Prices of farms and land in Buckingham County are forecast to rise in the next decade as more businesses discover the availability of an experienced work force, low wages and a rural setting without the limitations found in more suburban areas. Located in the Piedmont in the center of the state, Buckingham County land draws hunters searching for bear, deer and turkeys. The James and Appomattox rivers and area lakes lure fishermen with the promise of catching. bream, catfish, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. The waterways also attract retirees and second home owners seeking a quieter life. The 584-square-mile county has a population of 17,000, and 79,000 acres is in farmland. Eighty-four percent of agricultural sales are derived from livestock and poultry, and 27% of the farmland is in woodlands that could be timbered. A grave marker in the Trinity Presbyterian Church notes that according to local history, 45 Confederate and Union soldiers were buried in mass graves there after dying of disease in a nearby camp as they tried to return to their homes after the surrender in nearby Appomattox. Public education for K-12 is provided by Buckingham County Public Schools. Higher education is offered at Piedmont Virginia Community College.
