Wythe County, Virginia | |
|---|---|
 Wythe County Courthouse in Wytheville | |
 Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofVirginia | |
| Coordinates:36°55′N81°05′W / 36.92°N 81.09°W /36.92; -81.09 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Virginia |
| Founded | 1790 |
| Named after | George Wythe |
| Seat | Wytheville |
| Largest town | Wytheville |
| Area | |
• Total | 465 sq mi (1,200 km2) |
| • Land | 462 sq mi (1,200 km2) |
| • Water | 2.8 sq mi (7.3 km2) 0.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 28,290 |
• Estimate (2024) | 28,100 |
| • Density | 61.2/sq mi (23.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 9th |
| Website | wytheco.org |
Wythe County (/wɪθ/) is acounty located in thesouthwestern part of theU.S. state ofVirginia. As of the2020 United States census, the population was 28,290.[1] Itscounty seat isWytheville.[2]
Wythe County was formed fromMontgomery County in 1790. It was named afterGeorge Wythe, the first Virginian signer of theDeclaration of Independence. During theCivil War theBattle of Cove Mountain was fought in the county.
Prior to Wythe County's creation, what is now the Wythe County community of Austinville served as the county seat forFincastle County, an extinct Virginia county whose borders stretched from Roanoke, Virginia, to the Mississippi River – a county roughly the size of half the State of Texas.[3]
Wythe County's Austinville community was founded by Stephen and his brotherMoses Austin, father of the famousStephen F. Austin. In the 1790s the Austins took over the mines that produced lead and zinc; the town was named for the Austin surname, and not for any one particular Austin of the brothers who bore that surname. Lead was mined and shipped throughout the fledgling country;lead shot was also produced. Located near Fosters Falls,Jackson Ferry Shot Tower still stands as a testament to the citizens of Wythe County.[clarification needed] Lead was hoisted to the top of the tower using block and tackle and oxen. The lead was melted in a retort and then poured through a sieve at the top of the tower. The droplets of molten lead would become round during the 150-foot descent. The shot would collect in a kettle of water and slave laborers[4] would enter through a 110-foot access tunnel located near the bank of theNew River to retrieve the shot from the kettle. The lead mines closed in 1982 due to newUnited States Environmental Protection Agency standards and the lack of a market for lead. The mines have since filled with water; the main shaft extended in excess of 1100 feet straight down.
On August 15, 1926, thelynching of Raymond Byrd occurred at the Wythe County jail.[5]
Another notable area within the county is the unincorporated community ofFort Chiswell - named for aFrench and Indian War era fort. The fort and its surrounding buildings served as the county seat until the incorporated town of Wytheville was established approximately 10 miles to the west. The fort fell into disrepair and its ruins were covered over when the intersection ofI-77 andI-81 was constructed in the 1970s. A pyramid marker now stands in the approximate location of the former fort. The community was named for ColonelJohn Chiswell who helped establish the lead mines (1757) prior to the Austin's purchase.
Wythe County's location, at the confluence of I-81 and I-77 which is, incidentally, awrong-way concurrency, has led to its growth for industry and tourism. RecentlyGatorade andPepsi manufacturing facilities have located here, primarily due to the ease of access and central location along the Eastern seaboard. There are a variety of travel-related businesses including several hundred hotel rooms, severaltruck stops, and restaurants located in the county.Tourism takes a variety of different forms in Wythe County. There are numerous opportunities for those that enjoy outdoor activities including a variety of trails, campgrounds, and parks in the area. Its firstwinery opened in 2006 and a second opened in 2007. Adinner theatre is located in the county seat,Wytheville.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 465 square miles (1,200 km2), of which, 462 square miles (1,200 km2) of it is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2) (0.6%) is water.[6] The county is intersected by theNew River. The land is mostly an elevated plateau, lying between Iron Mountain on the south and Walker's Mountain on the northwest. The soil is generally fertile. Iron ore, lead, bituminous coal, limestone, and gypsum are very abundant, and there are traces of silver found in the lead mines.[7] Wythe 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]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 6,380 | — | |
| 1810 | 8,356 | 31.0% | |
| 1820 | 9,692 | 16.0% | |
| 1830 | 12,163 | 25.5% | |
| 1840 | 9,375 | −22.9% | |
| 1850 | 12,024 | 28.3% | |
| 1860 | 12,305 | 2.3% | |
| 1870 | 11,611 | −5.6% | |
| 1880 | 14,318 | 23.3% | |
| 1890 | 18,019 | 25.8% | |
| 1900 | 20,437 | 13.4% | |
| 1910 | 20,372 | −0.3% | |
| 1920 | 20,217 | −0.8% | |
| 1930 | 20,704 | 2.4% | |
| 1940 | 22,721 | 9.7% | |
| 1950 | 23,327 | 2.7% | |
| 1960 | 21,975 | −5.8% | |
| 1970 | 22,139 | 0.7% | |
| 1980 | 25,522 | 15.3% | |
| 1990 | 25,466 | −0.2% | |
| 2000 | 27,599 | 8.4% | |
| 2010 | 29,235 | 5.9% | |
| 2020 | 28,290 | −3.2% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 28,100 | [10] | −0.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13] 1990-2000[14] 2010[15] 2020[16] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010[15] | Pop 2020[16] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 27,649 | 28,290 | 94.57% | 92.20% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 809 | 699 | 2.77% | 2.47% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 39 | 54 | 0.13% | 0.19% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 124 | 118 | 0.42% | 0.42% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 3 | 2 | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 13 | 66 | 0.04% | 0.23% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 318 | 914 | 1.09% | 3.23% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 280 | 355 | 0.96% | 1.25% |
| Total | 29,235 | 28,290 | 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 the2020 census, the county had a population of 28,290. The median age was 46.0 years. 19.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.2 males age 18 and over.[17][18]
The racial makeup of the county was 92.5% White, 2.5%Black or African American, 0.2%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Asian, 0.0%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 0.6% from some other race, and 3.8% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.3% of the population.[18]
25.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 74.7% lived in rural areas.[19]
There were 12,281 households in the county, of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 28.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[17]
There were 13,990 housing units, of which 12.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.4% were owner-occupied and 27.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.0%.[17]
As of thecensus[20] of 2000, there were 27,599 people, 11,511 households, and 8,103 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 60 people per square mile (23 people/km2). There were 12,744 housing units at an average density of 28 units per square mile (11 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.76%White, 2.87%Black orAfrican American, 0.16%Native American, 0.38%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.24% fromother races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 0.57% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 11,511 households, out of which 28.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.20% weremarried couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.80% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 25.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.40 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 88.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,235, and the median income for a family was $40,188. Males had a median income of $29,053 versus $20,550 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $17,639. About 8.50% of families and 11.00% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 12.50% of those under age 18 and 13.40% of those age 65 or over.
| Wythe County Sheriff's Office | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | WCSO |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1790 |
| Employees | 27 |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Constituting instrument |
|
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Wytheville, Virginia |
| Deputys | 27 |
| Website | |
| Official Website | |
The Wythe County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) is the primary law enforcement agency in Wythe County, Virginia. The sheriff preceding Charles Foster was Keith Dunagan, who had served for nearly 40 years before retiring.[22] Since the establishment of the Wythe County Sheriff's Office, 1 deputy has died in the line of duty, in 1994.[23]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 633 | 26.39% | 1,110 | 46.27% | 656 | 27.34% |
| 1916 | 1,370 | 50.55% | 1,334 | 49.23% | 6 | 0.22% |
| 1920 | 2,104 | 58.74% | 1,465 | 40.90% | 13 | 0.36% |
| 1924 | 1,996 | 50.58% | 1,899 | 48.12% | 51 | 1.29% |
| 1928 | 2,540 | 62.62% | 1,516 | 37.38% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 1,589 | 45.61% | 1,866 | 53.56% | 29 | 0.83% |
| 1936 | 2,781 | 57.01% | 2,089 | 42.82% | 8 | 0.16% |
| 1940 | 1,507 | 46.87% | 1,695 | 52.72% | 13 | 0.40% |
| 1944 | 1,822 | 55.43% | 1,465 | 44.57% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 2,077 | 62.26% | 976 | 29.26% | 283 | 8.48% |
| 1952 | 3,580 | 68.24% | 1,654 | 31.53% | 12 | 0.23% |
| 1956 | 3,484 | 65.65% | 1,766 | 33.28% | 57 | 1.07% |
| 1960 | 2,871 | 57.50% | 2,075 | 41.56% | 47 | 0.94% |
| 1964 | 2,958 | 50.45% | 2,879 | 49.10% | 26 | 0.44% |
| 1968 | 3,638 | 52.25% | 1,765 | 25.35% | 1,560 | 22.40% |
| 1972 | 4,553 | 73.96% | 1,431 | 23.25% | 172 | 2.79% |
| 1976 | 4,231 | 51.34% | 3,578 | 43.42% | 432 | 5.24% |
| 1980 | 4,758 | 54.28% | 3,677 | 41.95% | 331 | 3.78% |
| 1984 | 6,773 | 68.65% | 2,996 | 30.37% | 97 | 0.98% |
| 1988 | 5,827 | 63.17% | 3,201 | 34.70% | 197 | 2.14% |
| 1992 | 5,121 | 48.81% | 3,616 | 34.46% | 1,755 | 16.73% |
| 1996 | 4,274 | 49.99% | 3,275 | 38.31% | 1,000 | 11.70% |
| 2000 | 6,539 | 63.95% | 3,462 | 33.86% | 224 | 2.19% |
| 2004 | 7,911 | 68.47% | 3,581 | 30.99% | 62 | 0.54% |
| 2008 | 8,207 | 65.70% | 4,107 | 32.88% | 177 | 1.42% |
| 2012 | 8,324 | 67.36% | 3,783 | 30.61% | 251 | 2.03% |
| 2016 | 10,046 | 75.38% | 2,770 | 20.78% | 512 | 3.84% |
| 2020 | 11,733 | 77.85% | 3,143 | 20.85% | 196 | 1.30% |
| 2024 | 12,267 | 79.27% | 3,075 | 19.87% | 133 | 0.86% |
Places adjacent to Wythe County, Virginia | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofWythe County, Virginia,United States | ||
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| Other communities | ||
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