Editing Appalachia, Virginia

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                   = Appalachia
| settlement_type        = [[Town]]
| image_skyline          = 2017-06-12 12 57 39 View south along U.S. Route 23 Business (Main Street) between Pine Street and Virginia Avenue in Appalachia, Wise County, Virginia.jpg
| image_caption          = Main Street looking southwest
| image_flag             = 
| image_seal             = 
| nickname               = 
| motto                  = 
| image_map              = VAMap-doton-Appalachia.png
| mapsize                = 250px
| map_caption            = Location in the Commonwealth of [[Virginia]]
| coordinates            = {{coord|36|54|23|N|82|47|8|W|region:US-VA_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name       = United States
| subdivision_type1      = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1      = [[Virginia]]
| subdivision_type2      = [[List of counties in Virginia|County]]
| subdivision_name2      = [[Wise County, Virginia|Wise]]
| established_date       = 
| government_type        = 
| leader_title           = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name            = Chris Williams
| leader_title1          = [[Vice Mayor]]
| leader_name1           = Johnny Chandler 
| leader_title2          = [[Town Manager]]
| leader_name2           = Fred Luntsford
| leader_title3          = Town Clerk & Treasurer
| leader_name3           = Yvonne Isom
| leader_title4          = [[Town Council]]
| leader_name4           = {{Collapsible list
  |title = List
  |frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
  |list_style  = text-align:left;display:none;
  |1  = Chris Williams (Mayor)
  |2  = Johnny Chandler (Vice Mayor)
  |3  = Eddie Gollaway   
  |4  = Jackie Johnson 
  |5  = Gary Williams 
}} 
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_51.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_sq_mi       = 2.31
| area_land_sq_mi        = 2.28
| area_water_sq_mi       = 0.02
|population_density_sq_mi = 671.19
| area_water_percent     = 
| elevation_ft           = 1647
| population_total       = 1754
| population_as_of       = [[2010 United States Census|2010]]
| population_metro       = 
| population_note        = 
|pop_est_as_of           = 2019
|pop_est_footnotes       = <ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse"/>
|population_est          = 1533
| timezone               = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset = &minus;5
| timezone_DST           = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST = &minus;4
| postal_code_type       = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code            = 24216
| area_code              = [[Area code 276|276]]
| blank_name             = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info             = 51-02040<ref name="GR2" />
| blank1_name            = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info            = 1481331<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
| website                = {{URL|http://www.townofappalachiava.us/|townofappalachiava.us}}
| footnotes              = 
|area_total_km2 = 5.97
|area_land_km2 = 5.92
|area_water_km2 = 0.06
|population_density_km2 = 259.10
}}
'''Appalachia''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|æ|p|ə|ˈ|l|æ|tʃ|ə|}}) is a town in [[Wise County, Virginia]], United States. The population was 1,754 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].

==History==
The Appalachia post office was established in 1898.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=VA&county=Wise |title=Wise County |publisher=Jim Forte Postal History |access-date=September 30, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006071511/http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=VA&county=Wise |archive-date=October 6, 2014 }}</ref> The community was named for the surrounding [[Appalachian Mountains]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Tennis|first=Joe|title=Southwest Virginia Crossroads: An Almanac of Place Names and Places to See|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=noiiZPTGk9IC&pg=PA21|year=2004|publisher=The Overmountain Press|isbn=978-1-57072-256-1|page=21}}</ref> The [[Derby Historic District]], [[Kelly View School]], and [[Stonega Historic District]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

Appalachia was formerly home to three railroad companies. The "big three" were the [[Southern Railway (U.S.)|Southern Railway]], [[Louisville & Nashville]], and the [[Interstate Railroad]]. As of 2022, the Norfolk Southern Railroad is the only operating line through Appalachia, hauling only coal and the occasional [[ammonium nitrate]] and [[limestone|limestone aggregate]] product. These hoppers can be easily identified behind Main Street with the markings of the former railroads painted on the ribbed sides, most reading "Southern" and some "Norfolk & Western".<ref>Noted words of Zander Estep.</ref>

In 2006, fourteen Appalachia residents, including mayor Ben Cooper and the police chief, were indicted on charges relating to an [[electoral fraud]] conspiracy.  Cooper was convicted of intercepting absentee ballots and changing the votes on them; buying votes with beer, cigarettes, and pork rinds; and conspiring with his appointee, the police chief, to steal money and other items from residents, among 243 felony charges.  Ten other conspirators pleaded guilty and received fines or short jail sentences.<ref>{{cite news
 |first=Jeff 
 |last=Lester 
 |title=Thirteen of 14 defendants pleaded not guilty Tuesday in the massive investigation of alleged election fraud and corruption in the town of Appalachia 
 |url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16344773&BRD=1283&PAG=461&dept_id=158544&rfi=8 
 |work=[[Coalfield Progress]] 
 |publisher=Coalfield.com 
 |date=March 21, 2006 <!--March 21, 2006--> 
 |access-date=November 20, 2006 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930041208/http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16344773&BRD=1283&PAG=461&dept_id=158544&rfi=8 
 |archive-date=September 30, 2007 }}
</ref><ref>{{cite news
 |author=The Roanoke Times
 |author-link=The Roanoke Times
 |title=Ex-mayor sentenced in election fraud case 
 |url=http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/102600
 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201085304/http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/102600
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-date=February 1, 2013
 |publisher=roanoke.com 
 |date=February 1, 2007 
 |access-date=February 10, 2007 
}}
</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.loweringthebar.net/2006/12/update_exmayor_.html|title=UPDATE: Ex-Mayor Pleads Guilty to Buying Votes With Pork Rinds - Lowering the Bar|date=December 2006 }}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 2.3&nbsp;square miles (6.0&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), all  land.
[[File:Appalachia downtown.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Main Street looking northeast]]
Appalachia is surrounded by numerous coal camp communities, including [[Andover, Virginia|Andover]], [[Arno, Virginia|Arno]], [[Derby, Wise County, Virginia|Derby]], [[Imboden, Virginia|Imboden]], [[Exeter, Virginia|Exeter]], [[Dunbar, Virginia|Dunbar]], [[Pardee, Virginia|Pardee]], [[Osaka, Virginia|Osaka]], [[Roda, Virginia|Roda]], and [[Stonega, Virginia|Stonega]]. Many of these communities formed at the beginning of the 20th-century with the arrival of the mining and railroad industry.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 1090
|1920= 2036
|1930= 3595
|1940= 3010
|1950= 2915
|1960= 2456
|1970= 2161
|1980= 2418
|1990= 1994
|2000= 1839
|2010= 1754
|estyear=2019
|estimate=1533
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|date=May 24, 2020|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 1,839 people, 790 households, and 515 families living in the town. The [[population density]] was 797.3 people per square mile (307.4/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 891 housing units at an average density of 386.3 per square mile (148.9/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the town was 94.18% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 4.57% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.27% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.16% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.38% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.44% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.20% of the population.

There were 790 households, out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $20,405, and the median income for a family was $25,221. Males had a median income of $26,842 versus $18,864 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $11,782. About 28.0% of families and 29.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 41.0% of those under age 18 and 16.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
{{main|Wise County Public Schools (Virginia)}}
Prior to the 2011 school year the [[Appalachia High School]] Bulldogs was merged with the Powell Valley High School Vikings in neighboring Big Stone Gap to become the Union High School Bears. In May 2017, [[Appalachia Elementary School]] was formally closed.

==Special events==
Each year, usually in the first week of August, the residents of Appalachia and the surrounding area celebrate their heritage in a week-long celebration known as Coal/Railroad Days. The festival includes a 5K road race, music concerts at the town's amphitheater, amusement rides, street vendors, a parade, and numerous other festival type events. Twice, Coal/Railroad days has coincided with other celebrations in Appalachia. In 2000 the town took part in a mass high school reunion, known as Appy 2000. In 2006, the festival was part of the Appalachia 100 celebration that marked the 100th birthday of the Town of Appalachia.

==World records==
The town of Appalachia holds two world records.
* [[Bee Rock Tunnel]], the world's second-shortest railroad tunnel.
* The Peake Building, an apartment house with street-level access on all four floors.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==

{{Wise County, Virginia}}
{{Virginia towns}}
{{Virginia}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Virginia]]
[[Category:Towns in Wise County, Virginia]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1898]]
[[Category:1898 establishments in Virginia]]