Editing Stuarts Draft, Virginia

{{Short description|CDP in Augusta County, Virginia, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Stuarts Draft
| settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place|CDP]]
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = 
| image_skyline            = Welcome_to_Stuarts_Draft_Virginia_sign.jpg 
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = 
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = 
| image_map                = VAMap-doton-StuartsDraft.PNG
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location in [[Virginia]]
| image_map1               = 
| mapsize1                 = 
| map_caption1             = 
| pushpin_map              = Virginia#USA
| pushpin_label_position   = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_map_caption      = 
| pushpin_mapsize          = 
| coordinates              = {{coord|38|1|39|N|79|1|44|W|type:city|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Virginia|County]]
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_name1        = [[Virginia]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Augusta County, Virginia|Augusta]]
| established_title        = Founded
| established_date         = 1837
| established_title2       = 
| established_date2        = 
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = 
| leader_name              = 
| area_magnitude           = 
| area_total_sq_mi         = 29.31
| area_total_km2           = 
| area_land_sq_mi          = 
| area_land_km2            = 
| area_water_sq_mi         = 
| area_water_km2           = 
| area_urban_sq_mi         = 
| area_urban_km2           = 
| area_metro_km2           = 
| area_metro_sq_mi         = 
| population_as_of         = 2020
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 12,142
| population_urban         = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 165.4
| population_density_km2   = 63.8
| timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone (North America)|EST]]
| utc_offset               = -5
| timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST           = -4
| elevation_footnotes      = 
| elevation_ft             = 1421
| elevation_m              = 433
| website                  = 
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 24477
| area_code                = [[Area code 540|540]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 51-76272<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 1500184<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
| footnotes                = 
| established_date1        = 
}}
'''Stuarts Draft''' is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Augusta County, Virginia|Augusta County]], [[Virginia]], United States.<ref name=":1" /> It is part of the [[Staunton, Virginia|Staunton]]&ndash;[[Waynesboro, Virginia|Waynesboro]] [[Staunton-Waynesboro micropolitan area|Micropolitan Statistical Area]] and adjacent to the [[South River (South Fork Shenandoah River tributary)|South River]]. Its population was 12,142 as of the 2020 census.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=QuickFacts Stuarts Draft CDP, Virginia |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/stuartsdraftcdpvirginia |access-date=November 27, 2022 |website=United States Census}}</ref>

Stuarts Draft has a history as an agricultural community, dating back to the 1730s.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web |title=A Brief Industrial History of Stuarts Draft |url=http://stuartsdraft.homestead.com/Industrial_History.pdf |access-date=November 28, 2022 |website=Stuarts Draft Homestead}}</ref><ref name=":12" /> Today, the community also includes a processing and manufacturing cluster that includes Hershey, Hollister Incorporated, McKee Foods, NIBCO, Regal Rexnord, Ply Gem - Cornerstone, and a Target Corporation Distribution Center.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Stuarts Draft |url=https://augustavabusiness.com/target-industries/development-areas/stuarts-draft/ |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=Augusta County Economic Development |language=en-US}}</ref> As one writer notes, "A visitor to Stuarts Draft can see these imposing plants with cattle grazing in a nearby field..."<ref name=":13" />

== History ==
Before the arrival of European settlers, the area was the territory of the [[Shawnee|Shawanee]]; none of their settlements are known to have existed in Stuarts Draft.<ref name=":10">{{Cite book |last=Peyton |first=J. Lewis |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofaugusta00peytuoft/page/268/mode/2up?q=stuarts+draft |title=History of Augusta County, Virginia |publisher=Samuel M. Yost & Son |year=1882 |location=Staunton, Virginia |language=en |access-date=November 28, 2022 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> Two non-residents tribes were frequent visitors to the area: the [[Delaware tribe|Delaware]] from the north and the [[Catawba people|Catawba]] from the south.<ref name=":10" /> When European settlers first moved into Augusta County in 1732, these three tribes were in the midst of a war.<ref name=":10" /> As a result, armed war parties were a common sight in the white settlements.<ref name=":10" />

In 1736, [[William Beverley|William Beverly]] received a patent from Virginia's [[Sir William Gooch, 1st Baronet|Governor William Gooch]] for {{Convert|118,491|acre|km2_ha}} in what became Augusta County.<ref name=":11">{{Cite book |last=Brooks |first=Faye |title=Stuarts Draft |language=en}}</ref> At the time, this was the "outermost limits of Virginia".<ref name=":10" /> Beverly sold parcels of land to settlers, including property that is now in Stuarts Draft. One settler was Archibald Stuart, a Scotch Presbyterian, who arrived in the area in 1738.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=Historical Background of the Community {{!}} Stuarts Draft Baptist Church 75th Anniversary |url=http://stuartsdraft.homestead.com/History.html |access-date=November 28, 2022 |website=Stuarts Draft Homestead |publication-date=November 2, 2020}}</ref><ref name=":14">{{Cite news |last=Critzer |first=Ben |date=August 11, 1972 |title=Stuarts Draft Goes Way Back: History Begins in 1736 |volume=1 |pages=1 |work=Stuarts Draft Hub |issue=1 |publisher=News Virginia |url=http://stuartsdraft.homestead.com/History1736.pdf |via=Stuarts Draft Homestead}}</ref> Stuart settled about three miles east of [[Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church]] which he helped found in 1744.<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":14" /> This property became known as the Pratt Farm and is located on what is now U.S. 340 near Northgate Avenue.<ref name=":14" /> Other early settlers who purchased land from Beverly in what is now Stuarts Draft include  Robert Alexander, James Bell, John Black, John Christian, John Colter, Samuel Davidson, William Long, Finley McClure, Joseph Mills, Robert Moffet, and James Patton.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":14" /><ref name=":13" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 2020 |title=The Beverly Patent |url=https://www.usgenwebsites.org/vagenweb/augusta/BeverlyPatent.html |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.usgenwebsites.org}}</ref>

These early settlers built houses and cleared the land for farming.<ref name=":12" /> The most successful crops were hemp, corn, wheat, and flax which was mixed with wool to make [[linsey-woolsey]] clothes.<ref name=":14" /> Farmers experimented with tobacco and cotton but found hemp the most successful cash crop, supplying raw material for naval rope.<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":14" /> Robert Stuart operated a chopping mill in Stuarts Draft.<ref name=":13" />

In 1749, Archibald Stuart's son Thomas purchased a patent {{convert|353|acre|km2_ha}} near the [[South River (Shenandoah River)|South River]].<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":14" /> The tract was bound by Robert Stuart's patent to the north, Samuel Davidson's patent to the south, John Black's patent to the west, and James Patton's patent to the east.<ref name=":12" /> There, Thomas lived with his wife Elizabeth (née Moore) and their nine children.<ref name=":10" /> The property had a small valley or cove, regionally called a draft.<ref name=":9" />{{Efn|Other theories abound as urban legend. One says that draft refers to the document drafting the land sale. However, this document was called a patent by Virginia at the time. Another theory says that draft is an old term for river or creek. A third theory says draft refers to a river crossing on Stuart’s land or the South River itself. However, according to the Beverly Patent map, Stuart's land did not extend to or cross the river. Another theory is that the plain on the south side of the river tends to channel the wind, thus forming a constant breeze or draft.}}

There was fighting in Augusta County during the [[French and Indian War]] (1754–1763), smaller conflicts with Native Americans in 1764 and 1774, and minor skirmishes through 1794.<ref name=":10" /> When Thomas Stuart died, his sons were not living nearby, and his widow left the patent or land grant, making it available for resale.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Waddell |first=Joseph A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rZbEC1kEdpcC |title=Annals of Augusta County, Virginia from 1720 to 1871 |publisher=C. J. Carrier Company |year=1902 |edition=2nd |location=Harrisonburg, Virginia |language=en |access-date=November 28, 2022 |via=Google Books}}</ref> The Stuart property was purchased by John Harper in 1800, with some parts being owned by Joseph McComb and Jacob Farror at a later date.<ref name=":9" />{{Efn|According to Catlett and Fishburne, the draft was located in the Harper and Farror properties in 1928.}}

Before 1800, the roads to Stuarts Draft were poor, limiting travel to horseback or sleds rather than wheeled wagons.<ref name=":14" /> The settlement did not have a post office until 1837.<ref name=":11" /> The first post office was in the former Thomas Stuart cabin, a hewed-pine log structure then on the Harper property.<ref name=":11" />{{Efn|According to Catlett and Fishburne, the Thomas Stuart cabin survived on the Harper farm as later as 1881. The Harper family used it for storage.}} As a result, the name Stuarts Draft was chosen for the post office and the community. Later, the post office moved three miles west of town and was operated by postmaster James M. Hall.<ref name=":9" />

In the 1850s, the Howardsville Turnpike was built through Stuarts Draft.<ref name=":13" /> Funded by stock as a commercial venture, the turnpike allowed Stuarts Drafts' farmers to take their wheat and other goods by horse-drawn wagons to the trading post in [[Howardsville, Albemarle County, Virginia|Howardsville, Virginia]].<ref name=":14" /><ref name=":13" /> The trip took a week but yielded trade goods such as flour, sugar, and other staples.<ref name=":14" /> Howardsville was located in [[Albemarle County, Virginia|Albemarle County]] on the [[James River]]; from there, trade goods went to [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] by [[barge]].<ref name=":13" />

In 1856, Stuarts Draft's first doctor arrived; James M. Watson was a graduate of the [[University of Virginia]]'s medical school in nearby Charlottesville.<ref name=":12" /> Watson traveled on horseback to visit patients.<ref name=":12" /> Other families moving to Stuarts Draft include Caldwell, Churchman, Forrer, Grass, Harnsberger, Hicks, Johnson, Kindig, Patterson, Prior, Van Lear, and Wilson.<ref name=":13" /><ref name=":15">{{Cite web |year=1885 |title=S. River Magist. Dist. |url=https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~32979~1171432:S--River-Magist--Dist- |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=David Rumsey Map Collection |publisher=Watermen, Watkins & Co. |location=Chicago |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":14" />

During the Civil War, Stuarts Draft's residents provided supplies and men to the Confederate Army.<ref name=":12" />  The community's first school was established before the Civil War in Barterbrook, four miles from Stuarts Draft.<ref name=":14" /> This one-room schoolhouse was replaced by another schoolhouse behind today's Finley Memorial Presbyterian Church in Stuarts Draft.<ref name=":14" /> The new school started with one room but later was expanded to five rooms as the number of students grew.<ref name=":14" />

The post office moved back to town in 1881 when the [[Shenandoah Valley Railroad (1867–1890)|Shenandoah Valley Railroad]] was under construction.<ref name=":9" /> The railroad began stopping in Stuarts Draft in 1882 and connected the town with [[Roanoke, Virginia|Roanoke]] and [[Hagerstown, Maryland|Hagerstown]].<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":14" /> The railroad brought growth and prosperity to the farming community, making it one of the wealthiest sections of August County.<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":10" /> A village or commercial area formed along the railroad track, expanding to about a mile south of the tracks.<ref name=":14" /> A train depot was constructed in 1891 (and demolished in 1975).<ref name=":13" /> By 1885, Charles H. Cohron opened C. H. Cohron's Store alongside the tracks, while Fox's Store was located on Howardsville Turnpike.<ref name=":15" /><ref name=":13" /> In 1886, the J. B. McChesney Store opened beside the railroad.<ref name=":14" /> Cohron built the Stuarts Draft Mill along the railroad tracks in 1893, followed by a warehouse.<ref name=":13" /> In 1891, the Shenandoah Valley Railroad was purchased by the [[Norfolk and Western Railway]], further expanding Stuart Draft's reach.<ref name=":11" />

George Samuel Etter opened his Etter Funeral Home in Stuarts Draft in 1895.<ref name=":14" />{{Efn|Etter moved his funeral home to Waynesboro in 1918. However, the former funeral home survives the oldest commercial building in Stuarts Draft.}} Other businesses that opened in Stuarts Draft in 1895 include a barrel factory and a chair factory.<ref name=":13" /> Also in 1895, the [[Fishersville, Barterbrook, and Stuarts Draft Telephone Company]] was established.<ref name=":13" /> Its first telephones were operational in May 1897.<ref name=":13" /> In 1904, the Stuarts Draft post office included two delivery routes, serving 1,200 people.<ref name=":13" /> Stuarts Draft School was the first school in Augusta County to operate for a nine-month term in 1906.<ref name=":13" /> The Citizens Educational League raised funds to expand the school building and add a playground, library, and organ.<ref name=":13" />

In 1907, the People's Bank opened in Stuarts Draft and was operated by cashier S. H. Moore.<ref name=":12" /> In 1913, B. B. Kube opened a blacksmith shop in the Stuart Draft village area; he rebuilt his shop after the original structure burned in 1928.<ref name=":14" /> Dr. William Baldwin Dodge, a physician for railroad employees, became Stuart Draft's doctor and a businessman.<ref name=":13" /> He opened the Dodge Inn on Main Street (now Draft Avenue), providing accommodations and packed lunches for travelers.<ref name=":13" />{{Efn|The Dodge Hotel was demolished in 1987.}} Dodge also developed Mountain Lake, now called [[Shenandoah Acres]], in the 1939s.<ref name=":13" />

In the early 20th century, Stuarts Draft was a farming community specialized in livestock and fruit.<ref name=":9" /> In the 1920s, fruit production included apples, peaches, and pears.<ref name=":9" /> At that time, the average apple production from Stuarts Draft was 200 to 400 railroad car loads.<ref name=":9" /> Stuart Drafts' main apple producers were Alta Vista, Robert Black, Cisco Orchards, William Baldwin Dodge, George Harper, Samuel B. Harper, Charles I. Keyt, Linda Vista, and Virginia Valley—with each growing 1,000 to 6,000 barrels each annually.<ref name=":9" /> Dodge was the only large-scale grower of cranberries south of New Jersey, yielding 500 to 1,000 bushels a year.<ref name=":9" /> Cattle was the most common commercial livestock, although farmers in Stuarts Draft also raised hogs, sheep, and poultry. Most of the community's households produced eggs.<ref name=":9" /> There was also a large incubator in Stuarts Draft that produced 50,000 to 75,000 eggs annually.<ref name=":9" />

In the 1940s, a number ofGerman–speaking members of [[Old Order Amish]] moved to Stuart’s Draft from Pennsylvania.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Van Ness |first=Silke |title=German |url=https://artsandsciences.sc.edu/appalachianenglish/node/784 |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=Encyclopedia of Appalachia on Language {{!}} Southern Appalachian English |publisher=University of South Carolina College of Arts and Sciences}}</ref> In the 1960s, Stuarts Draft entered the modern industrial era with the opening of Draftco and the J. K. Porter plant (now NIBCO).<ref name=":13" /><ref name=":16" /> In the 1970s, other manufacturers moved to Stuarts Draft, including Hollister, Mastic Corporation/[[Alcoa]] (now PlyGem Industries), and P. T. Components (now [[Rexnord Corporation|Rexnord]]).<ref name=":13" /><ref name=":17" /><ref name=":18">"Alcoa Completes Sale of Home Exteriors Business to Ply Gem Industries." ''Business Wire'', 31 Oct. 2006. ''Gale General OneFile'', . Accessed 29 Nov. 2022.</ref> This was followed by a [[Hershey Company]] plant and [[McKee Foods]] in the 1980s and 1990s, respectively.<ref name=":13" />

Manufacturing significantly increased the population and development of Stuarts Draft. In 2017 and 2018, the community held a series of public meetings to create a Stuart Draft Small Area Plan.<ref name=":2" /> The process included elected officials and consultants.<ref name=":2" /> Spanning 2019 through 2039, the resulting plan addresses land use, development, and transportation needs.<ref name=":2" /> It also defines areas for urban development (business, industrial, public use, and residential) and agricultural and rural conservation.<ref name=":2" />

=== Notes ===
{{notelist}}

== Geography ==
The Stuarts Draft CDP is located in southeast Augusta County on the northwest side of the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]].<ref name=":9">{{Cite journal |last1=Catlett |first1=Clay |last2=Fishburne |first2=Elliott G. |date=January 1928 |title=An Economic and Social Survey of Augusta County |journal=University of Virginia Record Extension Series |volume=12 |issue=7 |pages=24–25}}</ref><ref name=":10" /> It is located in the [[Shenandoah Valley]], part of the valley belt of [[Silurian]] [[limestone]].<ref name=":10" /> The area features a flat valley or cove, regionally called a draft.<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":13" /> The soil is rich and fertile, well suited for agricultural purposes.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":9" />

Stuarts Draft is eight miles south of [[Staunton, Virginia|Staunton]] and seven miles southwest of [[Waynesboro, Virginia|Waynesboro]].<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":10" /> According to the 2020 [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of 29.31 square miles (75.9&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>).<ref name=":1" /> This is an increase from 2010 when the area was listed as being 19.82 acres.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> The CDP includes the [[Christians Creek]] and the [[South River (Virginia)|South River]] watersheds and parts of the Beverley Manor, Riverheads, and the South River magisterial districts.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Tate |first=Leslie C. |title=Stuarts Draft Small Area Plan 2019-2039 |url=https://www.co.augusta.va.us/home/showpublisheddocument/15174/637176337131230000 |access-date=November 28, 2022 |website=Augusta County, Virginia}}</ref> The [[South River (Shenandoah River)|South River]] is a tributary of the [[South Fork Shenandoah River|South Fork of the Shenandoah River]]. Major streams in Stuarts Draft include Barterbrook Branch, Cole's Run, Deep Pond Run, Falling Rock Creek, Folly Mills Creek, Goose Creek, Johns Runs, Loves Run, Pine Run, and Stony Run.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Augusta County Virginia Streams {{!}} Virginia Gazetteer |url=https://virginia.hometownlocator.com/features/physical,class,stream,scfips,51015,startrow,1.cfm |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=virginia.hometownlocator.com}}</ref>

The [[George Washington National Forest]] is at the southern border of Stuarts Draft.<ref name=":2" /> The forests consist primarily of oaks, including white, black, red, post, and chestnut oaks.<ref name=":10" /> Other trees include ash, balsam fir, beech, birch, black maple, black spruce, black walnut, [[cucumber tree]], dogwood, elm, fir, gum, hemlock, hickory, hornbeam, locust, mulberry, persimmon, red cedar, red maple, sugar maple, sumac, sycamore, tulip poplar, umbrella tree ([[magnolia tripetala]]), white cherry, while maple, white pine, and yellow pine.<ref name=":10" /> Some areas include rhododendron and laurel.<ref name=":10" /> Wildlife native to the area include black bear, deer, red fox, porcupine, beaver, hare, rabbit, and weasel.<ref name=":10" /> Perennial streams in the area include native [[brook trout]].<ref name=":20">{{Cite book |url=https://books.googleusercontent.com/books/content?req=AKW5QaeBsCnb1rdvHTclSKeUFQePTBzhfjnUxZ0fQj3pjOZFfTjFxNzZZKE1Lmc72zTB08ANu63C67mE8djYPa7nWqJcI2UxntyxNyRA18rrXLHvGy6iKO-IIX-7U4vZhL911SH_pkK1R2ylhLc_1Ss9EsmK-CnYDwOTo2V-81xvPFAwEVANhnVG3s0wY6CZMVAzDXAASH0U-HC6oV73X0LtoSbNuJB62nMrsaCgawp1hr02qI-ITUEA77chwezxJVMtYieU3SA4gV7Q2c81Z-Vbn-OzBON-iypMTzSuiWlOESdkjji7-ZQ |title=Draft Environmental Statement: Big Levels Unit, George Washington National Forest |date=February 14, 1974 |publisher=George Washington National Forest, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service |edition=Draft |location=Harrisonburg, Virginia |language=en |access-date=November 29, 2022}}</ref> Mineral deposits in the national forest include clay, gravel, iron, manganese, and sand.<ref name=":20" />

Stuarts Draft includes several natural and man-made ponds. Lake Wilda is Green Pond is a naturally occurring high-elevation pond on the Big Levels Ridge.<ref name=":20" /> It is five acres in size during the wet season.<ref name=":20" /> The Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries constructed the Maple Flats Ponds in the late 1950s to serve migrating waterfowl.<ref name=":20" /> However, this project failed because water levels were too low seasonally.<ref name=":20" /> These ponds are now stocked with [[Bass (fish)|bass]], [[bluegill]], and [[catfish]] for recreational use,<ref name=":20" /> There are naturally occurring sinkhole ponds near the Maple Flats Ponds, including Spring Pond and Twin Ponds that are home to a botanically significant range of plants.<ref name=":20" />

Adjacent to the national forest, [[Shenandoah Acres]] includes a small spring-fed lake. Historically, the property included a [[cranberry bog]], one of the sinkhole ponds in the Maple Flats area. The cranberry bog was well known by botanists as a site for several rare plants and orchids, including the [[Pogonia ophioglossoides|rose pogonia]] and [[Calopogon|grass pink]] orchids. In the journal ''Claytonia'', the botanist Lloyd Carr described the pond as a sea of pink when the orchids were in bloom. However, the bog was destroyed to create Shenandoah Acres, and many of the rare species became [[Local extinction|locally extinct]].<ref>Blacka, Aaron; Couture, Pierre; Coale, Charles et al. (November 2001). "[https://ext.vt.edu/pubs/agritour/310-003/310-003.html Agri-Tourism]". ''Virginia Cooperative Extension''.</ref>

The Stuarts Draft CDP includes agricultural conservation areas and rural conservation areas.<ref name=":2" /> The Cowbane Natural Area Preserve includes {{Convert|147|acre|km2_ha}}1 with calcareous spring marshes, mesic prairies, and wet prairies.<ref name=":2" /> These three landscapes were historically common in the area but were reduced over time by agriculture and development.<ref name=":2" />

=== Climate ===
The summers in Stuarts Draft are warm and humid. Winters in Stuarts Draft are cold and snowy.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |title=Stuarts Draft Climate, Weather By Month, Average Temperature (Virginia, United States) - Weather Spark |url=https://weatherspark.com/y/19631/Average-Weather-in-Stuarts-Draft-Virginia-United-States-Year-Round |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=weatherspark.com |language=en}}</ref> The temperature ranges are from 26&nbsp;°F to 86&nbsp;°F; it is rarely below 11&nbsp;°F or above 93&nbsp;°F.<ref name=":22" />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
! colspan="14" |Climate data for Stuarts Draft, Virginia
|-
!Month
!Jan
!Feb
!Mar
!Apr
!May
!Jun
!Jul
!Aug
!Sep
!Oct
!Nov
!Dec
!Year
|-
!Average high <ref name=":22" />
|{{Convert|44|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|47|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|56|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|66|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|74|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|82|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|85|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|83|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|77|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|67|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|56|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|47|F|C|abbr=on}}
|
|-
!Daily mean <ref name=":22" />
|{{Convert|34|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|37|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|45|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|55|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|63|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|72|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|75|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|73|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|67|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|56|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|46|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|37|F|C|abbr=on}}
|
|-
!Average low <ref name=":22" />
|{{Convert|27|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|28|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|35|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|44|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|53|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|62|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|65|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|64|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|57|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|46|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|36|F|C|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|30|F|C|abbr=on}}
|
|-
!Average [[precipitation]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stuarts Draft, Virginia Travel Weather Averages |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=271844&cityname=Stuarts-Draft-Virginia-United-States-of-America |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=Weatherbase}}</ref> 
|{{Convert|2.3|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|2.4|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|2.8|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|2.8|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|3.5|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|3.5|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|3.2|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|3.6|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|3.2|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|3.6|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|2.8|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|2.9|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|36.7|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|-
!Average snowfall<ref name=":22" />
|{{Convert|5.9|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|6.8|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|2.8|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|0.1|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|0.0|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|0.0|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|0.0|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|0.0|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|0.0|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|0.0|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|1.0|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|4.6|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|{{Convert|21.2|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|}

== Demographics ==
{{US Census population
| footnote = [https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html U.S. Decennial Census]
| align-fn = center
| 1920 = 448
| 1960 = 
| 1970 = 
| 1980 = 1776
| 1990 = 5067
| 2000 = 8367
| 2010 = 9235
| 2020 = 12142
}}As of the [[2020 U.S. Census]], 12,142 people live in the Stuarts Draft CDP.<ref name=":1" /> The population is 93% white, 4.3% black, 2% two or more races, 0.4% Asian, and 0.3% Native American. The white population is 1.6% Hispanic or Latino, and 1.3% of its total population is foreign-born.

Stuarts Draft's population is 51.7% female and 48.3% male. The population's age range is 18.7% over the age of 65 years, 58.4% between 19 and 64 years, 22.9% under eighteen years of age, and 5.2% under the age of five years. 9.4% of its residents under the age of 65 have a disability. 94% of its population over the age of 24 years are high school graduates or higher;  20.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher.<ref name=":1" />

There are 4,992 households in Stuarts Draft, with an average household size of 2.47.<ref name=":23">{{Cite web |title=Stuarts Draft, VA Profile: Facts & Data |url=https://virginia.hometownlocator.com/va/augusta/stuarts-draft.cfm |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=virginia.hometownlocator.com}}</ref>

==Economy==
According to the [[2020 United States census|2020 U.S. Census]], the median household income in the Stuarts Draft CDP is $63,679, the average household income is $$75,788, and the per capita income is $27,975.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":23" /> Of those over sixteen years of age, 63.6% are employed in the civilian workforce.<ref name=":1" />

As of July 2022, there are 5,260 housing units in Stuarts Draft, with an average value of $251,669 and a median value of $251,669.<ref name=":23" /> 57% of the residents are owner-occupied.<ref name=":23" /> In Stuarts Draft, 10.8% of the residents live in poverty, while 5.9% of the people under 65 years do not have health insurance.<ref name=":1" />

=== Employers ===
Agriculture continues to play a role in the economy of the area.<ref name=":2" /> However, Stuarts Draft's largest employers are its manufacturing and distribution facilities. These industries were attracted to Stuarts Draft by its proximity to major interstates and metropolitan areas, a relatively flat landscape, and a "high-quality workforce with a strong work ethic."<ref name=":13" />

[[Draftco Inc.]] is a machine and fabrication shop founded in Stuarts Draft in 1965.<ref name=":16">{{Cite web |title=Governor McAuliffe Announces Draftco, Inc. Expansion in Augusta County {{!}} Virginia Economic Development Partnership |url=https://www.vedp.org/press-release/2017-08/augusta-county-draftco-inc-expansion |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=www.vedp.org}}</ref> In 1969, [[NIBCO]] (formerly J. K. Porter), a manufacturer of wrought copper fittings for the flow control industry, opened its manufacturing plant in Stuarts Draft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Governor Northam Announces 30 New Jobs in Augusta County {{!}} Virginia Economic Development Partnership |url=https://www.vedp.org/press-release/2018-08/nibco-inc |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=www.vedp.org}}</ref> [[Hollister Incorporated]], which develops and manufactures medical devices and products, opened its facility in Stuarts Draft in 1979.<ref name=":17">{{Cite web |title=Governor McDonnell Announces $29.6 Million Investment in Augusta County {{!}} Virginia Economic Development Partnership |url=https://www.vedp.org/press-release/2013-03/augusta-county-29.6-million-investment |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=www.vedp.org}}</ref> Other manufacturers moving to Stuarts Draft in the 1970s include Ply-Gem Siding Group (formerly [[Alcoa]]) and [[Rexnord Corporation|Rexnord]] (formerly P. T. Components).<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":18" />

[[The Hershey Company]] opened its second-largest United States manufacturing plant in Stuarts Draft in 1980.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Hershey Company Produces Sweet Success in Virginia {{!}} Virginia Economic Development Partnership |url=https://www.vedp.org/case-study/hershey |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=www.vedp.org}}</ref><ref name=":19">{{Cite news |last=Paramasivam |first=Praveen |date=2022-03-25 |title=Hershey workers at Virginia plant vote against unionizing |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/hershey-workers-virginia-plant-vote-against-unionizing-2022-03-24/ |access-date=2022-11-29}}</ref> It employees more than 1,300 people.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Lyons |first=Douglas |date=March 15, 2022 |title=The issues in the unionization vote at Hershey's Stuarts Draft, Virginia plant |url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/03/16/hers-m16.html |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=World Socialist Web Site |language=en}}</ref> In February 2022, some Hershey employees started a campaign to join the [[Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union|Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers’ union]] (BCTGM) to gain better working conditions.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brooks |first=Kayla |date=February 28, 2022 |title=Stuarts Draft Hershey's employees attempt to unionize |url=https://www.whsv.com/2022/02/28/stuarts-draft-hersheys-employees-attempt-unionize/ |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=WHSV |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4" /> Hershey was against unionization and responded by hiring union-busting consultants, [[Labor Relations Institute]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sainato |first=Michael |date=2022-02-23 |title=More than 1,000 Hershey's workers vote on plan to unionize Virginia plant |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/feb/23/hersheys-union-vote-virginia |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref> In March 2022, Hershey's workers voted against unionization at the Stuarts Draft plant.<ref name=":19" />

[[McKee Foods]] moved to the area in 1990 and has around 1,000 employees.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=McKee Foods Corporation-Stuarts Draft, Virginia |url=https://www.mckeefoods.com/114.8 |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=www.mckeefoods.com |language=en}}</ref> It manufactures [[Little Debbie]] snack cakes. The Target Mid-Atlantic Distribution Center in Stuarts Draft has a footprint of {{convert|1,650,000 |sqft|acre_m2}}.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Target Mid-Atlantic Distribution Center |url=https://www.sbballard.com/portfolios/target-mid-atlantic-distribution-center/ |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=www.sbballard.com}}</ref> It was listed as the eighth largest [[Tilt up|tilt-up building]] in the world by the [[American Tilt-Up Association]].<ref>{{cite web |title=TCA Top Ten: Largest Building (Footprint) |url=http://www.tilt-up.org/topten/footprint.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402141517/http://www.tilt-up.org/topten/footprint.php |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |access-date=December 17, 2016 |publisher=Tilt-Up Concrete Association}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> The Plant Company opened in Stuarts Draft in 2019 with a  {{Convert|5|acre|km2_ha}} commercial greenhouse.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us – The Plant Company |url=https://theplantcompany.com/about-the-plant-company/ |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=theplantcompany.com}}</ref> It grows houseplants exclusively for the consumer brand Proven Winners.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Markham |first=Chris |date=November 8, 2021 |title=Proven Winners and The Plant Company partner to offer unique houseplants |url=https://www.greenhousemag.com/article/proven-winners-plant-company-partner/ |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=Greenhouse Management |language=en}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+Top Employers in Stuarts Draft, Virginia
!Rank
!Business
!Number of employees
!Reference
|-
|1
|Hershey Chocolate of Virginia
|1,300 and over
|<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Major Employers |url=https://augustavabusiness.com/facts-figures/major-employers/ |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=Augusta County Economic Development |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":4" />
|-
|2
|Target Distribution Center
|1,000 and over
|<ref name=":7" />
|-
|3
|McKee Foods Corporation
|500 to 999
|<ref name=":7" />
|-
|4
|Hollister
|500 to 999
|<ref name=":7" />
|-
|5
|NIBCO of Virginia
|250 to 499
|<ref name=":7" />
|-
|6
|McKee Foods Transportation
|100 to 249
|<ref name=":7" />
|-
|7
|Rexford Industries
|50 to 99
|<ref name=":7" />
|}
[[File:Bare's_Mill,_4x6,_300ppi.jpg|thumb|Ruins of Bare's Mill]]
[[File:BARE_HOUSE_AND_GRIST,_AUGUSTA_COUNTY,_VA.jpg|thumb|[[Bare House and Mill|Bare House]]]]
[[File:HARPER_HSE,_STUARTS_DRAFT,_AUGUSTA_COUNTY,_VA.jpg|thumb|[[Harper House (Stuarts Draft, Virginia)|Harper House]]]]

==Arts and culture==

=== Events and festivals ===
Sweet Dreams is a family-friendly, day-long festival held in Stuarts Draft Park each summer since around 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sweet Dreams Festival » Stuarts Draft, Virginia |url=http://www.sweetdreamsday.com/ |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=Sweet Dreams Festival |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Architecture ===
Stuarts Draft has a historic commercial district located along Draft Avenue, formerly Main Street.<ref name=":2" /> Surviving structures from the railroad era include the Kube Blacksmith Shop (1928) and the Etter Funeral Home (1895), on the corner of Flory Avenue.<ref name=":14" /> Also on Draft Avenue, the Shenvalee Farmhouse (1890) is a [[Victorian architecture|Victorian-style]] house.<ref>{{Cite web |title=265 Draft Ave, Stuarts Draft, VA 24477 {{!}} MLS 635075 {{!}} Listing Information {{!}} Long & Foster |url=https://www.longandfoster.com/homes-for-sale/265-Draft-Ave-Stuarts-Draft-VA-24477-337488634 |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.longandfoster.com |language=en}}</ref>

Two properties in Stuarts Draft are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. Dating to {{Circa|1857}}, the [[Bare House and Mill|Bare House]] is a [[Greek Revival architecture|Greek Revival]] and [[Italianate architecture|Italianate style]] brick house, located off Wilda Road.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Virginia, Augusta County |url=http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/va/Augusta/state.html |access-date=6 July 2012 |work=National Register of Historic Places}}</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":24">{{Cite web |date=September 28, 2022 |title=Bare House and Mill |url=https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/007-0834/ |access-date=December 1, 2022 |website=Virginia Department of Historic Resources}}</ref> Its related two-story stone mill, now in ruins, operated from 1795 through 1850.<ref name=":24" /> Other historic structures on the property include a brick well house and meat house, a small frame barn, and a cistern.<ref name=":24" />

Located on U.S. Route 340 (Stuarts Draft Highway), the [[Harper House (Stuarts Draft, Virginia)|Harper House]] is a two-story brick Italianate-style house from the mid-19th century.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Other historic structures on the property that are included in the National Register listing include a large meat house and a two-story frame structure that likely was as a summer kitchen, laundry, and dwelling.<ref name=":25">{{Cite web |date=May 31, 2022 |title=Harper House |url=https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/007-0233/ |access-date=December 1, 2022 |website=Virginia Department of Historic Resources}}</ref> There is also a large mortise-and-tenon frame granary.<ref name=":25" />

Another historic property in Stuarts Draft, the Colter House is a two-story brick house located off of Locust Grove Lane.<ref name=":2" /> Parts of the Colter House may date to {{Circa|1770}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About the Farm - Colter Farm |url=http://www.colterfarm.com/about-the-property |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=www. colter farm.com}}</ref> There is also a [[Craftsman Style|Craftsman style]] farmhouse (1901) at 239 Stuart Avenue.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-18 |title=1901 in Stuarts Draft, VA - $275,000 |url=https://www.oldhousedreams.com/2022/06/18/1901-in-stuarts-draft-va/ |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.oldhousedreams.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Churches ===
[[File:US_340_US_Route_340_-_Virginia_(8600381454).jpg|thumb|Calvary United Methodist Church]]
Churches located in Stuarts Draft include: Bible Truth Church, Calvary United Methodist Church, Destiny Family Center ([[Assemblies of God]]), Finley Memorial Presbyterian Church, Good Shepard Church of the Nazarene, Greenmonte Mennonite Church, Pilgrim Christian Fellowship ([[Beachy Amish Mennonite Fellowship]]), Rankin United Methodist Church, Rejoicing Life Church ([[International Church of the Foursquare Gospel]]), Ridgeview Baptist Church ([[Baptist Bible Fellowship International]]), Sherando United Methodist Church, Steadfast Church of God in Christ (Pentecostal), Stuarts Draft Baptist Church ([[Southern Baptist Convention]]), Stuarts Draft Christian Fellowship, Stuarts Draft Good Shepherd ([[Nazarene (title)|Nazarene]]), Stuarts Draft Mennonite Church, Valley Baptist Church (Independent), and White Hill Church of the Brethren.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-12-20 |title=Churches in Stuarts Draft Virginia - ChurchFinder.com |url=https://www.churchfinder.com/churches/va/stuarts-draft |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=Church Finder |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.rejoicinglifechurch.com/content.cfm?id=200 |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=Rejoicing Life Church |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bible Truth Church {{!}} |url=https://thebibletruthchurch.com/ |access-date=2022-12-02 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us {{!}} Finley Memorial Presbyterian Church |url=https://www.finleypres.com/about-us |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=Finley Presbyterian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Steadfast Church of God in Christ |url=https://www.usachurches.org/church/steadfast-church-of-god-in-christ.htm |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=USA Churches}}</ref>

==Sports==
Stuarts Draft has a [[List of collegiate summer baseball leagues|summer baseball league]] team, the Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=http://www.sddbacks.org/History.html |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www. setbacks.org}}</ref> The team plays at The Diamond Club, leased to it by Augusta County.<ref name=":2" /> The Diamondbacks are a member of the [[Rockingham County Baseball League]] and were champions in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Champions |url=https://www.rcblbaseball.com/champions.html |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=Rockingham County Baseball League |language=en}}</ref>

==Parks and recreation==
Kate Schneider Park is operated by the Stuarts Draft [[Ruritan]]s and provides three lit baseball fields, one unlit baseball field, a pavilion, and a large [[Horseshoes (game)|horseshoes]] court. Friendship Park provides a single-lit baseball field.<ref name=":2" />

Stuarts Draft Park is a {{Convert|13|acre|km2_ha}} county-administered facility that opened in 2004.<ref name=":2" /> It has a junior Olympic-sized swimming pool, a pool house, the John W. Swett Amphitheater, two baseball fields, two picnic shelters, a playground, two soccer/multi-purpose fields, and a walking trail.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stuarts Draft Park {{!}} Augusta County, VA |url=https://www.co.augusta.va.us/things-to-do/parks-ballfields-trails-and-more/stuarts-draft-park |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=www.co.augusta.va.us |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2" />

[[Shenandoah Acres]] was a popular resort operated and owned by the Blacka family from 1935 to 2004.<ref name=":21">{{Cite web |last=Peters |first=Laura |title=Shenandoah Acres sold for $17 million, now part of nationwide RV resort system |url=https://www.newsleader.com/story/news/2021/02/02/shenandoah-acres-sold-17-million-now-part-nationwide-rv-resort-system/4257642001/ |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=The News Leader |language=en-US}}</ref> Billed as "America's Finest Inland Beach", it featured 250 campsites, cabins, horseback riding, tennis courts, a volleyball and softball field, shuffleboard, a fishing pond, a beach area, and a sand-bottom swimming lake.<ref name=":21" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Lynn R. |date=2018-08-17 |title=Shenandoah Acres |url=https://lynnrmitchell.wordpress.com/2018/08/17/shenandoah-acres/ |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=LynnRMitchell.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Shenandoah Acres Inland Beach Resort Brochure Stuarts Draft Virginia 1950 • $22.00 |url=https://picclick.com/Shenandoah-Acres-Inland-Beach-Resort-Brochure-Stuarts-Draft-195464598897.html |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=PicClick |language=en}}</ref> Shenandoah Acres reopened in 2015 as Sun Retreats Shenandoah Valley; the new owners expanded the facilities to 315 campsites and added an arcade.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sun Retreats Shenandoah Valley |url=https://www.sunoutdoors.com/virginia/sun-retreats-shenandoah-valley |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.sunoutdoors.com |language=en}}</ref> Covering {{Convert|134|acre|km2_ha}}, it is the largest recreation development in the George Washington National Forest area.<ref name=":20" /><ref name=":21" />

The Stuarts Draft Library opened in October 2017; it is part of the Augusta County Library system.<ref name=":2" />

==Government==
The Augusta County Board of Supervisors governs Stuarts Draft as part of Augusta County. The community's representative is elected from the South River Magisterial District.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Government |url=https://augustavabusiness.com/augusta-living/government/ |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=Augusta County Economic Development |language=en-US}}</ref>
[[File:SDHS.jpg|thumb|[[Stuarts Draft High School]]]]

==Education==
Stuarts Draft includes four [[Augusta County Public Schools|Augusta County Schools]]: Guy K. Stump Elementary School, Stuarts Draft Elementary School, Stuarts Draft Middle School, and [[Stuarts Draft High School]].<ref name=":2" /> The expanded CDP is also served by Beverley Manor Middle School, Riverheads Elementary School, and [[Riverheads High School]].<ref name=":2" />

Private schools in Stuarts Draft include Pilgrim Christian School, which offers grades one through twelve, and Ridgeview Christian School which teaches grades pre-kindergarten through twelve.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ridgeview Christian School Stuarts Draft, VA 24477 School Profile |url=https://virginia.hometownlocator.com/schools/profiles,n,ridgeview%20christian%20school,z,24477,t,pv,i,1142994.cfm |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=virginia.hometownlocator.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pilgrim Christian School Stuarts Draft, VA 24477 School Profile |url=https://virginia.hometownlocator.com/schools/profiles,n,pilgrim%20christian%20school,z,24477,t,pv,i,1120155.cfm |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=virginia.hometownlocator.com}}</ref>

==Infrastructure==

=== Transportation ===

==== Public transit ====
Brite Bus provides public transportation through its Stuarts Draft Link.<ref name=":2" /> The link connects Stuarts Draft to [[Fishersville, Virginia|Fishersville]], [[Waynesboro, Virginia|Waynesboro]], and employment and healthcare locations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stuarts Draft Link |url=https://www.britebus.org/bus-routes/stuarts-draft-link/ |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=BRITE Bus Transit Service |language=en-US}}</ref>

==== Primary routes ====
Major highways in Stuarts Draft include [[U.S. Route 340]] (Stuarts Draft Highway).<ref name=":2" /> It is also close to intersections with [[Interstate 81]] and [[Interstate 64 in Virginia|Interstate 64]].<ref name=":6" /> Stuarts Draft's primary roads include SR 608 (Cold Springs Road/Tinkling Spring Road/Draft Avenue), SR 610 (Howardsville Turnpike), SR 624 (Lyndhurst Road), SR 633 (Patton Farm Road), SR 634 (Patton Farm Road), SR 635 (Mount Vernon Road/Augusta Farms Road), SR 639 (Wayne Avenue), SR 660 (Lake Road), and SR 664 (Lyndhurst Road).<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fultz |first=Matthew |title=VDOT looking to improve major roadway in Stuarts Draft |url=https://www.whsv.com/content/news/VDOT-looking-to-improve-a-major-roadway-in-Stuarts-Draft--448119333.html |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=WHSV |language=en}}</ref>

=== Health care ===
Stuarts Draft has a variety of primary and specialty care medical practices, including offices affiliated with the [[University of Virginia Health System]] and [[Augusta Health]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=UVA Stuarts Draft Family Practice Clinic in Augusta, VA |url=https://uvahealth.com/locations/profile/Stuarts-Draft-Family-Practice |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=uvahealth.com}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> Its closest hospital in Augusta Health, a 255-bed facility in [[Fishersville, Virginia|Fishersville]].<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=Healthcare |url=https://augustavabusiness.com/augusta-living/healthcare/ |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=Augusta County Economic Development |language=en-US}}</ref> Augusta Health is a research affiliate of the [[Duke Cancer Institute]].<ref name=":8" />

=== Utilities ===
The Augusta County Service Authority provides public water through the South River Water System and sewer service through the Stuarts Draft Waste Water Treatment Plant.<ref name=":2" /> [[Dominion Energy]] and [[Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative]] provide electricity to the area.<ref name=":2" />

=== Public safety ===
The Stuarts Draft Volunteer Fire Company and Stuarts Draft Rescue Squad provide public safety services to Stuarts Draft.<ref name=":2" />

==Notable people==
* [[Shonn Bell]], professional football player 
* [[John Colter]], a member of the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]]<ref>Scaliger, Charles. 2010. “The First Mountain Man.” ''New American (08856540)'' 26 (2): 35. via EBSCO. Accessed November 29, 2022.</ref>
* [[George Harris (wrestler)|George Harris]], professional wrestler
* [[James Patton (Virginia colonist)|James Patton]], merchant, pioneer frontiersman, and soldier<ref name="Johnson">{{Cite book |last=Johnson |first=Patricia Givens |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NSQSAAAAYAAJ |title=James Patton and the Appalachian Colonists |date=1973 |publisher=McClure Press |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Susan Swecker]], chair of the [[Democratic Party of Virginia]]<ref name=":110">{{Cite news |last=Yancey |first=Dwayne |date=1992-10-29 |title=As tight race nears end, managers prove their worth |pages=11 |work=The Roanoke Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-roanoke-times-as-tight-race-nears-en/135265188/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* [[Brian Whitesell]], [[NASCAR]] team manager
* [[Kenneth R. Whitesell]], [[Vice admiral (United States)|vice admiral]] in the [[United States Navy]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Augusta County, Virginia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Augusta County, Virginia]]
[[Category:Shenandoah Valley]]