Alleghany County, Virginia

Alleghany County is an American county located on the far western edge of Commonwealth of Virginia. It is bordered by the Allegheny Mountains, from which the county derives its name, and it is the northernmost part of the Roanoke Region. The county seat is Covington.[1] As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,223.[2]

Alleghany County
County
The Alleghany Courthouse in Covington.
The Alleghany Courthouse in Covington.
Flag of Alleghany County
Flag
Official seal of Alleghany County
Seal
Map of Virginia highlighting Alleghany County
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Map of the United States highlighting Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°47′N 80°01′W
Country United States
State Virginia
Founded1822
Named forAllegheny Mountains
SeatCovington
Largest townClifton Forge
Area
 • Total449.7 sq mi (1,165 km2)
 • Land446.572 sq mi (1,156.62 km2)
 • Water3.152 sq mi (8.16 km2)  0.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total15,223
 • Density34/sq mi (13/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district6th
Websitewww.co.alleghany.va.us

The county was created in 1822 from parts of Bath County, Botetourt County, and Monroe County (now in West Virginia) with additional portions of Bath County and Monroe County added in 1823 and 1844, respectively.[3]

At the time, the majority of the population lived around Covington, and the primary cash crop then was hemp, which was used for rope production.

History

Alleghany County was established on January 5, 1822, by an act of the Virginia General Assembly. The new county was formed from parts of Bath County, Botetourt County, and Monroe County (now in West Virginia), with most of the population centered in the new county seat in Covington.[4] Alleghany County was named for the Allegheny Mountains, which border the western edge of the county.[5]

The current Constitution of Virginia allows the city of Covington, among others in the state, to be an independent city. On July 1, 2001, the city of Clifton Forge reincorporated as a town within Alleghany County. As such, the town is subject to the county and simultaneously subject to the new charter for the town of Clifton Forge.[6]

When the county was established, the principal export was hemp, used for rope production in Richmond. However, as hemp demand and prices declined, the farmers of Alleghany switched to grain, hay and livestock production.[4]

During the American Civil War, the iron for the CSS Virginia (Merrimac) came from Longdale Furnace in the county. Regiments from Alleghany County were at the surrender at Appomattox.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 449.7 square miles (1,165 km2), of which 446.572 square miles (1,156.62 km2) is land and 3.152 square miles (8.16 km2) (0.7%) is water.[7] The county is entirely within the Valley and Ridge physiographic region of Virginia.

The primary tributaries of the James River, the Cowpasture River and Jackson River both flow through the county. The confluence of the two is just south of the county boundary near the town of Iron Gate.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Climate
Climate data for WestRock Paper Mill in Covington, Virginia (1990–2022 normals,[lower-alpha 1] extremes 1961–2022[lower-alpha 2])
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 80
(27)		 79
(26)		 87
(31)		 93
(34)		 99
(37)		 100
(38)		 102
(39)		 102
(39)		 97
(36)		 93
(34)		 85
(29)		 80
(27)		 102
(39)
Average high °F (°C) 44.9
(7.2)		 48.7
(9.3)		 58.1
(14.5)		 69.3
(20.7)		 77.1
(25.1)		 83.6
(28.7)		 87
(31)		 85.6
(29.8)		 79.7
(26.5)		 69.9
(21.1)		 58.4
(14.7)		 48.5
(9.2)		 67.7
(19.8)
Daily mean °F (°C) 34.4
(1.3)		 37.1
(2.8)		 44.8
(7.1)		 54.6
(12.6)		 63.2
(17.3)		 70.6
(21.4)		 74.2
(23.4)		 73.2
(22.9)		 66.9
(19.4)		 56.3
(13.5)		 45.1
(7.3)		 37.9
(3.3)		 54.8
(12.7)
Average low °F (°C) 23.9
(−4.5)		 25.6
(−3.6)		 31.5
(−0.3)		 39.7
(4.3)		 49.1
(9.5)		 57.4
(14.1)		 61.5
(16.4)		 60.7
(15.9)		 54.2
(12.3)		 42.5
(5.8)		 31.9
(−0.1)		 27.4
(−2.6)		 42
(6)
Record low °F (°C) −19
(−28)		 −5
(−21)		 1
(−17)		 15
(−9)		 26
(−3)		 34
(1)		 41
(5)		 39
(4)		 28
(−2)		 14
(−10)		 9
(−13)		 −10
(−23)		 −19
(−28)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.64
(67)		 2.45
(62)		 3.12
(79)		 3.55
(90)		 4.28
(109)		 4.12
(105)		 3.89
(99)		 3.39
(86)		 3.5
(89)		 2.65
(67)		 2.67
(68)		 2.91
(74)		 40.07
(1,018)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 2.8
(7.1)		 2.9
(7.4)		 1.4
(3.6)		 0.2
(0.51)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 — 2.6
(6.6)		 10.5
(27)
Source: NOAA[8]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18302,816—
18402,749−2.4%
18503,51527.9%
18606,76592.5%
18703,674−45.7%
18805,58652.0%
18909,28366.2%
190016,33075.9%
191014,173−13.2%
192015,3328.2%
193020,18831.7%
194022,68812.4%
195023,1392.0%
196012,128−47.6%
197012,4612.7%
198014,33315.0%
199013,176−8.1%
200012,926−1.9%
201016,25025.7%
202015,223−6.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11]
1990–2000[12] 2010[13] 2020[14]

2020 census
Alleghany County, Virginia - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[13] Pop 2020[14] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 15,040 13,754 92.55% 90.35%
Black or African American alone (NH) 751 676 4.62% 4.44%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 25 22 0.15% 0.14%
Asian alone (NH) 37 59 0.23% 0.39%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 11 7 0.07% 0.05%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 6 24 0.04% 0.16%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 204 503 1.26% 3.30%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 176 178 1.08% 1.17%
Total 16,250 15,223 100.00% 100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

2000 Census

As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 12,926 people, 5,149 households, and 3,866 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile (11 people/km2). There were 5,812 housing units at an average density of 13 units per square mile (5.0 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.35% White, 2.45% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 0.53% from two or more races. 0.36% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 42.9% were of American, 11.6% German, 11.0% English and 9.8% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 5,149 households, out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.20% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.90% were non-families. 22.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.85.

The age distribution is 22.80% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 28.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 99.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,545, and the median income for a family was $45,843. Males had a median income of $35,120 versus $20,855 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,635. About 4.90% of families and 7.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.60% of those under age 18 and 10.80% of those age 65 or over.

The 2000 population of what is now Alleghany County (including the former city of Clifton Forge) was 17,215. The article includes geographic data from before and after the reincorporation of Clifton Forge as a town into the county.

Government

Politics

Until recently, the county did not reliably vote for a single party at the presidential level since the Great Depression era when it backed the Democratic Party candidate in five straight election cycles. However, since the 2000 United States presidential election the county has shifted to the Republican party with generally increasing margins when voting in presidential races. In the 2020 United States presidential election, the county gave Republican candidate Donald Trump the highest margin, just under 45 percent, since the 1928 United States presidential election when Republican candidate Herbert Hoover won by over 45 percent.

United States presidential election results for Alleghany County, Virginia[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 5,859 71.43% 2,243 27.34% 101 1.23%
2016 4,874 66.54% 2,166 29.57% 285 3.89%
2012 3,595 50.12% 3,403 47.44% 175 2.44%
2008 3,715 50.41% 3,553 48.22% 101 1.37%
2004 3,962 55.07% 3,203 44.52% 30 0.42%
2000 2,808 54.81% 2,214 43.22% 101 1.97%
1996 2,015 39.71% 2,398 47.26% 661 13.03%
1992 2,294 40.55% 2,396 42.35% 967 17.09%
1988 2,555 51.87% 2,316 47.02% 55 1.12%
1984 3,067 60.89% 1,932 38.36% 38 0.75%
1980 2,185 45.94% 2,411 50.69% 160 3.36%
1976 1,756 41.17% 2,462 57.73% 47 1.10%
1972 2,584 67.47% 1,069 27.91% 177 4.62%
1968 1,649 43.47% 988 26.05% 1,156 30.48%
1964 1,104 41.12% 1,580 58.85% 1 0.04%
1960 1,214 48.79% 1,265 50.84% 9 0.36%
1956 1,135 55.26% 822 40.02% 97 4.72%
1952 2,564 52.88% 2,274 46.90% 11 0.23%
1948 1,425 37.01% 2,253 58.52% 172 4.47%
1944 1,308 39.64% 1,985 60.15% 7 0.21%
1940 1,164 34.97% 2,153 64.67% 12 0.36%
1936 1,319 39.43% 2,013 60.18% 13 0.39%
1932 1,095 45.30% 1,293 53.50% 29 1.20%
1928 1,642 72.53% 622 27.47% 0 0.00%
1924 856 52.48% 589 36.11% 186 11.40%
1920 736 51.94% 663 46.79% 18 1.27%
1916 432 43.50% 544 54.78% 17 1.71%
1912 125 15.45% 394 48.70% 290 35.85%

Board of Supervisors
  • Boiling Springs district: Shannon P. Cox (I)
  • Clifton Forge East district: Dr. Ronald S. Goings (I)
  • Clifton Forge West district: Gregory A. Dodd (I)
  • Covington district: James M. Griffith (I), Vice-chair
  • Falling Spring district: G. Matt Garten (I), Chair
  • Jackson River district: Stephen A. Bennett (I)
  • Sharon district: Cletus W. Nicely (I)
  • County Administrator: Reid Walters[17]

Constitutional officers
  • Clerk of the Circuit Court: Debra N. Byer (I)
  • Commissioner of the Revenue: Valerie N. Bruffey (I)
  • Commonwealth's Attorney: Ann Gardner(I)
  • Sheriff: Kevin W. Hall (I)
  • Treasurer: Teresa Brown (I)

State representatives

Federal representatives

Economy

The county economy is dominated by WestRock, which operates a paperboard mill in Covington, the second largest on the East Coast and an extrusion and converting facility in Low Moor. Alleghany County is within close proximity to The Homestead in Bath County and The Greenbrier in White Sulfur Springs. Residents also commute to Lewisburg, Lexington, and Roanoke for employment. Covington has a team in the Valley Baseball League called the Lumberjacks.

Transportation

Amtrak, the national passenger rail service, provides service to the Clifton Forge station (12 miles (19 km) away from Covington) with the Cardinal route. Clifton Forge serves a major locomotive fuel facility for CSX Transportation.

The area is served by Interstate 64 (east-west) and U.S. 220 (north-south), offering interstate truck access to the area.

Major highways

Education

Alleghany County is serviced by one high school, Alleghany High School (grades 9–12); one middle school, Clifton Middle School (grades 6–8), and three pre-kindergarten to grade 5 elementary schools: Callaghan Elementary, Mountain View Elementary and Sharon Elementary. The county also contains one Virginia state governors school, the Jackson River Governor's School; one technical center, the Jackson River Technical Center; and the Mountain Gateway Community College.

Communities

Though it is the county seat, Covington is an independent city, and thus is not part of Alleghany County.

See also

References
  1. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  2. "Alleghany County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  3. "Alleghany County". Library of Virginia. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  4. "Alleghany County; a Concise History". The County of Alleghany, Virginia. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
  5. Salmon, Emily; Edward D.C. Campbell, Jr., eds. (1994). The Hornbook of Virginia History: A Ready-Reference Guide to the Old Dominion's People, Places, and Past (4th ed.). Richmond: Library of Virginia. p. 159. ISBN 0884901777.
  6. "Charter - Clifton Forge". Virginia's Legislative Information System. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  7. "US Gazetteer files: 2020, 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  8. "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  9. "Decennial Census by Decade". US Census Bureau.
  10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
  11. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
  12. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
  13. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Alleghany County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
  14. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Alleghany County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
  15. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  16. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  17. Allen, M. Ray (March 19, 2022). "Alleghany County Board Of Supervisors Appoints New County Administrator". The Virginian Review. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  1. Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1990 to 2022.
  2. Monthly record high and low temperatures from NOAA at this location.

37.78°N 80.01°W / 37.78; -80.01

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