As far as the origins of the district’s name, the prevailing story is that two brothers from East Lothian and West Lothian in Scotland founded the original village where Midlothian is currently situated. When it came to naming the village, the brothers wanted to name it after their respective homelands and struck a compromise with the name Midlothian.
Midlothian is the site of the first commercially-mined coal in the Colony of Virginia and North America. Mid-Lothian Mining and Manufacturing Company, owned by the Woolridge family, was one of the most prominent mining businesses at the time. Other mine owners include French Huguenots and Harry Heth of Black Heath mines.
Remnants of Midlothian’s mining history can be found at sites like Mid-Lothian Mines Park. See below for more to explore in Midlothian.
Key Attractions
Mid-Lothian Mines Park
One of the first major industrial sites in the country is now a 44-acre preserve, dedicated to the citizens of Chesterfield County. Mid-Lothian Mines Park features cut stone ruins of coal mines from the 18th century, now surrounded by beautiful woodlands. The park is free and open to the public from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily. In December, the park is the site of the annual CarMax Tacky Light Run.
Robious Landing Park
Robious Landing Park is a 102-acre site that includes 3.4 miles of trails and provides easy access to the James River for kayaking, canoeing, rowing and fishing. There are picnic shelters, playgrounds and restrooms available for park goers.
Entertainment and Recreation
Looking for something to do in Midlothian? There’s no shortage of activities in this district! Check out the golf courses, batting cages, indoor go karts and indoor pickleball court in the area. Stonebridge Recreation Center also hosts an abundance of programming and activities for all ages, from arts and crafts to Tai Chi, karate, line dancing and technology lectures.
Looking to learn more about Midlothian? Check out this blog post for Midlothian District Supervisor Mark Miller’s overview of the district.
Experience Chesterfield promotes and celebrates all the things to see, do and experience within Chesterfield County. The website is not paid to endorse individual businesses or events and any that you may see mentioned are just a sampling of the many wonderful places to visit in Chesterfield. If you operate a hospitality related business in Chesterfield, please be sure to reach out to our partners at Richmond Region Tourism to create a business listing for our website. You can also reach out to Virginia Tourism Corporation to create a business listing on their site for additional exposure.