Ashland, Virginia
Ashland is a town of 7,772 people in Hanover County, Virginia, founded in 1858.
Why visit Ashland
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 10 parks and trails, 52 places to eat, 13 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Ashland Theatre, Ashland Historic District, Hickory Hill and Carter Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 27°F.
Weather in Ashland
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Ashland
Ashland is a town in Hanover County, Virginia, United States, located 16 miles (26 km) north of Richmond along Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 7,565, up from 7,225 at the 2010 census.
From the Wikipedia article Ashland, Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Blackwell Auditorium and Cobb Theatre
Cinema and theater
205 Henry Street, Hanover County
Museums and landmarks7
Ashland Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
United States historic place
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Hickory Hill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Historic plantation in Wickham Crossing, Virginia, United States
Flippo Gallery
Museum · 0.4 mi
211 North Center Street, Hanover County
Mo-Fr 10:00-16:00
Hanover Arts & Activities Center
Museum · 0.6 mi
500 South Center Street, Hanover County
Parks, trails and playgrounds10
Restaurants and cafes52
Iron Horse Restaurant
Restaurant · American, Cocktails, Upscale American · 0.5 mi
100 South Railroad Avenue, Hanover County
Tu 16:30-21:00; We-Sa 12:00-23:00 ; Su 11:00-20:30
The Caboose Wine and Cheese
Cafe · Farm-To-Table · 0.5 mi
108 South Railroad Avenue, Hanover County
Mo-Th 11:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su off
Homemades By Suzanne
Restaurant · 0.5 mi
102 North Railroad Avenue, Hanover County
Tu-Fr 09:00-14:00; Sa 09:00-15:00
Andy's Restaurant and Lounge
Restaurant
Mo-Th 08:00-00:00; Fr 08:00-01:00; Sa 13:00-00:00; Su 13:00-22:00
Casa Herradura
Restaurant · Mexican
412 England Street, Hanover County
Mo-Th 11:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:30-21:00
Foodio
Restaurant · 0.5 mi
100 North Railroad Avenue, Hanover County
Mo 08:00-15:00; Tu-Fr 07:30-02:00; Sa 08:00-02:00; Su 08:00-15:00
40 more on the map.
History
The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad initially developed the town in the 1840s as a mineral springs resort with a racetrack. The town was named "Ashland" after native son Henry Clay's estate in Kentucky and was officially incorporated on February 19, 1858. The area had been known as "The Slashes", sometimes translated as "swamp", but which also reflected the small ravines that formed in the sandy clay soil after hard rains.
In 1861, early in the American Civil War, Ashland hosted Confederate troops at what was called "Camp Ashland" where they trained at an abandoned racetrack. During the war, John Henry Timberlake, a Virginian whose home was at Atlee, Virginia, not far from Ashland, served in Co. G, 4th Virginia Cavalry and rose to the rank of lieutenant. He supplied a map and acted as a guide to Gen. Stonewall Jackson for his trek in June 1862 through Ashland during the war to Cold Harbor. That same month, Gen. Jackson is said to have stayed at the MacMurdo House, 713 South Center Street, right on the tracks of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad. The following year, Union skirmishes occurred in the town and the Ashland Baptist Church (still standing today as the Hanover Arts and Activities Center) acted as a hospital for wounded Confederate soldiers.
From the History section of Ashland, Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay13
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Richmond North Ashland
Motel and hotel · 0.6 mi
107 South Carter Road, Hanover County
Palm Leaf Motel
Motel and hotel · 0.5 mi
306 South Washington Highway, Hanover County
Quality Inn Ashland
Motel and hotel · 0.6 mi
107 North Carter Road, Hanover County
The Henry Clay Inn
Motel and hotel · 0.5 mi
114 North Railroad Avenue, Hanover County
Churches and places of worship22
Ashland Christian Church
Church · Disciples Of Christ · 0.8 mi
301 South James Street, Hanover County
Ashland Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · 0.5 mi
401 Virginia Street, Hanover County
Duncan Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South
Church · Methodist
201 Henry Street, Hanover County
Saint Annes Roman Catholic Church
Church · Catholic
216 England Street, Hanover County
St. James the Less Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 1.1 mi
125 Beverly Road, Hanover County
Shopping11
Gas and EV charging15
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Healthcare7
Ashland Human Services Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.1 mi
12310 Washington Highway
Better Med Urgent Care
Clinic and pharmacy
300 North Washington Highway, Hanover County
Theresa A Thomas Medical Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.1 mi
635 North Washington Highway
Map of Ashland
149 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°F | 27°F | 3.3 in | 5.9 in |
| Feb | 51°F | 29°F | 2.8 in | 4.0 in |
| Mar | 60°F | 36°F | 3.8 in | 1.8 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 45°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 76°F | 55°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 63°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 68°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 66°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 60°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 48°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 59°F | 37°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 50°F | 30°F | 3.7 in | 3.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ashland (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Hanover County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2022-03-11: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Severe Storm)
- 2021-05-10: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-09-11: Hurricane Florence (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Richmond International Airport (RIC) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Glen Allen 7 mi south, about 11 min by car
- Laurel 9 mi south, about 14 min by car
- Wyndham 9 mi southwest, about 14 min by car
- Chamberlayne 10 mi south, about 15 min by car
- Lakeside 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
- Short Pump 11 mi southwest, about 17 min by car
- Mechanicsville 11 mi southeast, about 18 min by car
- East Highland Park 13 mi south, about 22 min by car
- Tuckahoe 14 mi southwest, about 22 min by car
- Richmond 16 mi south, about 25 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Ashland1, Urbancam, Public domain
- RANDOLPH MACON COLLEGE BUILDINGS, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ashland Amtrak(RF&P) Station-Visitor's Center, DanTD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Slash Church, Hanover County, Virginia, Michael Kotrady, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Front (Hickory Hill (Ashland, Virginia)), jjmusgrove, CC BY 2.0
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