Editing Chatham, Virginia

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Chatham, Virginia
| settlement_type          = [[Town]]
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = 

<!-- Images -->
| image_skyline            = Chatham 2022.jpg
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = North Main Street Chatham Virginia, 2022
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = Seal of Chatham, Virginia.png

<!-- Maps -->
| image_map                = VAMap-doton-Chatham.PNG
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of Chatham, Virginia
| image_map1               = 
| mapsize1                 = 
| map_caption1             = 

<!-- Location -->
| 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        = [[Pittsylvania County, Virginia|Pittsylvania]]

<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = [[Council-Manager]]
| leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name              = Alisa B. Davis
| leader_title1            = [[Town Council]]
| leader_name1             = Janet R. Bishop<br/>William P. Black<br/>Teresa D. Easley<br/>William A. Pace<br/>William M. Riddle<br/>Robert B. Thompson
| leader_title2            = Town Manager
| leader_name2             = Nicholas Morris
| established_title        = 
| established_date         = 

<!-- Area -->
| 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_magnitude           = 
| area_total_sq_mi         = 2.03
| area_land_sq_mi          = 2.03
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
| area_total_km2           = 5.26
| area_land_km2            = 5.26
| area_water_km2           = 0.01

<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=160XX00US5115000 |title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2020 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Chatham town, Virginia |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=March 19, 2024}}</ref>

| population_total         = 1232
| population_density_sq_mi = 607.2
| population_density_km2   = 234.4

<!-- General information -->
| timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset               = &minus;5
| timezone_DST             = EDT
| utc_offset_DST           = &minus;4
| elevation_footnotes      = 
| elevation_ft             = 748
| coordinates              = {{coord|36|49|32|N|79|23|51|W|region:US-VA_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 24531
| area_code                = [[Area code 434|434]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 51-15000<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>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 1498464<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.chatham-va.gov}}
| footnotes                = 
}}
'''Chatham''' is a town in [[Pittsylvania County, Virginia]], United States. It is the [[county seat]] of Pittsylvania County.<ref name="NACO">{{cite web|url=http://explorer.naco.org/index.html|title=NACo County Explorer|author=National Association of Counties|access-date=March 19, 2024}}</ref> Chatham's population was 1,232 at the 2020 census.<ref name="Census 2020"/> It is included in the [[Danville, Virginia metropolitan area]]. The town was originally called Competition, but the name was changed to Chatham by the Virginia General Assembly on May 1, 1852.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chatham-va.gov/about-the-town/town-history |title=A Rich Southern History |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Town of Chatham |publisher=Town of Chatham, Virginia |access-date=June 12, 2016 |quote=In 1806, the controversy over where to build a new courthouse resulted in the General Assembly confirming a new location and establishing the Town of Competition. A name change from Competition to Chatham was made by an act of the General Assembly, passed on May 1, 1852, and the town of Chatham was incorporated on April 24, 1874.}}</ref>

Chatham is home to [[Chatham High School (Virginia)|Chatham High School]], [[Hargrave Military Academy]], and [[Chatham Hall]], an all-female boarding high school.

==History==
[[File:North Main Street Chatham Virginia 1909.jpg|thumb|left|North Main Street, Chatham, ''circa'' 1909]]
It is the home to the oldest continually used building in Pittsylvania County, once an 18th-century tavern, since turned into a house and now occupied by Chatham Hall faculty.
Chatham is the county seat for Pittsylvania County and has held that status since 1777.<ref>{{cite news | first=John | last=Crane | title=Chatham mayor blasts supervisors | date=June 10, 2008 | publisher=Media General | url=http://www.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/danville_news/article/chatham_mayor_blasts_supervisors/4271/ | work=Danville Register-Bee | access-date=June 11, 2008 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124091539/http://www.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/danville_news/article/chatham_mayor_blasts_supervisors/4271/ | archive-date=January 24, 2013 }}</ref>  There is a large U.S. Department of Agriculture office to support farmers in the area and a small branch office of the U.S. Forest Service.  Virginia has built a new state prison at the site of an old work-release camp; this led to infrastructure upgrades in fire and water services to support the increased population.

Chatham did not see any battle action during the Civil War although it is between Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, and Danville, which contained Confederate prisons for captured Union soldiers.  On Confederate Memorial Day each year, the local chapter of the [[United Daughters of the Confederacy]] places flowers at the statue of a Confederate soldier which is prominent in the front of the historic Pittsylvania County Court House.  There is a walking tour of this downtown historic district and a brochure for this is available at the Town Hall, or at the Historical Society building next to Town Hall.  There are several bed & breakfast establishments located on Main Street in historic Greek Revival homes.
[[File:Lower Main Street Chatham 1911.jpg|thumb|Lower Main Street, Chatham, February 1911]]

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Chatham has a total area of 2.0&nbsp;square miles (5.3&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), all  land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1880 = 543
| 1890 = 757
| 1900 = 918
| 1910 = 1113
| 1920 = 1171
| 1930 = 1143
| 1940 = 1230
| 1950 = 1456
| 1960 = 1822
| 1970 = 1801
| 1980 = 1390
| 1990 = 1354
| 2000 = 1338
| 2010 = 1269
| 2020 = 1232
| 2024 = 1190
| 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>
}}
[[File:Pittsylvania County Courthouse Chatham Virginia.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Pittsylvania County Courthouse]] is one of eight sites in Chatham listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Pittsylvania County, Virginia|National Register of Historic Places]].]]
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000,  1,338 people, 554 households, and 350 families resided in the town. The [[population density]] was 654.6 people per square mile (253.2/km<sup>2</sup>). The 612 housing units averaged 299.4 per square mile (115.8/km<sup>2</sup>). The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the town was 71.52% White, 26.08% African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.52% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 0.60% of the population.

Of the 554 households, 21.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were not families. About 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.87.
[[File:Countyseat Giants 1912.jpg|thumb|right|175px|The Countyseat Giants, Chatham's baseball team, 1912]]
In the town, the population was distributed as 19.6% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $38,938, and for a family was $50,391. Males had a median income of $29,375 versus $23,472 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $20,785. About 6.3% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 16.4% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.  For people 25 years and over in Chatham:
* High school or higher: 77.4%
* Bachelor's degree or higher: 33.1%
* Graduate or professional degree: 13.2%
* Unemployed: 5.3%
* Mean travel time to work (commute): 20.8 minutes

For people 15 years and over in Chatham:
* Never married: 23.4%
* Now married: 49.6%
* Separated: 3.8%
* Widowed: 9.8%
* Divorced: 13.4%
Nineteen residents are foreign born (1.4%).

==Government==
The Mayor of Chatham serves a two-year term. The current mayor is Alisa B. Davis. Members of the town council serve four-year terms. The current town council members are Janet R. Bishop, William P. Black, Teresa Easley, William A. Pace, William M. Riddle, and Robert B. Thompson.<ref>The Town Council Members. (n.d.). Retrieved from Town of Chatham: http://www.chatham-va.gov/public-services/town-officials</ref>

==Climate==
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.  According to the [[Köppen climate classification]] system, Chatham has a [[humid subtropical climate]], ''Cfa'' on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=416144&cityname=Chatham%2C+Virginia%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Chatham, Virginia]</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = Chatham, Virginia (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1922–present)
|single line = Y
|width = auto
|Jan record high F = 78
|Feb record high F = 82
|Mar record high F = 88
|Apr record high F = 94
|May record high F = 99
|Jun record high F = 103
|Jul record high F = 105
|Aug record high F = 105
|Sep record high F = 104
|Oct record high F = 99
|Nov record high F = 86
|Dec record high F = 79
|year record high F = 105
|Jan high F = 47.3
|Feb high F = 51.0
|Mar high F = 59.2
|Apr high F = 69.4
|May high F = 75.9
|Jun high F = 82.8
|Jul high F = 86.3
|Aug high F = 84.9
|Sep high F = 78.9
|Oct high F = 69.6
|Nov high F = 59.4
|Dec high F = 50.3
|year high F = 67.9
|Jan mean F = 35.7
|Feb mean F = 38.4
|Mar mean F = 45.5
|Apr mean F = 55.0
|May mean F = 63.4
|Jun mean F = 71.4
|Jul mean F = 75.5
|Aug mean F = 74.0
|Sep mean F = 67.5
|Oct mean F = 56.2
|Nov mean F = 45.7
|Dec mean F = 38.6
|year mean F = 55.6
|Jan low F = 24.2
|Feb low F = 25.7
|Mar low F = 31.8
|Apr low F = 40.6
|May low F = 50.8
|Jun low F = 59.9
|Jul low F = 64.7
|Aug low F = 63.2
|Sep low F = 56.0
|Oct low F = 42.9
|Nov low F = 31.9
|Dec low F = 27.0
|year low F = 43.2
|Jan record low F = −9
|Feb record low F = −7
|Mar record low F = 0
|Apr record low F = 17
|May record low F = 25
|Jun record low F = 33
|Jul record low F = 35
|Aug record low F = 38
|Sep record low F = 26
|Oct record low F = 19
|Nov record low F = 10
|Dec record low F = -3
|year record low F = -9
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 4.18
|Feb precipitation inch = 2.79
|Mar precipitation inch = 3.97
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.85
|May precipitation inch = 4.51
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.24
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.22
|Aug precipitation inch = 4.12
|Sep precipitation inch = 5.00
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.46
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.52
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.84
|year precipitation inch = 47.70
|Jan snow inch = 1.9
|Feb snow inch = 1.6
|Mar snow inch = 1.0
|Apr snow inch = 0.0
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.0
|Nov snow inch = 0.0
|Dec snow inch = 1.3
|year snow inch = 5.8
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 10.0
|Feb precipitation days = 8.3
|Mar precipitation days = 10.4
|Apr precipitation days = 10.6
|May precipitation days = 12.2
|Jun precipitation days = 11.0
|Jul precipitation days = 11.2
|Aug precipitation days = 9.8
|Sep precipitation days = 9.1
|Oct precipitation days = 8.5
|Nov precipitation days = 8.5
|Dec precipitation days = 9.4
|year precipitation days = 119.0
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 1.1
|Feb snow days = 0.7
|Mar snow days = 0.4
|Apr snow days = 0.0
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.0
|Nov snow days = 0.0
|Dec snow days = 0.5
|year snow days = 2.7
| source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name= nws>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=rnk
| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = July 2, 2021}}</ref><ref name=NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00441614&format=pdf
| title = Station: Chatham, VA
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = July 2, 2021}}</ref>
}}

==References==

{{Reflist}}

{{Virginia towns}}
{{Pittsylvania County, Virginia}}
{{Virginia county seats and independent cities}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Pittsylvania County, Virginia]]
[[Category:Towns in Virginia]]
[[Category:County seats in Virginia]]
[[Category:Danville, Virginia micropolitan area]]