Cumberland in Cumberland County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Lucyville

Photographed by Lew Longenecker

1. Lucyville Marker

Inscription. The Rev. Reuben T. Coleman, enslaved at birth, became an entrepreneur after the Civil War. About 1.5 miles north of here he established Lucyville, named for his daughter, which in the 1890s featured a bank, post office, newspaper, and mineral springs resort that drew visitors from afar. Coleman, who challenged segregation, was the pastor of Mount Olive Baptist Church and a local Republican leader and officeholder. His brother-in-law Shed Dungee, formerly enslaved, represented the area in the House of Delegates (1879-1882) and aligned with the Readjusters, a biracial coalition that achieved major reforms and supported public education. Many Lucyville residents left during the Great Migration.

Erected 2024 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number MJ 5.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Industry & Commerce • Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1879.

Location. 37° 32.537′ N, 78° 16.03′ W. Marker is in Cumberland, Virginia, in Cumberland County. It is at the intersection of Trents Mill Road (County Route 622) and Oak Hill Road (County Route 629), on the right when traveling south on Trents Mill Road

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. Across from Bear Creek Market. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 591 Trents Mill Rd, Cumberland VA 23040, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Piedmont

and in Central Virginia.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: John Robinson (ca. 1825-1908) (approx. 3.4 miles away); Jackson Davis (approx. 3.4 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 3.4 miles away); Confederate Memorial (approx. 3.4 miles away); Cumberland County Court House (approx. 3.4 miles away); First Call For Independence (approx. 3.4 miles away); Campaign of 1781 (approx. 4.6 miles away); Buckingham County / Cumberland County (approx. 5.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cumberland.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Jackson Davis (was approx. 3.4 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Also see . . . The chronicles of Lucyville: A historic community forgotten. Cardinal News (2/29/24) Fourth in a series of articles about how students at Cumberland Middle School researched and proposed a historical marker. (Submitted on April 28, 2024.)

Credits. This page was last revised on November 2, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2024, by Lew Longenecker of Appomattox, Virginia. This page has been viewed 778 times since then and 48 times this year. Last updated on May 25, 2024, by Lew Longenecker of Appomattox, Virginia. Photo 1. submitted on May 25, 2024, by Lew Longenecker of Appomattox, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. Wide shot of marker and its surroundings. • Can you help?