Buckingham County turns 250 years old this year and Historic Buckingham, Inc. and the County of Buckingham have gone together to form a committee to plan for some proper celebrations. Our kick off will be Saturday, April 2nd at 2pm in the Courthouse Square complete with cake and punch! There will be music of all kinds, re-enactors in costume, and much more ! Two gentlemen of the period, Peter Francisco and Patrick Henry, are coming by horse and buggy to the event. Don’t miss it.

Of course the main event will be “Buckingham County Day” on May 14th. Coordination with The Lions Club on floats and period exhibits will make for an extra special day for all! Everyone will be encouraged to use the 250th anniversary theme.

Some other events are in the planning stage. The committee also has produced a nice assortment of souvenirs including a coffee mug , a garden flag, tiles and t-shirts.

Note: The area that is Buckingham County was originally part of the huge county of Henrico, later to be part of Albemarle and in 1761 becoming officially Buckingham County. Henrico celebrates its 400th birthday this year !

Ellis Acres Memorial Park, Inc., 245 Camden Street in Dillwyn, is converting the abandoned Buckingham Training School 9 ¼ Acre Campus into a modern community park to accommodate all family members of every age. The construction and conversion process is in progress. The history of the campus is being included in its design and offers educational as well as fitness opportunities for visitors. Currently some sections of the park are available for public use. The public is invited to utilize its picnic area, walking/jogging trail, view historic remnants of the training school [1923-1954], and participate in scheduled annual events which include Earth Day Celebration, QuickStart Tennis Summer Sessions, Fellowship and Goodwill Picnics, Motorcycles Rides, Fall Harvest Fest Activities and Christmas Tree Lighting. Come – Enjoy – Relax! The park is on the Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail. Official opening is scheduled for November 11, 2011 for operation during daylight hours. For more information, please contact wilbertmdean@aol.com , or call (434) 547-4900. Tax deductible contributions may be mailed to Ellis Acres Memorial Park, Inc., P. O. Box 363, Dillwyn, VA 23396.

The Buckingham Chamber of Commerce, in 2003, began honoring county residents who have unselfishly contributed their time and talents to the greater community. At the annual Chamber dinner each January, two awards are presented, the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Volunteer of the Year awards. If you know of someone deserving of either of the awards below, please send your letter to the Buckingham Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 951, Dillwyn VA 23936