Scotland’s post office opened in 1889, and 1 of its places is on the National Register
Most of Scotland was built recently: 0.0% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1966. Its Register listing is the Pleasant Point. Below: maps from 1919 on and old-book passages.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Scotland. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1919Surry sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Scotland.
The story so far
Scotland, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Scotland yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Scotland also known as Scotland Wharf is a census-designated place (CDP) in Surry County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, Scotland had a population of 153. Located on State Route 31 (the John Rolfe Highway), Scotland is the southern terminus and headquarters of the Jamestown Scotland Ferry, a crossing service of the James River operated by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). Visitors approaching from the south to Virginia's Historic Triangle may use the ferry service via Scotland. Replicas of the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery are docked near the northern ferry terminus at Glasshouse Point in James City County and can be seen from the ferry. Scotland w…
Its first post office opened in 1889. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 203 to 153 (-25%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Scotland in 1880
Passages that mention Scotland, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The history of the Morison or Morrison family1880 · page 20Read the page →
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In early days, the family in Scotland, England, Ireland, and America almost invariably spelled their name with one r; thus, Morison. This was the customary orthography till about the year 1800, when the change to Morrison became general in Scotland, England, Ireland, and America, and has continued to the present time. The family in Londonderry, N. H., followed the general custom.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The history of the Morison or Morrison family1880 · page 21Read the page →
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family, and indeed the Lewis families, wrote their name with one r; thus, Morison." George Cruikshanks, Esq., of Scotland, writes, Aug. 30, 1879, "The Morisons of Bogney, from whom I suppose you are descended, always spelled their name with one r, and I may say they are almost the only family in Scotland who do so.'; Morison is the original mode of spelling. It comes nearer the supposed derivation of the name, and appears to be the correct
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The history of the Morison or Morrison family [microform]1880Read the page →
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Colchester County, Noya Scotia, Ile was probably born in Scotland, in the County of Aberdeen, although there is no accurate data by which to decide this question. By comparing the dates at which emigrations from Scotland to Ireland took place, with the great age that tradition has assigned to bim at the time of his death, 1736,* we can scarcely doubt that he was born in Scotland, and emigrated to Ireland some time preceding the siege of Londonderry.t Ile certainly lived in Ireland, and had a family in
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The history of the Morison or Morrison family [electronic resource]1880 · page 20Read the page →
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In early days, the family in Scotland, England, Ireland, and America almost invariably s])elled their name with one r; thus, Mo?-ison. This Avas the customary orthography till about the year 1800, when the change to Morrison became general in Scotland, England, Ireland, and America, and has continued to the present time. The family in Londonderry, N. II., followed the general custom.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Scotland, 1889 to 1930
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From the National Register of Historic Places (1), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
![In early days, the family in Scotland, England, Ireland, and America almost invariably s])elled their name with one r; thus, Mo?-ison. This Avas the customary orthography till about the year 1800, when the change to Morrison became general in Scotland, England, Ireland, and America, and has continu…](https://images.townratings.com/story/46924/bk-487a81f7b2972dfd-l.jpg)
