Forest

Forest's Official Website

Forest is a census-designated place (CDP) in Bedford County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,106 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Lynchburg Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Forest is a rural suburb of Lynchburg, Virginia, containing many subdivided properties carved from and around surrounding farms and woodlands. The Ivy Hill community is the largest development and is built around the Ivy Hill Golf Course. The town has been experiencing rapid growth and development over the past 10 years, which is expected to continue into the near future. The recent construction of shopping centers such as Cavalier Corner and a large strip mall beside the post office evidence this recent growth. Forest is home to Jefferson Forest High School (the Cavaliers, ~1400 students), Forest Middle School (the Knights, ~1100 students), Forest Elementary School, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, and New London Academy.

Forest has no real town center since the original one was torn down without a trace, but the area along U.S. Route 221 from the post office to the Forest Library is generally regarded as the central part of the community; however, technically the town extends all the way along Rt. 221 from the middle school to Graves Mill Shopping Center. The political attitudes of the majority of the population are conservative.

The most popular attraction of the town is Poplar Forest, the summer home of Thomas Jefferson, which is open to the public for visitation and is the subject of ongoing archaeological studies. The home is also used for events. Nearby attractions include Point of Honor in Lynchburg, the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, and the Peaks of Otter in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The nearest urban center is downtown Lynchburg, approximately 10 miles (16 km) northeast of town. Forest is accessed via Route 221 and U.S. Route 460. The nearest rail line is Amtrak's Crescent train at the station in Lynchburg. The nearest major airport is Lynchburg Regional Airport offering commercial service through US Airways Express to Charlotte, North Carolina. Private charter flights are available through Virginia Aviation. There is also a public general aviation (GA) airport, New London Airport, which is open for all GA pilots.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 13.9 square miles (35.9 km2), of which 13.7 square miles (35.6 km2) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.3 km2), or 0.89%, is water.


Information Provided By: wikipedia.org