Waynesboro, Virginia | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Waynesboro showing Main Street looking East | |
 Location of Waynesboro, Virginia | |
| Coordinates:38°4′12″N78°53′40″W / 38.07000°N 78.89444°W /38.07000; -78.89444 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| Area | |
• Total | 15.11 sq mi (39.14 km2) |
| • Land | 14.97 sq mi (38.77 km2) |
| • Water | 0.14 sq mi (0.36 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,286 ft (392 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 22,196 |
| • Density | 1,483/sq mi (572.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 22980 |
| Area code(s) | 540, 826 |
| FIPS code | 51-83680[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1500288[3] |
| Website | Official Website |
Waynesboro (/ˈweɪnzbʌroʊ/; formerlyFlack[4]) is anindependent city in theCommonwealth ofVirginia. It is one of two cities in theStaunton-Stuarts Draft Metropolitan Statistical Area, withStaunton being the largest. Waynesboro is located in theShenandoah Valley and is surrounded byAugusta County. As of the2020 United States census, the population was 22,196.[5]
Located in the BritishColony of Virginia, even after theAmerican Revolution and independence and statehood for theCommonwealth of Virginia, the areas west of theAppalachian andBlue Ridge Mountains were known as the frontier. Travel by wagon over the mountains was considered to be nearly impossible except where nature afforded some gap between them. Until after the Civil War,Jarmans Gap, only some six miles northeast of Waynesboro, was the major crossing of theBlue Ridge Mountains in that area, making Waynesboro a convenient location for a stop for many who sought to travel west.
In the mid-18th century, the Waynesboro area was commonly referred to as Teasville (or Teesville). Shortly after U.S. Army GeneralAnthony Wayne's significant victory at theBattle of Fallen Timbers in 1794 during theNorthwest Indian War, the area began to be called Waynesborough. Many settlers to the area at the time originated fromPennsylvania. General Wayne's well-known popularity with Pennsylvanians is suspected to have helped contribute to this naming.
As early as 1798, the current downtown area was plotted and sold. On January 8, 1801, the town of Waynesborough was officially recognized by the state of Virginia and was incorporated by 1834.
Some of the remaining buildings from this period of its history include thePlumb House (now a museum open for tours seasonally) and the Coiner-Quesenbury House, built in 1806, believed to be the first brick house built in the town, which is still standing on Main Street.
Population growth in the town was slow at first. In 1810, the town had a population of 250, and by 1860 that number had grown to 457. The town maintained a steady stream of visitors primarily due to its position on Three Notch'd Road, which connectedStaunton to the west withCharlottesville andRichmond to the east. This road crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains throughJarman's Gap. Additionally, a railroad tunnel was constructed throughRockfish Gap a short time before the Civil War began. This was to establish Rockfish Gap as the major crossing through the mountains between Waynesboro and Charlottesville.
On March 2, 1865, Waynesboro was the site of the last battle of theCivil War for the Confederate Lt. GeneralJubal A. Early. TheBattle of Waynesboro lasted twenty minutes, was a complete victory forGeorge Armstrong Custer, and was a final blow for the Confederate Army in theShenandoah Valley. Sometime after, General Early relinquished the town and the valley to GeneralPhilip Sheridan. Many of the buildings from this period still show damage from the battle. During and after the war, casualties from the nearby Valley Campaign and other battles were buried in Ridgeview Cemetery where the Waynesboro Confederate Monument lists and commemorates their names and states.
After the war, the Waynesboro area became the junction of two important railroad lines: an east-to-west track (operated by theChesapeake and Ohio Railway) and a north–southtrunk line (of theShenandoah Valley Railroad, which soon became theNorfolk and Western Railway). The tracks intersected near Waynesboro, giving the site the nickname of the "Iron Cross." The transportation advantages coming from the Iron Cross fueled great hopes for economic development.
In a flurry ofland speculation,land lots to the east of Waynesboro, mostly on the east side of South River, were plotted and sold in 1890. Within that year, the area was incorporated as theTown of Basic City. An opera house, a wide boulevard called Commerce Avenue, and the upscaleHotel Brunswick were built there. A friendly rivalry soon developed between the two towns with each attempting to outdo the other regarding their development. The overall population from May 1, 1890, to May 1 of 1891 rose 150% (from 1,000 people to 2,500). An important difference between the two was that, unlike Basic City, Waynesboro had implemented restrictive laws banning the sale of alcohol. Effects of thePanic of 1896 abruptly dried up theboomtown investment in Basic City; grand plans for more hotels and manufacturing complexes were scuttled. The established blocks of small-size land plots meant for worker housing remain, and today the former Basic City area is largely low-income housing.
Waynesboro steadily prospered and circa 1900-1920 many spacious houses were built on a scenic hill that was gridded into the "Tree Streets" neighborhood, with residential lanes named Oak Avenue, Chestnut Avenue, Poplar Avenue, and the like. In 1923, Waynesboro and Basic City consolidated into a single town to be called Waynesboro-Basic. Later, officials dropped Basic and the name became Waynesboro, with the former Basic City disappearing as one of the "lost towns of Virginia." Since 1924, Waynesboro has made numerous territorial acquisitions from areas ofAugusta County through annexation and officially became anindependent city in 1948. In 2005, Waynesboro established a new charter, repealing one in place since 1948.
Waynesboro is located at38°4′11″N78°53′40″W / 38.06972°N 78.89444°W /38.06972; -78.89444 (38.069874, -78.894517). It averages1,305 feet above sea level, ranging from 1,050 feet to 1,800 feet above sea level.[6] According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.2 square miles (39.4 km2), of which 15.0 square miles (38.8 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (1.0%) is water.[7]
Waynesboro is located in theShenandoah Valley.[8][6] It is in theValley and Ridgephysiographic province.[6] TheSouth River, a tributary of theShenandoah River, flows through the city.[8][6]
| Climate data for WAYNESBORO WTP, VA, 1991-2020 normals | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 44.2 (6.8) | 47.6 (8.7) | 55.4 (13.0) | 66.3 (19.1) | 74.2 (23.4) | 82.1 (27.8) | 85.7 (29.8) | 84.6 (29.2) | 77.5 (25.3) | 67.7 (19.8) | 56.4 (13.6) | 47.1 (8.4) | 65.7 (18.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 33.8 (1.0) | 36.2 (2.3) | 43.4 (6.3) | 53.0 (11.7) | 62.1 (16.7) | 70.4 (21.3) | 74.5 (23.6) | 73.0 (22.8) | 66.0 (18.9) | 55.1 (12.8) | 44.5 (6.9) | 37.0 (2.8) | 54.1 (12.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 23.4 (−4.8) | 24.9 (−3.9) | 31.3 (−0.4) | 39.8 (4.3) | 50.0 (10.0) | 58.6 (14.8) | 63.3 (17.4) | 61.4 (16.3) | 54.5 (12.5) | 42.6 (5.9) | 32.7 (0.4) | 26.8 (−2.9) | 42.4 (5.8) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.16 (80) | 2.80 (71) | 4.11 (104) | 3.94 (100) | 3.59 (91) | 4.47 (114) | 3.68 (93) | 3.69 (94) | 5.46 (139) | 3.41 (87) | 4.03 (102) | 2.99 (76) | 45.33 (1,151) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 8.3 | 7.4 | 8.5 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 10.6 | 10.9 | 10.8 | 8.5 | 8.6 | 7.4 | 8.6 | 111.7 |
| Source: NOAA[9] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 457 | — | |
| 1870 | 536 | 17.3% | |
| 1880 | 484 | −9.7% | |
| 1890 | 646 | 33.5% | |
| 1900 | 856 | 32.5% | |
| 1910 | 1,389 | 62.3% | |
| 1920 | 1,594 | 14.8% | |
| 1930 | 6,226 | 290.6% | |
| 1940 | 7,373 | 18.4% | |
| 1950 | 12,357 | 67.6% | |
| 1960 | 15,694 | 27.0% | |
| 1970 | 16,707 | 6.5% | |
| 1980 | 15,329 | −8.2% | |
| 1990 | 18,549 | 21.0% | |
| 2000 | 19,520 | 5.2% | |
| 2010 | 21,006 | 7.6% | |
| 2020 | 22,196 | 5.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12] 1990-2000[13] 2010[14] 2020[15] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010[14] | Pop 2020[15] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 16,704 | 16,074 | 79.52% | 72.42% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,176 | 2,610 | 10.36% | 11.76% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 50 | 33 | 0.24% | 0.15% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 154 | 258 | 0.73% | 1.16% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 5 | 20 | 0.02% | 0.09% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 29 | 104 | 0.14% | 0.47% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 551 | 1,152 | 2.62% | 5.19% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,337 | 1,945 | 6.36% | 8.76% |
| Total | 21,006 | 22,196 | 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.
As of thecensus[2] of 2010, there were 21,006 people, 8,903 households, and 5,589 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 1,364 people per square mile (527 people/km2). There were 9,717 housing units at an average density of 631 units per square mile (244 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 82.2%White, 10.6%African American, 0.3%Native American, 0.7%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 2.9% fromother races, and 3.2% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 6.4% of the population.
There were 8,903 households, of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% weremarried couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females aged eighteen and over, there were 85.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,077, and the median income for a family was $55,668. Males had a median income of $36,013 versus $30,699 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $24,372. About 12.9% of families and 18.0% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 27.6% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.
A large formerDuPont plant and the associated Benger Laboratory wherespandex was invented (under the brand name Lycra), as well as a largetextile mill called Wayn-Tex (now owned by Mohawk Industries), were significant employers for residents through much of the 20th century. The DuPont plant was later sold toKoch Industries as part of the subsidiary companyInvista. In January 2019, the plant was again sold to Chinese luxury apparel firm Shandong Ruyi Group and rebranded asThe Lycra Company. A General Electric site on the northeast side, which made relays and later computer printers, was also a substantial employer. Waynesboro was home to the corporate headquarters ofnTelos (a regional wireless and telecommunications company serving Virginia,West Virginia,North Carolina,Tennessee,Kentucky, andOhio) before that company's merger withShentel. Tourism, industrial production, and retail remain vital to the Waynesboro economy.
Two movies have filmed scenes in Waynesboro:Toy Soldiers (1991)[16] andEvan Almighty (2007).[17] The city has been mentioned several times on television seriesThe Waltons.
Nearby isSwannanoa palace, which was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1969.[18]
TheGenerals of theValley Baseball League play there.
TheBlue Ridge Parkway,Skyline Drive, and theAppalachian Trail are fewer than 5 miles (8.0 km) from Waynesboro. Near Waynesboro, is the west portal and visitor parking for the historicalBlue Ridge Tunnel, which opened to the public as alinear park in 2021.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1948 | 833 | 46.43% | 839 | 46.77% | 122 | 6.80% |
| 1952 | 1,680 | 69.62% | 730 | 30.25% | 3 | 0.12% |
| 1956 | 2,049 | 71.00% | 748 | 25.92% | 89 | 3.08% |
| 1960 | 2,444 | 69.57% | 1,047 | 29.80% | 22 | 0.63% |
| 1964 | 2,107 | 46.50% | 2,369 | 52.28% | 55 | 1.21% |
| 1968 | 3,301 | 61.38% | 1,446 | 26.89% | 631 | 11.73% |
| 1972 | 4,163 | 77.75% | 1,061 | 19.82% | 130 | 2.43% |
| 1976 | 3,528 | 59.64% | 2,209 | 37.35% | 178 | 3.01% |
| 1980 | 3,697 | 61.84% | 1,926 | 32.22% | 355 | 5.94% |
| 1984 | 4,465 | 73.45% | 1,579 | 25.97% | 35 | 0.58% |
| 1988 | 4,672 | 68.72% | 2,038 | 29.97% | 89 | 1.31% |
| 1992 | 3,758 | 52.57% | 2,302 | 32.20% | 1,089 | 15.23% |
| 1996 | 3,466 | 52.71% | 2,398 | 36.47% | 712 | 10.83% |
| 2000 | 4,084 | 57.50% | 2,737 | 38.54% | 281 | 3.96% |
| 2004 | 5,092 | 63.95% | 2,792 | 35.06% | 79 | 0.99% |
| 2008 | 4,815 | 54.35% | 3,906 | 44.09% | 139 | 1.57% |
| 2012 | 4,790 | 54.49% | 3,840 | 43.68% | 161 | 1.83% |
| 2016 | 4,801 | 52.16% | 3,764 | 40.90% | 639 | 6.94% |
| 2020 | 5,507 | 51.39% | 4,961 | 46.29% | 249 | 2.32% |
| 2024 | 5,882 | 51.97% | 5,240 | 46.29% | 197 | 1.74% |
Like the rest of theShenandoah Valley, Waynesboro is a traditionallyRepublican stronghold. Despite improvedDemocratic performance over time, Waynesboro has remained Republican even since the2008 presidential election, which marked the beginning of a string of Democratic presidential victories in other Valleyindependent cities such asHarrisonburg,Staunton, andWinchester.Joe Biden, in 2020, received the highest percentage (46.3%) of Waynesboro votes for any Democratic presidential candidate in 56 years, but still received 546 fewer votes than then-president Donald Trump.
The Waynesboro City Public Schools system serves the area and operatesWaynesboro High School. Waynesboro is the home ofFishburne Military School, an all-male privatemilitaryboarding school for grades 8 through 12.
The city is served by two freight rail lines, owned by Norfolk Southern and CSX. The intersection of the two lines is known as "The Iron Cross", a historically significant symbol of the city's economic growth.
The main highway through Waynesboro isInterstate 64, which runs east to west across much of Virginia. It also has a junction withInterstate 81 just to the west of Waynesboro, the main north–south highway across western Virginia. Additional highways serving Waynesboro includeU.S. Route 250,U.S. Route 340, andVirginia State Route 254.[6]
Waynesboro's local newspaper isThe News Virginian.
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