en miles from Richmond in the northwestern part of Chesterfield County, a roadside historical sign claims that the area was founded by the Huguenots around 1700.  But the discovery of coal is what really put Midlothian on the map.  Prominent landowner William Byrd II found coal on his property as early as 1709. And by 1730, the first coal mine in America was operating in Midlothian, which may have been names for Midlothian, Scotland, also a coal mining town.

During the Civil War, the mines played a pivotal part in the Confederacy’s war effort.  The supply of coal in Chesterfield County was so great and accessible that it was one of the reasons Richmond was chosen to be the Confederate Capital.

With the collapse of the Confederacy, however, the demand for coal drastically dropped, and Midlothian’s coal mining days gradually came to an end.  Later attempts to reopen the mines were unsuccessful, but thanks to the railway access to Richmond, Midlothian became a commuter town.

Today, few people in the area give much thought to the memories of the mining era.  Midlothian is one of the region’s fastest growing communities, bustling with residential and commercial development.  Much of its small-town charm, however, remains intact.  Local citizen groups work vigilantly to preserve and enhance this historic community, making Midlothian a delightful place to live.