Atlee, Virginia


Atlee or Atlee Station is an unincorporated community in central Hanover County in the Mid-Atlantic state of Virginia, United States. Atlee is located north of Richmond on Route 637 approximately north-northwest of the intersection of Route 637 and Virginia State Route 2. and approximately south of Fredericksburg, Virginia

History

Atlee was known for its two train stops and more than likely its namesake came from a delegate to the state legislature who lived in the area, Jacob S. Atlee. There were two stations, West and East Atlee. In 1921 they were combined. Until 1931, there was a telegraph office also. In 1947 Atlee was a flag stop until 1960. In the late 1950s, the C&O railroad petitioned the State Corporation Commission for authority to stop freight handling at Atlee.

Urban sprawl

The Atlee area was mostly rural until the 1980s. interstate 295 was constructed through the area in the early 1980s and the widening of U.S. Route 301 from a 2 lane highway to a 4 lane divided highway in the late 1960s paved the way for master-planned developments such as King's Charter. The Atlee area went through small growths until the early 2000s with many new residential developments and most notable mixed-use development, Rutland, which sits on an 18th-century historic farm by the same name. The community is over 200 acres and features national, regional and local shopping with a Kroger Marketplace as the anchor. Caldwell Park that's in the planning stage to the north is a mixed-use development that will be anchored by a fine grocer, fine dining and shopping along with apartments, townhomes, single-family, nature trails, parks and tot lots. Atlee is one of the fastest-growing communities in Hanover County and has one of the top school districts in the Commonwealth. U.S. Route 301 which becomes an alternate for north–south Interstate 95 travelers make Atlee a desirable location to live, work and play. Atlee is also home to one of the highest median household income zip code 23116, in the commonwealth. Many residents in the area work in Richmond or commute to northern Virginia or Washington D.C. due to Hanover County's central location and three major thoroughfares: U.S. Route 301, Interstate 95, U.S. Route 1 and the to be built high speed rail in nearby Ashland.