents at the 2020 census. South Hill is its largest town, followed by Clarksville, the second-largest incorporated community and the county’s main lake-tourism hub. Median household income in the county runs well below the Virginia median of $89,931, reflecting its rural, lake- and farm-based economy. Population density is roughly 48 people per square mile of land, among the lower densities in the Southside region.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture, forestry and lake tourism anchor the local economy. Kerr Reservoir draws boaters and anglers from across Virginia and North Carolina, and Clarksville markets itself as a lake-resort town with marinas and waterfront restaurants. South Hill sits at the junction of I-85 and US 58, giving it a logistics and retail base that serves the wider county. Southside Virginia Community College maintains a Christanna campus near Alberta, just north of the county line, and serves Mecklenburg County residents.
History
Mecklenburg County was formed on March 1, 1765, from Lunenburg County, and named for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, queen consort to Britain’s George III. The county’s landscape changed sharply in the 1950s when the Army Corps of Engineers dammed the Roanoke River at Kerr Dam, flooding tens of thousands of acres of farmland and several communities to create Kerr Reservoir — the lake now defines the county’s tourism and second-home economy.
Getting There
Interstate 85 crosses the county through South Hill, and US Routes 1, 15 and 58 also run through the county, along with Virginia Routes 4, 47, 49, 92 and 138.
- South Hill — 75 miles south of Richmond
- Clarksville — 95 miles southwest of Richmond
- Boydton — 100 miles southwest of Richmond
- Danville — 45 miles west of Boydton
The nearest commercial airport is Richmond International Airport, roughly 90 miles northeast of South Hill via I-85 and I-95.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Mecklenburg County, Virginia?
It is in Southside Virginia on the North Carolina border, centred near 36°41′N 78°22′W, roughly 75 miles south of Richmond via I-85.
What is the population of Mecklenburg County?
30,319 at the 2020 census.
How big is Mecklenburg County?
679 square miles (1,760 km2), of which 54 square miles is water — mostly Kerr Reservoir.
What is the county seat of Mecklenburg County?
Boydton is the county seat.
How many towns are in Mecklenburg County?
Six incorporated towns — Boydton, Brodnax (partial), Chase City, Clarksville, La Crosse and South Hill — plus about ninety unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Mecklenburg County?
Ten standard ZIP codes, led by 23970 (South Hill), 23924 (Chase City) and 23927 (Clarksville).
What is Mecklenburg County known for?
Kerr Reservoir (Buggs Island Lake), one of the largest lakes on the East Coast, and its boating and fishing tourism economy.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Virginia.