Free Union, VA

Tucked into the rolling foothills about ten miles northwest of Charlottesville, Free Union offers quiet country living with Buck Mountain and the Moormans River framing the backdrop. With around two hundred residents, it is a true rural community where life revolves around open pastures, scenic back roads, and a few essential spots like the local post office and country doctor. You get plenty of acreage, starry night skies, and peaceful seclusion while staying within easy reach of town.

ATTRWaldoJ / CC BY-SA 3.0

The village has deep roots, originally known as Nicksville after a free Black blacksmith named Nick before adopting the name Free Union in the 1840s. That name traces back to its historic brick church, which famously brought four different denominations together under one roof. Today, it attracts newcomers who want horse farms, winding river roads, and gorgeous Blue Ridge scenery, all less than twenty minutes from the amenities of Charlottesville.