Hillsville, Virginia
Hillsville, Virginia | |
|---|---|
 Location in Virginia | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Carroll |
| Founded | 1876 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Gregory N. Crowder |
| Area | |
• Total | 5.7 sq mi (14.8 km2) |
| • Land | 5.7 sq mi (14.8 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,516 ft (767 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
• Total | 2,681 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 24343 |
| Area code | 276 |
| FIPS code | 51-37336Template:GR |
| GNIS feature ID | 1498493Template:GR |
| Website | http://www.hillsville.com/ |
Hillsville is a town in Carroll County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,681 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Carroll CountyTemplate:GR.
Geography
Hillsville is located at 36°45′32″N 80°44′04″W / 36.75889°N 80.73444°W (36.758814, -80.734510)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.7 square miles (14.8 km²), all land.
Carroll County is located within the Blue Ridge Mountain range of the Appalachian Mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs through Carroll County.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 2,607 people, 1,207 households, and 731 families residing in the town. The population density was 457.6 people per square mile (176.6/km²). There were 1,352 housing units at an average density of 237.3 per square mile (91.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.39% White, 0.19% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 1.76% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.34% of the population.
There were 1,207 households out of which 23.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the town the population was spread out with 18.8% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 23.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $27,148, and the median income for a family was $36,117. Males had a median income of $26,625 versus $18,194 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,633. About 12.9% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.3% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.
According to the Modern Language Association, there are (in descending order) 2,372 English speakers, 55 Spanish speakers, 18 Vietnamese speakers, 5 German speakers, 4 Italian speakers, 3 Portuguese speakers, and 3 Russian speakers. Thus, less than 4% of the town of Hillsville speaks a non-English language at home.
Hillsville Flea Market
The town's primary claim to fame is its Hillsville Flea Market (more properly known as the VFW Flea Market & Gun Show), which has been called the largest American flea market to the east of the Mississippi River. It is held twice a year; in 2004, the Labor Day show attracted 650,000 visitors, and the Memorial Day show attracted 250,000 visitors. Vendors and customers have arrived from as far away as Germany, Africa, and South Korea.
Carroll County Courthouse Shooting
On March 14, 1912, a gunfight broke out in the Carroll County courthouse during the trial of local businessman Floyd Allen. Floyd Allen was being charged with interfering with deputies and assault and battery following an altercation he had with the law while trying to free his nephews who were being arrested for disrupting a religious service and fighting. He and his relatives exchanged somewhat over 50 shots with lawmen in a crowded courtroom; out of the 200 there that morning, five died and seven were wounded, including Allen. Floyd and many of his family members who had come to his “aid” managed to escape. A massive manhunt led by the Baldwin Felts Detective Agency soon followed the tragedy. For his role in the shooting, Floyd Allen received the death penalty, and was electrocuted in 1913. The story was national headline news until bumped by the sinking of the Titanic. [1]
Notable residents
- Virginia Tech Head Football Coach, Frank Beamer is an alumnus of Hillsville High
- Kylene Barker, Miss America 1979, graduated from Hillsville's Carroll County High School
- Jordan Worrell, Professional Wrestler, graduated from Carroll County High School in 2012.
Further reading
- Fussell, Fred C. (2003). Blue Ridge Music Trails: Finding a Place in the Circle. North Carolina Folklife Institute. 080785459X.
References
- ^ "Hillsville History". Hillsville, Virginia. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
External links
- Official town website
- 1982 Article about the Courthouse Incident
- Living A Simple Life
- Advertising website for vendors and attendees of the annual Labor Day Flea Market and Gun Show
Municipalities and communities of Carroll County, Virginia, United States | ||
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| Town |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
