Editing Fort Chiswell, Virginia

{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Update|demographics|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Fort Chiswell, Virginia
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place|CDP]]
|nickname                 =
|motto                    =

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|image_skyline            =
|imagesize                =
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|image_flag               =
|image_seal               =

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|image_map                = VAMap-doton-FortChiswell.PNG
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Fort Chiswell, 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        = [[Wythe County, Virginia|Wythe]]

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|established_title        =
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<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  =  Imperial
|area_footnotes           =
|area_magnitude           =
|area_total_km2           = 31.4
|area_land_km2            = 31.4
|area_water_km2           = 0.0
|area_total_sq_mi         = 12.1
|area_land_sq_mi          = 12.1
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.0

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2010 United States Census|2010]]
|population_footnotes     =
|population_total         = 939
|population_density_km2   = 
|population_density_sq_mi = auto

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset = &minus;5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
| utc_offset_DST = &minus;4
|elevation_footnotes      =
|elevation_m              = 626
|elevation_ft             = 2054
|coordinates              = {{coord|36|56|37|N|80|56|25|W|region:US-VA_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 24360
|area_code                = [[Area code 276|276]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 51-29040<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1495556<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
|website                  =
|footnotes                =
}}
'''Fort Chiswell''' is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Wythe County, Virginia|Wythe County]], [[Virginia]], United States. The population was 939 at the 2010 census.

Fort Chiswell is located at the junction of [[Interstate 77 in Virginia|Interstates 77]] and [[Interstate 81 in Virginia|81]]. Going west from Fort Chiswell, drivers find themselves on a double [[wrong-way concurrency]] - one of few in the nation. Interstate 77 northbound is overlapped with Interstate 81 southbound, drivers will find themselves oriented the right way again when exiting I-81 back to I-77 north towards [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]] or south to [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]].

[[Image:DoubleWrongWayConcurrencyVA.jpg|thumb|right|Sign on I-81/I-77 indicating a double wrong-way concurrency near Fort Chiswell, Virginia.]]

==History==
The community name is derived from a frontier fort built in 1758 as an outpost during the [[French and Indian War]]. The fort, which was of strategic importance during the [[American Revolutionary War|American Revolution]] as the guardpost over a small deposit of [[lead]] used to mold [[bullet]]s, was situated at the junction of the [[Great Indian Warpath|Great Trading Path]] and the Richmond Road, near the [[New River (Kanawha River)|New River]]. The fort fell into disrepair in the 18th century as both the county seat and courthouse were moved from Fort Chiswell to the county seat of [[Wytheville]], 12 miles to the west. The remaining foundations of the Fort and its surrounding buildings were completely covered over during the construction of [[I-77]] in [[Wythe County]] during the 1970s. There is a pyramid shaped historical marker of sandstone situated approximately 200 yards west-northwest of the fort's original location.

The [[Fort Chiswell Site]], [[The Mansion at Fort Chiswell]], and [[McGavock Family Cemetery]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Schools==
Fort Chiswell has a few different forms of both private and public schools, however there is only one private school in the town, which is named 'Kiddy Centre' which only allows for pre-school and daycare education. The public sector has two schools including the Fort Chiswell Middle School (FCMS) and the Fort Chiswell High school (FCHS) which have been merged into one secular school building. The current principals there are for the middle school are Tammy J. Watson and Vice Principal Chelsea R. Buchanan. Current Principals of the High School are James C. Suma and vice principal Holly L. Luper.

[[Image:FortChiswellVAMonument.jpg|thumb|The Fort Chiswell Historic Marker near the site of the original fort in Wythe County, Virginia.]]

[[Image:Ft. Chiswell, VA Marker Inscription.JPG|thumb|Ft. Chiswell plaque on the above Historic Marker.]]

[[Image:Wilderness Road Inscription, Ft. Chiswell Historic Marker.JPG|thumb|Wilderness Road plaque on the above Historic Marker.]]

[[Image:Millstone from Mill at Ft. Chiswell - one of 3 on the marker (see Ft. Chiswell inscription image).JPG|thumb|One of three millstones from the mill at old Ft. Chiswell which are mounted on the above Historic Marker.]]

==Geography==
Fort Chiswell is located at {{coord|36|56|37|N|80|56|25|W|type:city}} (36.943670, &minus;80.940335).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of 12.1&nbsp;square miles (31.3&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), all land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=right
|2000= 911
|2010= 
|2020= 
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br> 2000<ref name=2000CensusVA>{{Cite web|title= 2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Virginia|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-48.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusVA>{{Cite web|title= 2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Virginia|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 2020
}}

Fort Chiswell was first listed as a [[census designated place]] in the [[2000 U.S. Census]].<ref name=2000CensusVA/>

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 911 people, 357 households, and 263 families residing in the CDP. The [[population density]] was 75.3 people per square mile (29.1/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 380 housing units at an average density of 31.4/sq&nbsp;mi (12.1/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.02% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.77% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.11% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.11% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.99% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.22% of the population.

There were 357 households, out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $37,273, and the median income for a family was $40,417. Males had a median income of $35,464 versus $20,385 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $15,614. About 7.7% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 12.4% of those under age 18 and 14.6% of those age 65 or over.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070723060723/http://wythe.pcsos.com/t-fort.htm Wythe County Virginia, Fort Chiswell]

{{Wythe County, Virginia}}

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[[Category:Census-designated places in Virginia]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Wythe County, Virginia]]
[[Category:U.S. Route 11]]