Lancaster in Lancaster County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Armistead S. Nickens
(ca. 1836-1906)
Armistead Nickens was born into a family of free people of color that included at least 12 veterans of the Revolutionary War. In 1867 the local agent of the Freedmen's Bureau identified him as a strong potential candidate for public office. After attending Virginia's Republican State Convention in Sept. 1871. Nickens won election to the House of Delegates that year and served two terms, becoming Lancaster County's first Black elected official. According to oral tradition, he was an early advocate of what, decades later, became the Downing Bridge. He is credited with building one of the country's first schools for African Americans. Nickens owned more than 150 acres of land by 1906.
Erected 2021 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number J-46.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Bridges & Viaducts • Education • Government & Politics. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical month for this entry is September 1871.
Location. 37° 44.426′ N, 76° 23.687′ W. Marker is in Lancaster,
this page online
Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Northern Neck. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Tidewater, in the Chesapeake Bay Region, and on the Eastern Seaboard. 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 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Brookvale High School (approx. 1.3 miles away); Ditchley and Cobbs (approx. 1.8 miles away); White Marsh Church (approx. 1.9 miles away); Morattico Baptist Church (approx. 2 miles away); Never Forget Garden (approx. 2.1 miles away);
Credits. This page was last revised on August 30, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 30, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 30, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
