Alleghany County, Virginia | |
|---|---|
 The Alleghany Courthouse in Covington. | |
 Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofVirginia | |
 Virginia's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:37°47′N80°01′W / 37.78°N 80.01°W /37.78; -80.01 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Virginia |
| Founded | 1822 |
| Named after | Allegheny Mountains |
| Seat | Covington |
| Largest town | Clifton Forge |
| Area | |
• Total | 449.7 sq mi (1,165 km2) |
| • Land | 446.572 sq mi (1,156.62 km2) |
| • Water | 3.152 sq mi (8.16 km2) 0.7% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 15,223 |
| • Density | 34.09/sq mi (13.16/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 6th |
| Website | www |
Alleghany County is anAmerican county located on the far western edge ofCommonwealth ofVirginia. It is bordered by theAllegheny Mountains, from which the county derives its name, and it is the northernmost part of theRoanoke Region. Thecounty seat isCovington.[1] As of the2020 census, the population was 15,223.[2]
The county was created in 1822 from parts ofBath County,Botetourt County, andMonroe 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 aroundCovington, and the primarycash crop then washemp, which was used for rope production.
Alleghany County was established on January 5, 1822, by an act of theVirginia General Assembly. The new county was formed from parts ofBath County,Botetourt County, andMonroe County (now in West Virginia), with most of the population centered in the new county seat inCovington.[4] Alleghany County was named for theAllegheny Mountains, which border the western edge of the county.[5]
The currentConstitution of Virginia allows the city of Covington, among others in the state, to be anindependent city. On July 1, 2001, the city ofClifton 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 washemp, 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 theAmerican Civil War, the iron for theCSS Virginia (Merrimac) came fromLongdale Furnace in the county.Regiments from Alleghany County were at the surrender atAppomattox.
According to theU.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 theValley and Ridge physiographic region of Virginia. Alleghany County is one of the 423 counties served by theAppalachian Regional Commission,[8] and it is identified as part of "Greater Appalachia" by Colin Woodard in his bookAmerican Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America.[9]
The primary tributaries of theJames River, theCowpasture River andJackson River both flow through the county. The confluence of the two is just south of the county boundary near the town ofIron Gate.
| Climate data forWestRock Paper Mill in Covington, Virginia (1990–2022 normals,[a] extremes 1961–2022[b]) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| Mean daily maximum °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) |
| Mean daily minimum °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) |
| Averageprecipitation 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[10] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 2,816 | — | |
| 1840 | 2,749 | −2.4% | |
| 1850 | 3,515 | 27.9% | |
| 1860 | 6,765 | 92.5% | |
| 1870 | 3,674 | −45.7% | |
| 1880 | 5,586 | 52.0% | |
| 1890 | 9,283 | 66.2% | |
| 1900 | 16,330 | 75.9% | |
| 1910 | 14,173 | −13.2% | |
| 1920 | 15,332 | 8.2% | |
| 1930 | 20,188 | 31.7% | |
| 1940 | 22,688 | 12.4% | |
| 1950 | 23,139 | 2.0% | |
| 1960 | 12,128 | −47.6% | |
| 1970 | 12,461 | 2.7% | |
| 1980 | 14,333 | 15.0% | |
| 1990 | 13,176 | −8.1% | |
| 2000 | 12,926 | −1.9% | |
| 2010 | 16,250 | 25.7% | |
| 2020 | 15,223 | −6.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13] 1990–2000[14] 2010[15] 2020[16] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010[15] | Pop 2020[16] | % 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 orAlaska 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% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 6 | 24 | 0.04% | 0.16% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (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% |
As of thecensus[17] of 2000, there were 12,926 people, 5,149 households, and 3,866 families residing in the county. Thepopulation 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 orAfrican American, 0.21%Native American, 0.24%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.20% fromother races, and 0.53% from two or more races. 0.36% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 42.9% were ofAmerican, 11.6%German, 11.0%English and 9.8%Irish ancestry according toCensus 2000.
There were 5,149 households, out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.20% weremarried 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 aged 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. Theper capita income for the county was $19,635. About 4.90% of families and 7.10% of the population were below thepoverty 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.
Until recently, the county did not reliably vote for a single party at the presidential level since theGreat Depression era when it backed theDemocratic Party candidate in five straight election cycles. It was also a bellwether for over 100 years, voting for the nationwide winner in every election from 1888 to 2004 except for 1904 and 1980. However, since the2000 United States presidential election the county has shifted to the Republican party with generally increasing margins when voting in presidential races. In the2020 United States presidential election, the county gave Republican candidateDonald Trump the highest margin, just under 45 percent, since the1928 United States presidential election when Republican candidateHerbert Hoover won by over 45 percent.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 125 | 15.45% | 394 | 48.70% | 290 | 35.85% |
| 1916 | 432 | 43.50% | 544 | 54.78% | 17 | 1.71% |
| 1920 | 736 | 51.94% | 663 | 46.79% | 18 | 1.27% |
| 1924 | 856 | 52.48% | 589 | 36.11% | 186 | 11.40% |
| 1928 | 1,642 | 72.53% | 622 | 27.47% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 1,095 | 45.30% | 1,293 | 53.50% | 29 | 1.20% |
| 1936 | 1,319 | 39.43% | 2,013 | 60.18% | 13 | 0.39% |
| 1940 | 1,164 | 34.97% | 2,153 | 64.67% | 12 | 0.36% |
| 1944 | 1,308 | 39.64% | 1,985 | 60.15% | 7 | 0.21% |
| 1948 | 1,425 | 37.01% | 2,253 | 58.52% | 172 | 4.47% |
| 1952 | 2,564 | 52.88% | 2,274 | 46.90% | 11 | 0.23% |
| 1956 | 1,135 | 55.26% | 822 | 40.02% | 97 | 4.72% |
| 1960 | 1,214 | 48.79% | 1,265 | 50.84% | 9 | 0.36% |
| 1964 | 1,104 | 41.12% | 1,580 | 58.85% | 1 | 0.04% |
| 1968 | 1,649 | 43.47% | 988 | 26.05% | 1,156 | 30.48% |
| 1972 | 2,584 | 67.47% | 1,069 | 27.91% | 177 | 4.62% |
| 1976 | 1,756 | 41.17% | 2,462 | 57.73% | 47 | 1.10% |
| 1980 | 2,185 | 45.94% | 2,411 | 50.69% | 160 | 3.36% |
| 1984 | 3,067 | 60.89% | 1,932 | 38.36% | 38 | 0.75% |
| 1988 | 2,555 | 51.87% | 2,316 | 47.02% | 55 | 1.12% |
| 1992 | 2,294 | 40.55% | 2,396 | 42.35% | 967 | 17.09% |
| 1996 | 2,015 | 39.71% | 2,398 | 47.26% | 661 | 13.03% |
| 2000 | 2,808 | 54.81% | 2,214 | 43.22% | 101 | 1.97% |
| 2004 | 3,962 | 55.07% | 3,203 | 44.52% | 30 | 0.42% |
| 2008 | 3,715 | 50.41% | 3,553 | 48.22% | 101 | 1.37% |
| 2012 | 3,595 | 50.12% | 3,403 | 47.44% | 175 | 2.44% |
| 2016 | 4,874 | 66.54% | 2,166 | 29.57% | 285 | 3.89% |
| 2020 | 5,859 | 71.43% | 2,243 | 27.34% | 101 | 1.23% |
| 2024 | 6,093 | 73.47% | 2,114 | 25.49% | 86 | 1.04% |
The county economy is dominated byWestRock, which operates a paperboard mill in Covington, the second largest on theEast Coast and an extrusion and converting facility in Low Moor. Alleghany County is nearThe Homestead inBath County andThe Greenbrier inWhite Sulphur Springs. Residents also commute toLewisburg,Lexington, andRoanoke for employment. Covington has a team in theValley Baseball League called theLumberjacks.
Amtrak, the national passenger rail service, provides service to theClifton Forge station (12 miles (19 km) away fromCovington) with theCardinal route. Clifton Forge serves a major locomotive fuel facility forCSX Transportation.
The area is served byInterstate 64 (east-west) andU.S. 220 (north-south), offering interstate truck access to the area.
The school district is theAlleghany County Public Schools school district.[20]
Alleghany County is serviced by one high school,Alleghany High School (grades 9–12); one middle school, Covington 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 governor's school, the Jackson River Governor's School; one technical center, the Jackson River Technical Center; and theMountain Gateway Community College.
Though it is the county seat,Covington is anindependent city, and thus is not part of Alleghany County.
Municipalities and communities ofAlleghany County, Virginia,United States | ||
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| Other communities |
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Places adjacent to Alleghany County, Virginia | |
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Municipalities and communities ofAlleghany County, Virginia,United States | ||
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| Towns | | |
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| Other communities |
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37°47′N80°01′W / 37.78°N 80.01°W /37.78; -80.01
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