Augusta

Formed January 1, 1738 (30^th county)

Augusta County (73,750), Staunton (23,746), Craigsville (923)

The classic red brick Beaux Arts building was constructed in 1901 and enlarged in 1939.  The courthouse is at the intersection of Johnson and Augusta streets.  United States Highway 11 passes in front of the building.  T. J. Collins and Son are the architects.  It features a dome with Lady Justice on top.  The District Courthouse built in 1953 augments the county courthouse.  The county was founded on January 1, 1738 from Orange County as the 30^th county with Staunton as the county seat.  It is named for Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, Princess of Wales.  Staunton is named for Staunton, England.  It is also the source name for the City of Staunton. 

Augusta County government consists of a sheriff and 7 Supervisors.  Three Circuit Court Judges and Eight District Court Judges serve Augusta, Alleghany, Bath, Botetourt, Craig, Highland, and Rockbridge counties and Buena Vista, Covington, Lexington, Staunton, and Waynesboro cities and Fifty-nine Magistrate Court Judges serve Augusta, Alleghany, Amherst, Bath, Bedford, Botetourt, Campbell, Craig, Franklin, Henry, Highland, Nelson, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Roanoke, and Rockbridge counties and Buena Vista, Covington, Danville, Lexington, Lynchburg, Martinsville, Roanoke, Salem, Staunton, and Waynesboro cities.  Augusta County is located in northwest Virginia.  Roanoke, Virginia is southwest and Richmond, Virginia is southeast of the county.  The county center is 8.7 miles West-Northwest of Staunton nearer Swoope.  The county is surrounded clockwise by West Virginia and Rockingham, Albemarle, Nelson, Amherst, Rockbridge, Bath, and Highland counties and surrounds the City of Staunton and the City of Waynesboro. 

The area of the county is 971 square miles.  It is 3 out of 133 in the state.  It ranks 26 out of 133 in population in the state.  It has a density of 75.95 persons per square mile making it 78 out of 133 in the state.  Augusta County has 1.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 64 enters the county from the east, Nelson County, and exits to the southwest, Rockbridge County.  Interstate Highway 81 comes in from Rockingham County, northeast, and joins Interstate Highway 64 into Rockbridge County.  United States Highway 11 parallels Interstate Highway 81 from Rockingham to Rockbridge counties.  United States Highway 250 comes from the east, Nelson County, and goes to the west, Highland County.  United States Highway 340 enters from Rockingham County, northeast, and terminates.  The county is an overall diamond shape.  Staunton is located in the southeast quarter of the county although technically not in the county.  Craigsville is near the western border of the county.  Staunton is the county seat and Craigsville is the largest city.  Craigsville is 1.3% of the county population.  This county is in the Staunton-Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.