Carroll County, Virginia

Carroll County is a United States county located in the southwestern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Roughly one fifth of the county lies in the Virginia Piedmont region, while the rest is part of the Appalachian Mountains. The Carroll county seat and largest town is Hillsville.[1]

Carroll County
U.S. county
Carroll County Courthouse and Confederate Monument
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°44′N 80°44′W
Country United States
State Virginia
Founded1842
Named forCharles Carroll
SeatHillsville
Largest townHillsville
Area
 • Total478 sq mi (1,240 km2)
 • Land475 sq mi (1,230 km2)
 • Water3 sq mi (8 km2)  0.6%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total30,042
 • Estimate 
(2018)
29,636
 • Density63/sq mi (24/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district9th
Websitewww.carrollcountyva.org

The county was established in 1842 from part of Grayson County, and was officially named in honor of Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The borders of Carroll County were later expanded by including land from Patrick County.

The total size of the county is 478 square miles (1,238 km2), and, as of the 2010 census, the population was 30,042.[2]

History
Charles Carroll of Carrollton, for whom the county was named

The first European settlers arrived in the region in the mid 18th century. These were primarily Scotch-Irish pioneers, who were used to high mountain altitudes. However, early settlement was slow, mostly due to the poor agricultural soil of the area. As a result, lead mining was one of the first economic activities in the region.[3]

As the area's population density increased, Carroll County was created in 1842 from part of Grayson County. The new county was officially named for Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, from Maryland.[4] However, other accounts assert that John Carroll, a Virginia state legislator, had named the county in his own honor, but was blocked by a political rival who had it officially named for Charles Carroll instead.[3][5]

Parts of Patrick County were added later to increase the size of Carroll County. The first piece was taken in 1845, and another part, which would later become the Fancy Gap District, was added in 1854.[3]

Geography

It is the only county in Virginia with Piedmont topography of roughly one fifth in the southeast part of the county and mountain topography of roughly four fifths elsewhere of the county. The Blue Ridge escarpment usually defines the county lines in both North Carolina and Virginia. The CDP community of Cana is in the Virginia Piedmont while the rest of the county is in the Appalachian Mountains.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 478 square miles (1,240 km2), of which 475 square miles (1,230 km2) is land and 3 square miles (7.8 km2) (0.6%) is water.[6]

Adjacent counties / Independent city

National

Other

Major highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18505,909—
18608,01235.6%
18709,14714.2%
188013,32345.7%
189015,49716.3%
190019,30324.6%
191021,1169.4%
192021,2830.8%
193022,1414.0%
194025,90417.0%
195026,6953.1%
196023,178−13.2%
197023,092−0.4%
198027,27018.1%
199026,594−2.5%
200029,24510.0%
201030,0422.7%
2018 (est.)29,636[7]−1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2013[2]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 29,245 people, 12,186 households, and 8,786 families residing in the county. The population density was 61 people per square mile (24/km2). There were 14,680 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile (12/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.97% White, 0.44% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.82% from other races, and 0.53% from two or more races. 1.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 12,186 households, out of which 27.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.70% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 25.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.20% 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 2.80.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.10% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 26.70% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 97.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,597, and the median income for a family was $36,755. Males had a median income of $25,907 versus $19,697 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,475. About 8.70% of families and 12.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.70% of those under age 18 and 14.10% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Carroll County, like neighbouring Floyd, is a historical anomaly in being a solidly Republican county in “Solid South” Virginia, due to desertions from the Confederate army during the Civil War. It was the only county in Virginia to vote for William Howard Taft during the 1912 election, and the only Democrat to carry the county in a presidential election since 1896 has been Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1932.[13] Since 1980 no Democrat has gained forty percent of the county's vote, and Hillary Clinton even with Virginian Timothy Kaine on the ticket gained less than twenty percent in the 2016 election. Democratic Senatorial candidate Mark Warner did however carry Carroll County in his landslide 2008 victory.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 80.9% 12,659 18.2% 2,842 1.0% 150
2016 78.1% 10,663 18.7% 2,559 3.2% 433
2012 67.6% 8,736 28.5% 3,685 3.9% 497
2008 65.1% 8,187 32.7% 4,109 2.3% 283
2004 67.4% 8,173 32.1% 3,888 0.6% 67
2000 64.9% 7,142 33.1% 3,638 2.0% 221
1996 51.0% 5,088 36.2% 3,611 12.7% 1,270
1992 51.9% 5,664 34.7% 3,790 13.4% 1,461
1988 66.2% 6,377 33.1% 3,190 0.7% 70
1984 70.3% 7,056 29.0% 2,914 0.7% 72
1980 61.3% 5,905 35.7% 3,437 3.0% 292
1976 53.8% 4,820 44.7% 4,010 1.5% 138
1972 75.1% 5,247 22.7% 1,583 2.3% 159
1968 64.2% 4,909 23.2% 1,773 12.7% 969
1964 58.9% 3,617 41.0% 2,517 0.2% 12
1960 66.3% 3,705 33.5% 1,873 0.2% 11
1956 69.7% 4,060 29.8% 1,739 0.5% 29
1952 68.7% 3,774 31.1% 1,711 0.2% 10
1948 65.7% 2,456 32.0% 1,196 2.3% 85
1944 63.1% 2,352 36.9% 1,375 0.1% 2
1940 54.2% 1,835 45.7% 1,546 0.2% 5
1936 60.5% 3,245 39.5% 2,122 0.0% 1
1932 48.3% 1,461 50.8% 1,537 0.9% 28
1928 68.8% 2,459 31.2% 1,117
1924 57.8% 1,743 41.7% 1,257 0.5% 16
1920 66.5% 2,520 33.4% 1,265 0.2% 6
1916 62.4% 1,424 37.6% 858
1912 44.0% 874 38.5% 765 17.6% 349

Board of Supervisors
  • Fancy Gap District: Phillip R. McCraw (R)
  • Laurel Fork District: Joshua A. Hendrick (R)
  • Pine Creek District: R.J. "Bob" Martin, Jr. (Chairman) (R)
  • Pipers Gap District: Thomas W. Littrell (R)
  • Sulphur Springs District: Rex Hill (R)
  • At Large: Robbie McCraw (Vice Chairman) (R)

Constitutional officers
  • Clerk of the Circuit Court: Gerald Ray Goad (D)
  • Commissioner of the Revenue: Fran McPherson (R)
  • Commonwealth's Attorney: Nathan H. Lyons (R)
  • Sheriff: John B. Gardner (R)
  • Treasurer: Bonita M. Williams (R)

Carroll County is represented by Republicans Ralph K. Smith and William M. "Bill" Stanley, Jr. in the Virginia Senate, Republican Anne B. Crockett-Stark in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Republican H. Morgan Griffith in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Education

Public High Schools

Carroll County High School, in Hillsville, serves the county. Home of the Cavaliers, CCHS is a 9-12 comprehensive high school. The school was created by the consolidation of Woodlawn High School (Woodlawn, Virginia) and Hillsville High School (Hillsville, Virginia).

Communities

Town

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Notable people

See also

References
  1. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  3. Willis, Ninevah. "A Brief History Of Carroll County, Virginia". The Journal of Mountain Life (October, 1984). Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 70.
  5. Tennis, Joe (2004). Southwest Virginia Crossroads: An Almanac of Place Names and Places to See. Johnson City, Tenn.: Overmountain Press. p. 91. ISBN 978-1570722561.
  6. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  7. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  10. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  11. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  13. Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004, pp. 323, 326, 329 ISBN 0786422173
  14. David Leip. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2020-12-09.

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