Wise | |
|---|---|
 Wise County Courthouse | |
 Seal  Logo | |
 Location in the Commonwealth ofVirginia | |
| Coordinates:36°58′41″N82°34′37″W / 36.97806°N 82.57694°W /36.97806; -82.57694 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Wise |
| Founded | 1874 |
| Incorporated | 1924 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Teresa Adkins |
| Area | |
• Total | 3.04 sq mi (7.87 km2) |
| • Land | 3.03 sq mi (7.85 km2) |
| • Water | 0.012 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,451 ft (747 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 2,970 |
| • Density | 959.4/sq mi (370.41/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 24293 |
| Area code | 276 |
| FIPS code | 51-87072[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1498553[3] |
| Website | townofwise.net |
Wise is a town inWise County, Virginia. The population was 2,970 at the 2020 census.[4] It is thecounty seat of Wise County.[5] It was originally incorporated as the town of Gladeville in 1874. The town's name was changed to Wise in 1924, afterHenry A. Wise, the lastVirginia governor before theAmerican Civil War and the first governor to hail from theEastern Shore of Virginia.[6]
The town is also the home of theUniversity of Virginia's College at Wise.
Wise is located in the center of the county of Wise. According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8.0 km2), all land.
The climate in this area is characterized by mild, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, Wise has asubtropical highland climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps. TheTrewartha climate classification is temperate oceanic due to five months of winter chill (monthly means below 10 °C (50 °F)), abbreviated "Do" on climate maps.[7]
| Climate data for Wise, Virginia (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1955–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 73 (23) | 75 (24) | 80 (27) | 87 (31) | 90 (32) | 101 (38) | 99 (37) | 94 (34) | 93 (34) | 92 (33) | 79 (26) | 73 (23) | 95 (35) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 42.6 (5.9) | 46.5 (8.1) | 55.2 (12.9) | 65.5 (18.6) | 72.0 (22.2) | 78.0 (25.6) | 80.6 (27.0) | 79.8 (26.6) | 75.5 (24.2) | 66.2 (19.0) | 55.0 (12.8) | 46.0 (7.8) | 63.6 (17.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 33.6 (0.9) | 36.9 (2.7) | 44.4 (6.9) | 54.1 (12.3) | 61.4 (16.3) | 67.8 (19.9) | 70.9 (21.6) | 69.8 (21.0) | 64.8 (18.2) | 55.0 (12.8) | 44.7 (7.1) | 37.2 (2.9) | 53.4 (11.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 24.6 (−4.1) | 27.3 (−2.6) | 33.6 (0.9) | 42.7 (5.9) | 50.7 (10.4) | 57.7 (14.3) | 61.2 (16.2) | 59.8 (15.4) | 54.1 (12.3) | 43.7 (6.5) | 34.3 (1.3) | 28.5 (−1.9) | 43.2 (6.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −24 (−31) | −15 (−26) | −8 (−22) | 16 (−9) | 24 (−4) | 31 (−1) | 40 (4) | 38 (3) | 31 (−1) | 14 (−10) | 4 (−16) | −17 (−27) | −24 (−31) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 4.34 (110) | 4.37 (111) | 4.74 (120) | 4.78 (121) | 4.60 (117) | 4.86 (123) | 5.77 (147) | 4.13 (105) | 3.55 (90) | 2.87 (73) | 3.26 (83) | 4.36 (111) | 51.63 (1,311) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 12.8 (33) | 11.6 (29) | 8.6 (22) | 1.7 (4.3) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.9 (2.3) | 1.9 (4.8) | 9.6 (24) | 47.1 (120) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 15.4 | 14.6 | 14.7 | 13.1 | 14.5 | 14.0 | 15.7 | 12.9 | 10.6 | 10.6 | 11.2 | 14.7 | 162.0 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 7.8 | 7.0 | 4.3 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 5.8 | 28.6 |
| Source:NOAA[8][9] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 128 | — | |
| 1890 | 186 | 45.3% | |
| 1900 | 511 | 174.7% | |
| 1910 | 806 | 57.7% | |
| 1920 | 1,071 | 32.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,112 | 3.8% | |
| 1940 | 1,226 | 10.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,574 | 28.4% | |
| 1960 | 2,614 | 66.1% | |
| 1970 | 2,891 | 10.6% | |
| 1980 | 3,894 | 34.7% | |
| 1990 | 3,193 | −18.0% | |
| 2000 | 3,255 | 1.9% | |
| 2010 | 3,286 | 1.0% | |
| 2020 | 2,970 | −9.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] | |||
As of thecensus of 2020, the town had 2,970 people,[12] roughly 10 percent fewer than two decades earlier.
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 3,255 people, 1,424 households, and 868 families residing in the town. Thepopulation density was 1,059.4 people per square mile (409.4/km2). There were 1,594 housing units at an average density of 518.8 per square mile (200.5/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 95.24%White, 1.94%African American, 0.28%Native American, 1.14%Asian, 0.77% fromother races, and 0.65% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.41% of the population.
There were 1,424 households, out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% weremarried couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.7% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.4 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $28,531, and the median income for a family was $36,875. Males had a median income of $30,170 versus $21,389 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $18,760. About 12.6% of families and 15.6% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 69 or over.
Wise features fivepublic schools of theWise County Public School System, oneprivate school, and onecollege.
The largest highway in Wise is Orby Cantrell Highway (US 23) a north–south highway that runs through the west end of the town. Wise is also home to theLonesome Pine Airport (LNP). The airport is located approximately three miles northeast of thecentral business district.
The Town of Wise has onesister city:
Çeşme,İzmir Province, Turkey
In early 1862, Gladeville served as the headquarters of Confederate GeneralHumphrey Marshall, who had been assigned to defend southwest Virginia. Union forces raided the town on June 1, 1862, and captured the town clerk, Rev. Morgan T. Lipps, who reportedly insulted them. He was released, but the raiders burned half the town. The event is commemorated by a historical marker,[14] and re-enactors engaged in a Civil War Living History Presentation and Re-Enactment on the second weekend of July each year.[15]
Three buildings on Main Street in the town of Wise are on theNational Register of Historic Places.[16] TheColonial Hotel, now known as the Inn at Wise Court House, was added to the Register in 1991. TheWise County Courthouse was added to the Register ten years earlier, in 1981. In February 2006, the Register listed theE. M. Fulton House.[17]
Municipalities and communities ofWise County, Virginia,United States | ||
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| Towns |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
