Chester, Virginia
Chester is a community of 24,474 people in Chesterfield County, Virginia, founded in 1749.
Why visit Chester
Townapedia lists 11 museums and landmarks, 11 parks and trails, 73 places to eat, 15 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Dutch Gap Canal Lights, Swift Creek Rail Bridge, Bellwood and Castlewood.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 89°F; January lows average 28°F.
Weather in Chester
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Chester
Chester is a census-designated place (CDP) in Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 23,414.
From the Wikipedia article Chester, Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Dutch Gap Canal Lights
Lighthouse · 4.4 mi
Lighthouse in Virginia, United States
Swift Creek Rail Bridge
Bridge · 4.3 mi
Building in Virginia, United States
Museums and landmarks11
Bellwood
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.4 mi
Plantation house in Virginia, United States of America
Castlewood
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Human settlement in Virginia, United States of America
Chesterfield County Courthouse and Courthouse Square
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.4 mi
Place in Virginia listed on National Register of Historic Places
Henricus
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Settlement in Virginia, United States
Kingsland (Chimney Corner, Virginia)
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Human settlement in Virginia, United States of America
Magnolia Grange
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.4 mi
Building in Virginia, United States
Proctor Creek, Jefferson Davis Highway Marker
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Place in Virginia listed on National Register of Historic Places
Swift Creek Mill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.9 mi
Historic grist mill in Virginia, US
Proctor Creek, Jefferson Highway Marker
Monument and historic site · 3.1 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds11
Ware Bottom Church Battlefield Park
Hiking and trails · 2.4 mi
1600 Old Bermuda Hundred Road, Chester
Restaurants and cafes73
Wild Rose Cafe
Restaurant · 1.0 mi
4628 Chester Square Road, Chester
Mo-We 14:00-02:00, Th 11:00-02:00, Fr-Su 14:00-02:00
La Reina Mexican Grill
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.4 mi
12441 Redwater Creek Road, Chester
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr 11:00-22:30; Sa 10:30-22:30; Su 10:30-21:00
61 more on the map.
History
Chester's original "downtown" was a stop which was an intersection of the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad, running north to south, and the Clover Hill Railroad, which became the Brighthope Railway, then the Farmville and Powhatan Railroad. In 1900, when the Richmond and Petersburg merged with the Atlantic Coast Line, that new railroad intersected the same east west railroad which became the Tidewater and Western Railroad in 1905.
The Seaboard Air Line also passed through in 1900 running north to south which to day is replaced with Chester Linear Park. Chester today is a bedroom community along State Route 10. Recent commercial development in Chester has emerged at the sprawling intersection of SR 10 and U.S. Route 1 (Jefferson Davis Highway) near the on-ramp to Interstate 95.
In April, 1781, during the American Revolution, the Osborne's Landing area of Chester was the site of the Action at Osborne's in which General Benedict Arnold destroyed much of Virginia's navy.
In May, 1864, the Chester Station was the scene of the Battle of Chester Station during the Bermuda Hundred Campaign of the American Civil War. The area was damaged by Hurricane Isabel in 2003.
From the History section of Chester, Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay15
Suburban Extended Stay Hotel
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
2401 West Hundred Road, Chester
Churches and places of worship18
Chester Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
3424 West Hundred Road
Chester United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 0.6 mi
12132 Percival Street
Shopping11
Gas and EV charging13
Schools, colleges and libraries34
Healthcare6
Map of Chester
196 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 28°F | 3.0 in |
| Feb | 52°F | 29°F | 2.7 in |
| Mar | 60°F | 36°F | 4.4 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 46°F | 3.6 in |
| May | 78°F | 55°F | 4.4 in |
| Jun | 86°F | 64°F | 4.2 in |
| Jul | 89°F | 69°F | 4.7 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 67°F | 5.3 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 61°F | 4.6 in |
| Oct | 72°F | 48°F | 3.4 in |
| Nov | 62°F | 37°F | 3.2 in |
| Dec | 53°F | 31°F | 3.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Petersburg (8 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
Chesterfield County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2021-05-10: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-12-18: Tropical Storm Michael (Hurricane)
- 2018-10-15: Hurricane Florence (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Dinwiddie County Airport (PTB) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.
- Bellwood 4 mi north, about 6 min by car
- Meadowbrook 6 mi north, about 9 min by car
- Enon 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- Colonial Heights 7 mi south, about 11 min by car
- Bensley 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Ettrick 7 mi south, about 12 min by car
- Richmond 13 mi north, about 20 min by car
- Brandermill 13 mi northwest, about 21 min by car
- Bon Air 14 mi northwest, about 22 min by car
- Newport News 54 mi east, about 1 h 30 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
- Chesterfield Historic Courthouse, James Shelton32, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chester Presbyterial Church, Jjmusgrove, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Proctor Creek, Jefferson Davis Highway Marker up close, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bellwood Manor, DLA Aviation Public Affairs, Public domain
- Henricus - Reconstruction of Mt Malady, Morgan Riley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Castlewood 1, Margaret fiala, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kingsland site on Willis Road, Nyttend, Public domain
- SwiftCreekMill2017, Mojo Hand, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Magnolia Grange, James Shelton32, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Western Abutment of the Bright Hope Railroad Bridge over Swift Creek, Stanley Hague III, CC BY-SA 2.0
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