Hillsville, Virginia

Hillsville, Virginia
Town

Location in Virginia
Coordinates: 36°45′32″N 80°44′4″W / 36.75889°N 80.73444°W / 36.75889; -80.73444Coordinates: 36°45′32″N 80°44′4″W / 36.75889°N 80.73444°W / 36.75889; -80.73444
Country United States
State Virginia
County Carroll
Founded 1876
Government
 • Mayor Gregory N. Crowder
Area
 • Total 8.89 sq mi (23.02 km2)
 • Land 8.88 sq mi (23.00 km2)
 • Water 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation 2,516 ft (767 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 2,681
 • Density 302/sq mi (116.6/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 24343
Area code(s) 276
FIPS code 51-37336[1]
GNIS feature ID 1498493[2]
Website www.townofhillsville.com

Hillsville is a town in Carroll County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,681 at the 2010 census.[3] It is the county seat of Carroll County.[4]

Geography

Hillsville is located in central Carroll County at 36°45′32″N 80°44′04″W / 36.75889°N 80.73444°W / 36.75889; -80.73444 (36.758814, -80.734510).[5] U.S. Routes 52 and 221 intersect in the center of town, while U.S. Route 58 bypasses the town to the south. US 52 leads northwest 28 miles (45 km) to Wytheville and south 22 miles (35 km) to Mount Airy, North Carolina, while US 221 leads northeast 70 miles (110 km) to Roanoke and southwest 13 miles (21 km) to Galax. US 58 leads east 63 miles (101 km) to Martinsville and west to Galax with US 221. The Hillsville town limits extend west along US 221 and 58 2.5 miles (4.0 km) to Interstate 77, which leads north 17 miles (27 km) to Interstate 81 east of Wytheville and south 20 miles (32 km) to Interstate 74 in North Carolina.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Hillsville has a total area of 8.9 square miles (23.0 km2), of which 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2), or 0.11%, is water.[3]

Carroll County is located within the Blue Ridge Mountain range of the Appalachian Mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs through Carroll County 9 miles (14 km) south of Hillsville.

Climate

The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year round. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Hillsville has a marine west coast climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.[6]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1850181—
1870268—
1930485—
194065635.3%
195076416.5%
196090518.5%
19701,14927.0%
19802,12384.8%
19902,008−5.4%
20002,60729.8%
20102,6812.8%
Est. 20142,680[7]0.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 2,607 people, 1,207 households, and 731 families residing in the town. The population density was 457.6 people per square mile (176.6/km²). There were 1,352 housing units at an average density of 237.3 per square mile (91.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.39% White, 0.19% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 1.76% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.34% of the population.

There were 1,207 households out of which 23.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.71.

In the town the population was spread out with 18.8% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 23.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $27,148, and the median income for a family was $36,117. Males had a median income of $26,625 versus $18,194 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,633. About 12.9% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.3% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.

According to the Modern Language Association, there are (in descending order) 2,372 English speakers, 55 Spanish speakers, 18 Vietnamese speakers, 5 German speakers, 4 Italian speakers, 3 Portuguese speakers, and 3 Russian speakers. Thus, less than 4% of the town of Hillsville speaks a non-English language at home.

Hillsville Flea Market

The town's primary claim to fame is its Hillsville Flea Market (more properly known as the VFW Flea Market & Gun Show), which has been called the largest American flea market to the east of the Mississippi River. It is held twice a year; in 2004, the Labor Day show attracted 650,000 visitors, and the Memorial Day show attracted 250,000 visitors. Vendors and customers have arrived from as far away as Germany, Africa, and South Korea.

Carroll County Courthouse shooting

Main article: Floyd Allen

On March 14, 1912, a gunfight broke out in the Carroll County Courthouse during the trial of Floyd Allen, wealthy landowner and chief patriarch of the then-powerful Allen clan. Floyd was on trial for assault and battery, and interfering with deputies; the charges stemmed from an altercation with the law while trying to free his nephews, themselves arrested for fighting and disrupting a religious service. When Judge Thornton Massie sentenced Floyd to a year in jail, he openly refused to go, sparking the gun battle between lawmen and Floyd, backed by Allen family members present at the trial who came to Floyd's "aid"; an estimated fifty shots were exchanged.

Out of the 200 in attendance at Floyd's trial, five were killed (including Judge Massie and Sheriff Lewis Webb), while Floyd, his brother Sidna and five others were wounded. Floyd and most of his family managed to escape, but were soon captured in a massive manhunt led by the Baldwin–Felts Detective Agency. For his part in the shooting, Floyd Allen received the death penalty, and was electrocuted in late March 1913. The story made national headlines until it was eclipsed by the sinking of the Titanic.[9]

Notable people

Nearby Fancy Gap, Virginia shows its pride for Frank Beamer.

Further reading

References

  1. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Hillsville town, Virginia". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  5. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  6. ↑ Climate Summary for Hillsville, Virginia
  7. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Hillsville History". Hillsville, Virginia. Retrieved 2011-08-13.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, December 06, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.