Staunton | |
|---|---|
 Frederick Street | |
.png) Flag  Seal | |
| Nickname: Queen City of the Shenandoah Valley | |
 Location of Staunton in the Commonwealth of Virginia | |
  Staunton  Staunton  Staunton | |
| Coordinates:38°9′29″N79°4′35″W / 38.15806°N 79.07639°W /38.15806; -79.07639 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | None (Independent city) |
| Incorporated | 1801 |
| Founded by | Lady Rebecca Staunton (named for) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-manager government |
| • City Manager | Leslie M. Beauregard[1] |
| • Mayor | Stephen Claffey (Ind.)[2] |
| • House Delegate | Ellen Campbell (R) |
| • State Senator | Chris Head (R) |
| Area | |
• Total | 19.98 sq mi (51.74 km2) |
| • Land | 19.92 sq mi (51.59 km2) |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.15 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,417 ft (432 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 25,750 |
| • Density | 1,300/sq mi (500/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 24401–24402 |
| Area code | 540 |
| FIPS code | 51-75216[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1500154[5] |
| Website | http://www.staunton.va.us/ |
Staunton (/ˈstæntən/STAN-tən) is anindependent city in theU.S. Commonwealth ofVirginia. As of the2020 census, the population was 25,750.[6] In Virginia, independent cities are separate jurisdictions from the counties that surround them, so the government offices ofAugusta County are inVerona, which is contiguous to Staunton.[7] Staunton is a principal city of the Staunton-WaynesboroMetropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2010 population of 118,502. Staunton is known for being the birthplace ofWoodrow Wilson, the 28thU.S. president, and as the home ofMary Baldwin University, historically a women's college. The city is also home toStuart Hall, a private co-edpreparatory school, as well as theVirginia School for the Deaf and Blind. It was the first city in the United States with a fully defined city manager system.
The area was first settled in 1732 byJohn Lewis and family. In 1736,William Beverley, a wealthy planter andmerchant fromEssex County, was granted by theCrown over 118,000 acres (48,000 hectares; 480 square kilometres; 184 square miles) in what would become Augusta County.SurveyorThomas Lewis in 1746 laid out the first townplat for Beverley of what was originally called Beverley's Mill Place.[8] Founded in 1747, it was renamed in honor of Lady Rebecca Staunton, wife to Royal Lieutenant-GovernorSir William Gooch.[9] Because the town was located at the geographical center of the colony (which then includedWest Virginia), Staunton served between 1738 and 1771 as regional capital for much of what was later known as the Northwest Territory, with the westernmostcourthouse inBritish North America prior to theRevolution.[10] By 1760, Staunton was one of the major "remote trading centers in the backcountry" which coordinated the transportation of the vast amounts of grain and tobacco then being produced in response to the change ofBritain from a net exporter of produce to an importer. Staunton thus played a crucial role in the mid 18th century expansion of the economies of theAmerican Colonies which, in turn, contributed to the success of theAmerican Revolution.[11] It served as capital of Virginia in June 1781, when statelegislators fledRichmond and thenCharlottesville to avoid capture by theBritish.
Like most of colonial Virginia,slavery was present in Staunton. For instance, in 1815, a slave named Henry ran away from John G. Wright's Staunton plantation. Wright placed an ad in theDaily National Intelligencer inWashington, D.C. seeking Henry's return. It notes that Henry was an excellent cook and was widely travelled, having been as far as theWest Indies.[12]
In August 1855, PresidentFranklin Pierce visited Staunton. He gave a speech at theVirginia Hotel, in which he stated that his "feelings revolted from the idea of a dissolution of the union." He said that "[i]t would be the Iliad of innumerable woes, from the contemplation of which he shrank."[13]
Located along theValley Pike, Staunton developed as atrade, transportation and industrial center, particularly after theVirginia Central Railroad arrived in 1854.Factories madecarriages,wagons,boots andshoes,clothing andblankets.[14] In 1860, theStaunton Military Academy was founded. By 1860, Staunton had at least one pro-Union, pro-slavery[15] (theStaunton Spectator) and at least one pro-secession, pro-slavery newspaper (theStaunton Vindicator).[16] TheSpectator ran editorials before the war urging its citizens to vote for union,[17] while theVindicator ran, e.g., stories reporting on "unruly" slaves mutilating themselves to escape being sold.[18]
On May 23, 1861, shortly after the firing on Fort Sumter began theAmerican Civil War, Virginians voted on whether to ratifyarticles of secession from the Union and join theConfederate States. The articles were overwhelmingly approved throughout the Commonwealth, even in the majority of the counties that would later become West Virginia. The vote in Staunton was 3,300 in favor of secession, with only 6 opposed.[19] During the war, the town became an importantShenandoah Valley manufacturing center, a staging area, and a supply depot for theConfederacy.
On June 6, 1864,Union Major GeneralDavid Hunter arrived[20] with 10,000 troops to cut supply, communication and railway lines useful to the Confederacy. The next day, they destroyed the railroad station,warehouses, houses, factories and mills. Union soldierslooted the stores and warehouses and confiscated supplies.[14]
On July 10, 1902, Staunton became an independent city.[21]In 1908, Staunton adopted thecity manager form of government. Charles E. Ashburner was hired by Staunton as the nation's first city manager.
On January 26, 1926, Staunton adopted Lady Rebecca Staunton'scoat of arms for use as the city's official coat of arms and its flag.[22][23]
Staunton is also home to the formerWestern State Asylum, a hospital for the mentally ill, which originally began operations in 1828. The hospital was renamed Western State Hospital in 1894.
In its early days, the facility was a resort-style asylum. It had terraced gardens where patients could plant flowers and take walks, roof walks to provide mountain views, and many architectural details to create an atmosphere that would aid in the healing process. However, by the mid 19th Century, this utopian model of care had vanished, replaced by overcrowding in the facility and the warehousing of patients. Techniques such as "ankle and wrist restraints, physical coercion, and straitjackets" were used.[24] After the passage of the Eugenical Sterilization Act of 1924 in Virginia,[25] patients were forcibly sterilized at Western State[26] until the law authorizing the practice was repealed in the 1970s.[27] Later,electroshock therapy andlobotomies were practiced at the facility.[24]
When Western State vacated the property and moved its adult patients to its present site near Interstate 81, the facility was renamed the Staunton Correctional Center and turned into a medium-security men's penitentiary. The prison closed in 2003, and the site was left vacant for several years. In 2005, the state of Virginia gave the original property to the Staunton Industrial Authority.[28] It is now a condominium complex called The Villages at Staunton.[24]
A separate complex, The DeJarnette State Sanatoruim, was constructed in 1932 and acted as a location for patients with the ability to pay for their treatment.[29] Dr. DeJarnette was the superintendent of the sanatorium from its opening until his retirement in 1947.[30]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 20 square miles (52 km2), virtually all of which is land.[31] Staunton is located in theShenandoah Valley in between theBlue Ridge andAllegheny Mountains of theAppalachian Mountains. It is drained by Lewis Creek. Lewis Creek flows into the Shenandoah River, which flows into the Potomac, and eventually to the Chesapeake Bay.
According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, Staunton has ahumid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[32]
| Climate data for Staunton water treatment plant (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1893−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 79 (26) | 82 (28) | 89 (32) | 94 (34) | 95 (35) | 102 (39) | 106 (41) | 103 (39) | 100 (38) | 97 (36) | 88 (31) | 79 (26) | 106 (41) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 42.4 (5.8) | 45.8 (7.7) | 53.8 (12.1) | 64.7 (18.2) | 72.7 (22.6) | 80.3 (26.8) | 84.1 (28.9) | 82.7 (28.2) | 76.7 (24.8) | 66.4 (19.1) | 55.2 (12.9) | 45.8 (7.7) | 64.2 (17.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 33.6 (0.9) | 36.2 (2.3) | 43.3 (6.3) | 53.6 (12.0) | 62.1 (16.7) | 70.1 (21.2) | 73.9 (23.3) | 72.4 (22.4) | 66.2 (19.0) | 55.3 (12.9) | 45.3 (7.4) | 37.1 (2.8) | 54.1 (12.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 24.7 (−4.1) | 26.6 (−3.0) | 32.8 (0.4) | 42.5 (5.8) | 51.6 (10.9) | 59.9 (15.5) | 63.8 (17.7) | 62.2 (16.8) | 55.7 (13.2) | 44.2 (6.8) | 35.5 (1.9) | 28.4 (−2.0) | 44.0 (6.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −16 (−27) | −12 (−24) | −3 (−19) | 12 (−11) | 26 (−3) | 34 (1) | 41 (5) | 37 (3) | 22 (−6) | 18 (−8) | 2 (−17) | −13 (−25) | −16 (−27) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.88 (73) | 2.38 (60) | 3.43 (87) | 3.26 (83) | 4.06 (103) | 4.11 (104) | 4.15 (105) | 3.97 (101) | 4.21 (107) | 2.61 (66) | 2.62 (67) | 2.96 (75) | 40.64 (1,032) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 5.4 (14) | 6.8 (17) | 4.1 (10) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.4 (1.0) | 4.8 (12) | 21.6 (55) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 8.6 | 7.4 | 9.4 | 10.7 | 13.3 | 11.3 | 11.5 | 11.8 | 9.5 | 8.4 | 7.5 | 9.1 | 118.5 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 2.2 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 8.7 |
| Source:NOAA[33][34] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 3,875 | — | |
| 1870 | 5,120 | 32.1% | |
| 1880 | 6,664 | 30.2% | |
| 1890 | 6,975 | 4.7% | |
| 1900 | 7,289 | 4.5% | |
| 1910 | 10,604 | 45.5% | |
| 1920 | 10,623 | 0.2% | |
| 1930 | 11,990 | 12.9% | |
| 1940 | 13,337 | 11.2% | |
| 1950 | 19,927 | 49.4% | |
| 1960 | 22,232 | 11.6% | |
| 1970 | 24,504 | 10.2% | |
| 1980 | 21,857 | −10.8% | |
| 1990 | 24,461 | 11.9% | |
| 2000 | 23,853 | −2.5% | |
| 2010 | 23,746 | −0.4% | |
| 2020 | 25,750 | 8.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[35] 1790-1960[36] 1900-1990[37] 1990-2000[38] 2010[39] 2020[40] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010[39] | Pop 2020[40] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 19,584 | 19,959 | 82.47% | 77.51% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,859 | 2,882 | 12.04% | 11.19% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 41 | 65 | 0.17% | 0.25% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 182 | 320 | 0.77% | 1.24% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 3 | 11 | 0.01% | 0.04% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 61 | 155 | 0.26% | 0.60% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 503 | 1,270 | 2.12% | 4.93% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 513 | 1,088 | 2.16% | 4.23% |
| Total | 23,746 | 25,750 | 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[41] of 2000, there were 23,853 people, 9,676 households, and 5,766 families residing in Staunton. Thepopulation density was 1,210.3 people per square mile (467.3/km2). There were 10,427 housing units at an average density of 529.1 per square mile (204.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 83.29%White, 13.95%Black orAfrican American, 0.22%Native American, 0.46%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.52% fromother races, and 1.55% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.11% of the population.
There were 9,676 households, out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% weremarried couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. Of all households, 34.7% were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.8% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,941, and the median income for a family was $44,422. Males had a median income of $30,153 versus $22,079 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $19,161. About 7.7% of families and 11.7% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 15.9% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.
According to Staunton's 2015 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[42] the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western State Hospital | 500-599 |
| 2 | Staunton City Schools | 500-599 |
| 3 | Mary Baldwin University | 250-499 |
| 4 | City of Staunton | 250-499 |
| 5 | Walmart | 250-499 |
| 6 | Fisher Auto Parts | 250-499 |
| 7 | Home Instead Senior Care | 100-249 |
| 8 | Cadence, Inc. | 100-300 |
| 9 | VDOT | 100-249 |
| 10 | Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind | 100-249 |
Staunton is home to theAmerican Shakespeare Center, a theatrical company centered at the Blackfriars Playhouse, a replica ofShakespeare'sBlackfriars Theatre. In 2012, it also became the home of theHeifetz International Music Institute, named for renowned violinistDaniel Heifetz, a summer music school and festival dedicated to the artistic growth and career development of some of the World's most talented and promising classical musicians. TheWoodrow Wilson Presidential Library is open for visitors, as well as theMuseum of American Frontier Culture, which provides insight into life in early America.
The Staunton Music Festival – which celebrated its 20th year in 2017 – features multiple concerts each day, with programs of music from the Renaissance to the present. The festival takes place during the early part of August annually. All performances take place at historic venues in downtown Staunton.[43]
The Queen City Mischief and Magic festival - which celebrated its 4th year in 2019 - is a new but quickly-growing festival for Harry Potter fans, attracting over 10,000 people in its 3rd year. Visitors from all over the east coast come to take part in games, events, and shopping throughout downtown. Businesses contribute the activities for the festival and the majority of West Beverley St is shut down for the weekend event.
Staunton is also the center of numerous galleries and art schools, the widely regarded Beverley Street Studio School and its associated Co-Art Gallery. In addition, Staunton is home to the Hypnagogia Film Collective, a collection of avant-garde experimental filmmakers.
Staunton is home to theStatler Brothers,country music legends who until 1994 performed free concerts at the annualFourth of July celebration, accompanied by other country music artists. Statler Brothers membersDon Reid,Harold Reid, andPhil Balsley grew up in the city.Lew DeWitt was also a notable member of the Statlers who grew up in Staunton.
Downtown Staunton and Sherwood Avenue were used in theAmerican Civil War filmGods and Generals. The localShenandoah Valley Railroad as well as a number of nearby houses were used in filming ofHearts in Atlantis. In 1993, a portion of the Showtime production ofAssault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker was filmed here. In the summer of 2006, some scenes for the movieEvan Almighty were also filmed in Staunton. Some scenes forFamiliar Strangers were also filmed in Staunton in 2007. In 2013, scenes from the documentary filmRita Dove: An American Poet were filmed in and around Staunton'sTemple House of Israel synagogue.
Staunton is home to nearly 200 buildings designed by architectThomas Jasper Collins (1844–1925), who worked invarious styles during theVictorian era.[44] His firm, T. J. Collins & Sons, is still in business.
The city was once home to about ten hotels, but only one of them is still in operation -Hotel 24 South. This hotel, formerly known as the "Stonewall Jackson Hotel", was renovated in the early 2000s, and is now in operation as both a hotel and a conference center. The Ingleside Resort is no longer in operation. DuringWorld War II it was used by theINS as adetention center forenemy aliens held underExecutive Order 9066.[45] Some of the hotels that are no longer in operation areThe Virginia Hotel, the Eakleton Hotel, theValley Hotel, theAmerican Hotel and the Hotel Beverley. All of these buildings are still standing except for the Virginia Hotel, which was demolished in 1930 to make way for a planned addition to the Stonewall Jackson Hotel which was never built. The New Street Parking Garage now stands on the site.
Buildings in Staunton on the National Register of Historic Places include:
In 1894, Staunton fielded a baseball team in the originalVirginia League: TheStaunton Hayseeds.[46] In 1914, the city fielded a team in theVirginia Mountain League: TheStaunton Lunatics.[46] The Lunatics moved to Harrisonburg in July 1914, just before the league disbanded.[citation needed] From 1939 to 1942, the city fielded a team in the secondVirginia League: theStaunton Presidents.[46] Staunton currently has no minor league baseball, but theStaunton Braves represent the city in theValley Baseball League, acollegiate summer baseball league that plays in the Shenandoah Valley.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 5,778 | 42.40% | 7,592 | 55.72% | 256 | 1.88% |
| 2020 | 5,695 | 43.84% | 6,981 | 53.74% | 314 | 2.42% |
| 2016 | 5,133 | 45.61% | 5,333 | 47.38% | 789 | 7.01% |
| 2012 | 5,272 | 47.03% | 5,728 | 51.10% | 210 | 1.87% |
| 2008 | 5,330 | 48.39% | 5,569 | 50.56% | 116 | 1.05% |
| 2004 | 5,805 | 60.29% | 3,756 | 39.01% | 68 | 0.71% |
| 2000 | 4,878 | 57.29% | 3,324 | 39.04% | 312 | 3.66% |
| 1996 | 4,526 | 53.66% | 3,162 | 37.49% | 747 | 8.86% |
| 1992 | 4,989 | 54.04% | 2,851 | 30.88% | 1,392 | 15.08% |
| 1988 | 5,775 | 69.29% | 2,457 | 29.48% | 102 | 1.22% |
| 1984 | 6,137 | 74.88% | 2,012 | 24.55% | 47 | 0.57% |
| 1980 | 4,819 | 60.79% | 2,658 | 33.53% | 450 | 5.68% |
| 1976 | 4,681 | 59.53% | 2,951 | 37.53% | 231 | 2.94% |
| 1972 | 5,531 | 78.25% | 1,416 | 20.03% | 121 | 1.71% |
| 1968 | 4,434 | 61.40% | 1,729 | 23.94% | 1,058 | 14.65% |
| 1964 | 2,969 | 52.27% | 2,705 | 47.62% | 6 | 0.11% |
| 1960 | 2,789 | 69.17% | 1,233 | 30.58% | 10 | 0.25% |
| 1956 | 2,908 | 74.93% | 843 | 21.72% | 130 | 3.35% |
| 1952 | 2,578 | 73.07% | 945 | 26.79% | 5 | 0.14% |
| 1948 | 1,323 | 49.49% | 914 | 34.19% | 436 | 16.31% |
| 1944 | 847 | 42.10% | 1,159 | 57.60% | 6 | 0.30% |
| 1940 | 687 | 39.39% | 1,042 | 59.75% | 15 | 0.86% |
| 1936 | 568 | 34.05% | 1,091 | 65.41% | 9 | 0.54% |
| 1932 | 551 | 35.43% | 988 | 63.54% | 16 | 1.03% |
| 1928 | 1,026 | 58.33% | 733 | 41.67% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 549 | 34.12% | 1,022 | 63.52% | 38 | 2.36% |
| 1920 | 705 | 42.86% | 931 | 56.60% | 9 | 0.55% |
| 1916 | 311 | 37.33% | 511 | 61.34% | 11 | 1.32% |
| 1912 | 65 | 6.61% | 632 | 64.23% | 287 | 29.17% |
| 1908 | 347 | 37.76% | 514 | 55.93% | 58 | 6.31% |
| 1904 | 162 | 24.92% | 458 | 70.46% | 30 | 4.62% |
| 1900 | 375 | 35.48% | 612 | 57.90% | 70 | 6.62% |
| 1896 | 556 | 39.63% | 713 | 50.82% | 134 | 9.55% |
| 1892 | 549 | 35.17% | 919 | 58.87% | 93 | 5.96% |
| 1888 | 161 | 60.30% | 101 | 37.83% | 5 | 1.87% |
| 1884 | 499 | 38.38% | 771 | 59.31% | 30 | 2.31% |
| 1880 | 361 | 31.61% | 781 | 68.39% | 0 | 0.00% |
Staunton operates under acouncil-manager form of government. In 1908, Staunton was the first city in the United States to give an appointed employee authority over city affairs through statute. In 1912,Sumter, South Carolina, was the first U.S. city to implement the council-manager form of city government.[58] The city of Staunton refers to itself on its website as the "birthplace of President Woodrow Wilson, and the city manager form of government."[59]
The Shenandoah Valley was one of the first areas of the South to break away from aSolid South voting pattern, and Staunton was no exception. It wentRepublican in every presidential election from1948 to2004. In2008, however,Barack Obama narrowly carried the city, becoming the firstDemocrat to do so sinceFranklin D. Roosevelt's last victory in1944. Democrats have won every national and state election in Staunton since then. In2024, Staunton became one of the few counties or county-equivalents to shift left despite the decisive loss ofKamala Harris; it voted for her by a double-digit margin, the first time it did so for a Democrat since 1944.
Staunton is part ofVirginia's 6th congressional district.
Staunton City Schools is the school district of the city.[60]
Black Virginians were largely barred from education untilReconstruction.[61] The first school in Staunton which allowed African-Americans to attend was established by theFreedmen's Bureau under the supervision of the commanding general of the occupyingUnion army in late 1865. Arrangements were made to bring in women from the North as teachers, and the jury rooms of theAugusta County Courthouse, located at 1 E. Johnson Street, were to be used as classrooms. The court protested this plan, however, and it is possible that another location was found.[62]
In 1964 the Staunton chapter of theNAACP threatened the city with a lawsuit if they did not immediately desegregate the public schools.[63] The City School Board, headed by Thomas W. Dixon, declined to take further action, contending that the schools were already desegregated as ten black children had been allowed to attend previously all-white schools.[63] Attorneys for the city of Staunton submitted a plan for thedesegregation of its public schools in 1965 by eliminating all negro schools in time for the 1967–1968 school year, which was approved by theDepartment of Health, Education and Welfare. However, the implementation of this plan was delayed to such an extent that a group of African-American parents brought suit in theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Virginia against the city. This case,Bell v. School Board of Staunton, was decided on January 5, 1966, with the court stating that the delay was a violation of the rights of the students under theFourteenth Amendment and ordering that the schools and their faculty be desegregated in time for the 1966–1967 school year.[53]
The Staunton city school district was one of 21 in Virginia which take elementary school students out of class for Bible lessons on a voluntary basis, a practice known asWeekday Religious Education.[64] Although theU.S. Supreme Court ended taxpayer-funded religious education in 1948 inMcCollum v. Board of Education, four years later they opened the door to privately funded voluntary classes held during school hours but away from school premises inZorach v. Clauson. In 2005, a group of parents in Staunton asked the school board to halt the practice.[65] The challenge was successful, and the Bible classes are no longer being taught as of April 2017.[64]
District schools:
State-operated:
Former:
The main highways through Staunton includeU.S. Route 11,U.S. Route 11 Business,U.S. Route 250,Virginia State Route 252,Virginia State Route 254,Virginia State Route 261 andVirginia State Route 262. U.S. Route 11 and U.S. Route 250 are the most prominent roads passing directly through Staunton, with US 11 following a northeast to southwest alignment (but signed north–south), and US 250 following a northwest to southeast alignment (but signed east–west). US 11 Business follows a slower route through downtown compared to the main US 11 routing which passes just outside downtown. State Routes 252 and 254 are minor roads leading to nearby rural areas of adjacent Augusta County. State Route 261 provides a better route for trucks following US 11 and US 250 through the city. State Route 262 forms a limited access beltway around the outskirts of Staunton.Interstate 64 andInterstate 81 both pass just outside the city limits and provide the main high-speed, high-volume roads to the Staunton region.
Staunton is served byAmtrak'sCardinal. The train station, which is located downtown, is the closest station to the nearby cities ofHarrisonburg andLexington. TheBuckingham Branch also has a small railyard.
Staunton had a municipal bus system during the 20th century, known as the Staunton Transit Service, but it was dissolved in 1989.[67] In 1944,World War II veteran S. Melvin Johnson wrote toTruman Gibson, assistant toWilliam H. Hastie, advisor to Secretary of WarHenry L. Stimson, regarding segregated seating on the Staunton Transit Service and stating that returning African-American soldiers would not stand for such conditions.[68] This letter was an indication of the role that African-American veterans would later play in theAmerican civil rights movement. In 1946, after theUnited States Supreme Court decisionIrene Morgan v. Commonwealth of Virginia, which found that Virginia's segregated seating law was unconstitutional with respect to interstate bus routes, Ethel New, a black woman fromLynch, Kentucky, was arrested for violating the law because she had purchased an intrastate ticket.[69] New suffered a miscarriage subsequent to her arrest and suedGreyhound Lines and the arresting officer in Staunton.[69] In September 1947, meeting in Staunton, theVirginia Supreme Court of Appeals upheld the all-white jury's verdict exonerating both the bus line and the officer.[69]
Blue Ridge Intercity Transit Express (BRITE) provides fixed-route transit bus service in Staunton on three routes: the Downtown Trolley, West Route, and North Route.[70] The Coordinated Area Transportation Services (CATS) operates a demand-response service throughout the Staunton area, as well as a fixed shuttle service between the downtown areas of Staunton and Waynesboro.[71] Virginia Breeze provides intercity bus service betweenBlacksburg andWashington, with a stop in Staunton.[72]
The city is adjacent to the northernmost junction ofI-81 andI-64.Virginia State Route 262 forms a partial beltway around the city, and bothUS 250 andUS 11 pass through the city.
The nearest commercial airport isShenandoah Valley Regional Airport inWeyers Cave, Virginia.
Vişeu de Sus, Romania.Dabas, Hungary.
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