Rockbridge

Formed October 1, 1777 (60^th county)

Rockbridge County (22,307), Lexington (7,042), Glasgow (1,133)

The Modern red brick courthouse was built in 2009 to replace the 1897 structure.  The courthouse is on Randolph Street at Nelson Street.  United States Highway 60 is Nelson Street in the city.  BCWH Architects designed the courthouse.  It features columns.  The 1897 courthouse continues to provide county offices.  The county was formed on October 1, 1777 as the 60^th county.  The county name is named for a local natural bridge.  Lexington was named for Lexington, Massachusetts.  It is also the source for the City of Lexington.  Rockbridge County is the birthplace to 1 Virginia Governor, James McDowell. 

Rockbridge County government consists of a sheriff and 4 Supervisors.  Three Circuit Court Judges and Eight District Court Judges serve Rockbridge, Alleghany, Augusta, Bath, Botetourt, Craig, and Highland counties and Buena Vista, Covington, Lexington, Staunton, and Waynesboro cities and Fifty-nine Magistrate Court Judges serve Rockbridge, Alleghany, Amherst, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Botetourt, Campbell, Craig, Franklin, Henry, Highland, Nelson, Patrick, Pittsylvania, and Roanoke counties and Buena Vista, Covington, Danville, Lexington, Lynchburg, Martinsville, Roanoke, Salem, Staunton, and Waynesboro cities.  The county is in the western part of the state.  Roanoke, Virginia is southwest and Richmond, Virginia is southeast of the county.  The county center is 2.8 miles Northwest of Lexington.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Augusta, Nelson, Amherst, Bedford, Botetourt, Alleghany, and Bath counties and completely surrounds Lexington and Buena Vista cities. 

The area of the county is 601 square miles.  It is 13 out of 133 in the state.  It ranks 77 out of 133 in population in the state.  It has a density of 37.12 persons per square mile making it 111 out of 133 in the state.  Rockbridge County has 6.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 64 enters the county from the northeast, Augusta County, and exits to the west, Alleghany County.  Interstate Highway 81 is joined with Interstate Highway 64 from Augusta County, splits and continues southwest into Botetourt County.  United States Highway 11 parallels Interstate Highway 81 from Augusta to Botetourt counties.  United States Highway 60 comes from Amherst County, east, and goes to Augusta County, west.  United States Highway 501 originates and heads southeast into Amherst County.  The county is an overall diamond shape.  Lexington is located south of center in the county although technically not in the county.  Glasgow is on the southeast border of the county.  Lexington is county seat and Glasgow is the largest city.  Glasgow is 5.1% of the county population.