Alberta

History

For much of the 20th century, Alberta marked the junction of two railroad mainlines. The Richmond, Petersburg and Carolina Railroad from Petersburg, Virginia to Ridgeway Junction (today Norlina, North Carolina) was completed in 1900, at which point it was merged into the Seaboard Air Line (SAL). By 1914, the population of Alberta was estimate by the railroad to be somewhere around 100. The Seaboard line (dubbed the "S-line" after later mergers) continued to operate into the 1980s, and today Alberta is along the abandoned portion of the CSX Norlina Subdivision. The Virginian Railway opened in 1907 from Norfolk to Victoria, Virginia, passing through Alberta (with through-service from the coalfields of Appalachia starting in 1909). The Virginian continued in use until it was gradually abandoned following a merger with Norfolk and Western in the later half of the 20th century. Hobson's Choice and Rocky Run Methodist Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Alberta is located in north-central Brunswick County along U.S. Route 1. Interstate 85 passes south of the original portion of the town. The town limits extend southwest along Route 1 and I-85 to Virginia State Route 46 and Southside Virginia Community College. According to the United States Census Bureau, Alberta has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.61%, is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  382
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  323
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  269
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  266
• Eastern Bluebird

  Sialia sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  208
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  201
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  164
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  153

Largest nearby schools

• BRUNSWICK HIGH
  High · Lawrenceville · 426 students · 16.4:1 ratio
• James S. Russell Middle
  Middle · Lawrenceville · 312 students · 17.3:1 ratio
• Totaro Elementary
  Elementary · Lawrenceville · 291 students · 13.2:1 ratio
• Red Oak-Sturgeon Elementary
  Elementary · Alberta · 202 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• SOUTHSIDE L.I.N.K. PROJECT/BRUNSWICK CO
  Other · Lawrenceville