Lodore, Virginia
Lodore is a rural unincorporated community in northern Amelia County just south of the Appomattox River in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is located along Virginia [State Route 616 (Amelia County)|SR 616] at its intersection with the northern terminus of Virginia [State Route 636 (Amelia County)|SR 636].
History
Post office
The community was listed as a post village called Houston before the name was changed to Lodore about 1845. On Civil War–era maps, however, "Lodore" was used only as a reference to the home of one of the landowners along Genito Road; an intersection just under a mile away was noted as Giles Crossroads or Giles Chapel, after William Branch Giles, U.S. senator and governor of Virginia, whose former home is a short distance northeast. The Lodore post office remained in operation until at least the turn of the 20th century, but was among the thousands of small "fourth class" facilities that were closed in the early 1900s after the advent of rural free delivery. The Lodore area is now served by the post office several miles south at the county seat, Amelia [Court House, Virginia|Amelia Court House], ZIP code 23002.Civil War
The immediate vicinity of Lodore appears to have been spared significant action during most of the Civil War, although several skirmishes and bloody engagements were fought only a few miles to the south and west during the final days of the war in early April 1865, as General Robert E. Lee and his army continued their westward retreat and Federal troops pursued. A Confederate wagon train carrying desperately needed supplies from Richmond, forced to bypass the Lodore area because wet weather had rendered the Genito bridge over the Appomattox River uncrossable, was destroyed by Union troops near Paineville, southwest of Lodore, on April 5.Tornadoes
Amelia County is located in a small Central Virginia tornado alley and has had numerous List of [United States tornadoes from January to March 2018#January 12 event|tornado touchdowns]. No tornado fatalities have been reported at Lodore, but an EF1 destroyed a carport and damaged an outbuilding northeast of the community on January 12, 2018.Historic structures
Several structures near Lodore are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including:- The Wigwam, historic residence of William Branch Giles, 24th governor of Virginia, approximately 4 miles northeast.
- Haw Branch plantation house, approximately 2 miles south by straight-line distance.
- Grub Hill Church, approximately 4 miles southeast.
- Egglestetton plantation house, approximately 4 miles southeast.
Notable residents
- William S. Archer, United States senator from Virginia, born and buried at "The Lodge" off present-day SR 609 northeast of Lodore
- William Branch Giles, U.S. senator and governor of Virginia