Richlands, Virginia
Richlands is a town of 5,171 people in Tazewell County, Virginia, founded in 1892.
Why visit Richlands
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails and 19 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Clinch Valley Roller Mills, Old Kentucky Turnpike Historic District and Williams Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 23°F.
Weather in Richlands
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Richlands
Richlands is a town in Tazewell County, Virginia, United States. The population was 5,261 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bluefield, WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 107,578.
From the Wikipedia article Richlands, Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks6
Clinch Valley Roller Mills
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Historic grist mill complex in Cedar Bluff, Virginia
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Old Kentucky Turnpike Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic district in Virginia, United States
Richlands Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic district in Virginia, USA
Tazewell Avenue Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic district in Virginia, United States
Williams House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic house in Richlands, Virginia, USA
Richlands Railroad Section Foreman's House
Monument and historic site · 0.7 mi
1542 Front Street, Richlands
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Critterville Playground
Playground · 0.7 mi
Great for young children, large play area.
Restaurants and cafes19
El Burrito Loco
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.8 mi
3085 Cedar Valley Drive, Richlands
Mo-Sa 11:00-22:00, Su 11:00-21:00
Giovanni's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.8 mi
2003 2nd Street, Richlands
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00, Su 12:00-22:00
Huddle House
Diner · American · 0.5 mi
2611 Front Street, Richlands
Su-Th 06:00-22:00, Fr-Sa 06:00-00:00
Pizza Hut
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.6 mi
107 Front Street, Richlands
Su-Th 11:00-22:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-00:00
Richlands Coffee Co.
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Sandwich, Salad · 0.7 mi
1825 Front Street, Richlands
Mo-Fr 07:00-15:00, Sa 08:00-14:00
The Original Italian Village
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.7 mi
3110 Cedar Valley Drive, Richlands
Mo-Sa 10:00-21:00, Su 10:30-21:00
The Railway Depot
Restaurant · American, Sandwich · 0.7 mi
1557 Front Street, Richlands
Mo-Su 10:00-21:00
WEPS Kitchen
Restaurant · Burger, Wings, Sandwich, Seafood, Middle Eastern · 1.3 mi
5947 Gov George C Perry Highway, Doran
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00
El Burrito Loco
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.7 mi
1600 Front Street, Richlands
Mo-Sa 11:00-22:00, Su 11:00-21:00
Red Flower Chinese Restaurant
Restaurant · Chinese
176 Kents Ridge Road, Richlands
Tu-Sa 10:30-22:30, Su 11:00-22:30
Roma Italian Restaurant
Restaurant · Italian · 1.6 mi
385 Front Street, Richlands
Mo-Su 10:00-22:00
7 more on the map.
Churches and places of worship15
First Christian Church in Richlands
Church · Disciples Of Christ · 0.8 mi
Oldest standing church in Richlands, First Christian Church is a loving, Gospel centered Disciples of Christ church.
1502 2nd Street, Richlands
3 more on the map.
History
Located along the banks of the Clinch River, Richlands began as a farming community and was named for its fertile "rich lands."
The Clinch Valley Coal & Iron Company began to develop Richlands in 1890, and company officials hoped Richlands' readily available coal, iron, and timber might make it the "Pittsburgh of the South." The company abandoned its plans following the stock market crash of 1893.
In February 1893, Richlands was the site of a mass lynching of five black railroad workers after it was alleged some of the men had robbed and beaten a white man. Four of the railroad workers were arrested and held in the Richlands jail, but the jailor was overpowered by a mob of white townspeople, including James Hurt, a magistrate and member of the Richlands town council, and James Crabtree, a prominent businessman, who removed the four men and hanged them from the same tree. A fifth black railroad worker was later found and lynched.
The Richlands Historic District encompasses much of downtown Richlands, and the Tazewell Avenue Historic District, and Williams House, are both listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From the History section of Richlands, Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Healthcare2
Map of Richlands
63 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 23°F | 3.4 in | 6.3 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 25°F | 3.3 in | 4.4 in |
| Mar | 56°F | 31°F | 4.0 in | 2.9 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 39°F | 4.0 in | 0.3 in |
| May | 74°F | 49°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 57°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 60°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 53°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 68°F | 41°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 31°F | 2.8 in | 0.3 in |
| Dec | 48°F | 26°F | 3.8 in | 3.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Richlands (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
Tazewell County has had 20 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-04: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-10-01: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-29: Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-09-30: Flooding And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Virginia Highlands Airport (VJI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 30 miles away.
- Cedar Bluff 3 mi east, about 4 min by car
- Raven 3 mi west, about 4 min by car
- Claypool Hill 4 mi southeast, about 6 min by car
- Honaker 10 mi southwest, about 16 min by car
- Lebanon 20 mi southwest, about 32 min by car
- Glade Spring 21 mi south, about 33 min by car
- Chilhowie 21 mi south, about 34 min by car
- Emory 21 mi south, about 34 min by car
- Marion 24 mi southeast, about 38 min by car
- Bluefield 31 mi east, about 50 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
- Miners at the Virginia-Pocahontas Coal Company Mine, The U.S. National Archives, No restrictions
- Williams House in Richlands, Nyttend, Public domain
- W.B.F. White and Sons Building, Richlands, Nyttend, Public domain
- Richlands-Town-Hall-va, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 4.0
- 2017-06-11 17 41 12 View north along Virginia State Route 67 (Big Creek Road) between Kentucky Avenue and Brown Hollow Road in Richlands, Tazewell County, Virginia, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bigcreek Road, northern Richlands, Nyttend, Public domain
- Clinch Valley Roller Mills, Nyttend, Public domain
- Ratliffe House in Cedar Bluff, Nyttend, Public domain
- Tazewell Avenue north of Third Street, Nyttend, Public domain
- ISS054-E-40162 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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