Giles County, Virginia

Giles County, Virginia

Giles County Courthouse in Pearisburg, Virginia

Seal
Map of Virginia highlighting Giles County
Location in the U.S. state of Virginia
Map of the United States highlighting Virginia
Virginia's location in the U.S.
Founded 1806
Named for William Branch Giles
Seat Pearisburg
Largest town Pearisburg
Area
 • Total 360 sq mi (932 km2)
 • Land 356 sq mi (922 km2)
 • Water 4.6 sq mi (12 km2), 1.3%
Population (est.)
 • (2015) 16,708
 • Density 46/sq mi (18/km²)
Congressional district 9th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.gilescounty.org

Giles County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,286.[1] Its county seat is Pearisburg.[2]

Giles County is included in the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Giles County is the location of Mountain Lake, one of only two natural fresh water lakes in Virginia. The Lake drains into Little Stony Creek, which passes over "The Cascades", a spectacular waterfall, before reaching the New River.

History

William Branch Giles, for whom the county was named

Giles County was established in 1806 from Montgomery, Monroe, Wythe, and Tazewell counties. The county is named for William Branch Giles[3] who was born in Amelia County in 1762. Giles became a lawyer and from there was elected to the United States House of Representatives where he served from 1790 to 1815. He also served in the Virginia General Assembly from 1816 to 1822. In 1827, he was elected Governor. In all, he served his nation and state around a total of forty years.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 360 square miles (930 km2), of which 356 square miles (920 km2) is land and 4.6 square miles (12 km2) (1.3%) is water.[4]

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Major highways

Railroads

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18103,745—
18204,52120.7%
18305,27416.7%
18405,3070.6%
18506,57023.8%
18606,8834.8%
18705,875−14.6%
18808,79449.7%
18909,0903.4%
190010,79318.7%
191011,6237.7%
192011,9012.4%
193012,8047.6%
194014,63514.3%
195018,95629.5%
196017,219−9.2%
197016,741−2.8%
198017,8106.4%
199016,366−8.1%
200016,6571.8%
201017,2863.8%
Est. 201516,708[5]−3.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790–1960[7] 1900–1990[8]
1990–2000[9] 2010–2013[1]

As of the census[10] of 2010, there were 17,286 people, 7,215 households, and 4,899 families residing in the county. The population density was 48 people per square mile (18/km²). There were 8,319 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile (9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.74% White, 1.51% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.36% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. 1.21% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,215 households out of which 29.27% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.46% were married couples living together, 10.49% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.10% were non-families. 27.86% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.56% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the population was spread out with 22.70% under the age of 18, 4.89% from 20 to 24, 23.85% from 25 to 44, 29.43% from 45 to 64, and 18.03% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 96.14 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.55 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,231, and the median income for a family was $53,750. Males had a median income of $41,521 versus $36,886 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,766. About 6.60% of families (2000 census) and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line[11](2012), including 17.70% of those under age 18 (2012)and 10.50% of those age 65 or over (2000 census).

Government

Board of Supervisors

At-Large District: Paul W. "Chappy" Baker (I)

At-Large District: Richard "Ricky" McCoy (I)

Central District: Barbara M. Hobbs (I)

Eastern District: Larry "Jay" Williams (I)

Western District: B. Scott Dunn (I)

Constitutional Officers

Clerk of the Circuit Court: C.L. "Bubbie" Fraley, III (I)

Commissioner of the Revenue: Lisa Corell (I)

Commonwealth's Attorney: Robert M. Lilly, Jr. (I)

Sheriff: W. Morgan Millirons (I)

Treasurer: Gerald W. Duncan (I)

Giles is represented by Democrat John S. Edwards in the Virginia Senate, Republican Joseph R. Yost in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Republican H. Morgan Griffith in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Communities

Towns

Giles County has five incorporated towns. Only nine other counties have more towns than Giles. Of the 191 towns in Virginia, Glen Lyn is the fifth smallest in population. Thirty-nine percent of Giles residents live in one of the five towns.[12]

Town Population
in 2014[12]
Glen Lyn 117
Narrows 1,964
Pearisburg 2,699
Pembroke 1,087
Rich Creek 752

Unincorporated communities

Education

Giles county is home to three public elementary/middle schools and two public high schools:[13]

Eastern Elementary School (Pembroke)
Macy McClaugherty (Pearisburg)
Narrows Elementary/Middle (Narrows)
Narrows High School (Narrows)
Giles High School (Pearisburg)

The schools have a combined enrollment of 2425 as of mid 2014.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 137.
  4. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  5. ↑ "County Totals Dataset: Population, Population Change and Estimated Components of Population Change: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  10. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2014-08-24.
  11. ↑ "Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2014-09-01.
  12. 1 2 "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  13. ↑ "School Data" (PDF). Giles County. Retrieved 2014-08-24.
 Mercer County, West Virginia Summers County, West Virginia and Monroe County, West Virginia
Bland County Craig County
   Giles County,Virginia  
Pulaski County Montgomery County

Coordinates: 37°19′N 80°42′W / 37.32°N 80.70°W / 37.32; -80.70

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