Galax, Virginia

Galax Template:IPAc-en is an independent city in the southwestern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,720.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Galax with neighboring Carroll County for statistical purposes. Galax is bounded to the northeast by Carroll County and to the southwest by Grayson County.

History

File:Galaxmarker.jpg

Historical marker at Galax

The area that later became Galax was part of an Template:Convert land grant given to James Buchanan in 1756 by the British Crown. The first plat map for Galax is dated December 1903;<ref>Nunn & Alley, p. 11.</ref> The town founders selected the site for the city on a wide expanse of meadowland bisected by Chestnut Creek and sitting at an altitude of Template:Convert on a plateau.<ref>John Nunn & Judith Nunn Alley, Images of America: Galax (Arcadia Publishing: 2010), p. 7.</ref> The Virginia General Assembly officially chartered the town of Galax in 1906.<ref name="Ellison">George Ellison, Blue Ridge Nature Journal: Reflections on the Appalachian Mountains in Essays and Art (The History Press, 2006), p. 39.</ref>

The town is named for Galax urceolata, an evergreen groundcover plant found throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains. At the time, the plant was gathered and sold by many people in southwestern Virginia and northwestern North Carolina as an ornamental plant; a Norfolk and Western Railway Company official suggested that the town be named for the plant.<ref name="Ellison"/> The first Galax Agricultural Fair took place in September 1908, when Galax had 600 residents.<ref name="Nunn & Alley, p. 8">Nunn & Alley, p. 8.</ref>

In the past, Galax was an industrial town; by the 1960s, Galax was home to six furniture factories, a mirror factory, at least four textile companies, two large department stores, a lumber company, Carnation Milk, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, and Clover Creamery.<ref name="Nunn & Alley, p. 8"/>

The Town of Galax was separated from Carroll and Grayson counties and became an independent city on December 6, 1953.<ref>Estimates of the Population of Virginia Counties and Cities. University of Virginia Bureau of Population and Economic Research (1955).</ref>

In the 2000s, Galax and other small neighboring communities in southwestern Virginia joined with private businesses to create the Wired Road Authority, a public-private partnership that in 2009 created open-access, integrated regional broadband network with 100-megabit connections and in 2013 created gigabit connections. This was part of an economic-development effort.<ref>Michael Grass, Virginia Counties May Withdraw From Open-Access Broadband Initiative, Government Executive (July 21, 2014).</ref>

The Old Grayson County Courthouse and Clerk's Office, Dr. Virgil Cox House, Gordon C. Felts House, Galax Commercial Historic District and A. G. Pless Jr. House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.<ref name="nris">Template:NRISref</ref>

Geography

Galax is located at Template:Coord (36.664675, −80.920275).<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, virtually all of which is land.<ref name="GR1"/>

The city is located Template:Convert northwest of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Template:Convert southwest of Roanoke, Virginia.

Demographics

2020 census

Galax city, Virginia - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)

Race / Ethnicity	Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	5,501	4,975	78.12%	74.03%
Black or African American alone (NH)	407	354	5.78%	5.27%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	7	13	0.10%	0.19%
Asian alone (NH)	37	52	0.53%	0.77%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	3	0	0.04%	0.00%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	7	15	0.10%	0.22%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)	91	250	1.29%	3.72%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	989	1,061	14.04%	15.79%
Total	7,042	6,720	100.00%	100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

2000 Census

As of the census<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 6,837 people, 2,950 households, and 1,843 families residing in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 3,217 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 86.11% White, 6.26% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 5.51% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.07% of the population.

There were 2,950 households, out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,236, and the median income for a family was $36,832. Males had a median income of $24,013 versus $18,393 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,447. About 13.6% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.8% of those under age 18 and 21.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

File:Galax, Va.png

Map showing City of Galax, Virginia

Galax has historically been a center of furniture manufacturing. In 2014, the Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Co., which manufactures bedroom furniture, employed 700 people in Galax and was reported to be unusually successful in an era when many U.S. factories closed due to globalization.<ref name="MacyNY">Beth Macy, The Decline of an American Furniture Maker, New Yorker (July 10, 2014).</ref><ref>Beth Macy, Picking Up the Pieces: Vaughan-Bassett Furniture still making it in America, Roanoke Times (February 11, 2012).</ref> The company won $46 million in an anti-dumping case against China, which allowed the factory to keep running.<ref name="MacyNY"/> In 2012, Vaughan-Bassett announced an $8 million expansion, including $4.5 million in new equipment and machinery upgrades and $1.5 million to purchase the old Webb Furniture Enterprises plant (which had closed in January 2006, eliminating 309 jobs).<ref>Richard Craver, Vaughan-Bassett announces reopening of furniture plant in Galax, Winston-Salem Journal (January 26, 2012).</ref>

Separate from the Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Co. was the Vaughan Furniture Co., which is a different business owned by the Bassett family. Established in 1923, the Vaughan Furniture Co. was a privately held company that at its peak owned five factories (two of them in Galax) and employed more than 1,800 workers.<ref name="Moxley">Tonia Moxley, Galax's Vaughan Furniture Co. to close in the new year, Roanoke Times (December 31, 2014).</ref> Beginning in 2002, imported furniture from Mexico and then China disrupted U.S. manufacturing, leading to the company's decline.<ref name="Moxley"/><ref>In the shadow of prosperity: Hard truths about helping the losers from globalisation, The Economist (January 18, 2007).</ref> In 2008, Vaughan Furniture Co. closed its last factory in Galax, laying off 275 employees. At the end of 2014, the company announced its impending closure after 91 years.<ref name="Moxley"/>

An economic analysis of southwestern Virginia cities and counties found that Galax had the highest increase in travel expenditures from 2004 to 2012, at 71.4%. The report found that "Galax, a city once dominated by industry, has become a blossoming tourism destination thanks to downtown revitalization efforts, its traditional music and arts scene (Old Fiddlers Convention, Chestnut School of the Arts), and its proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway and the New River."<ref>Jack Morgan, Southwestern Virginia: Authentic, Distinctive, Alive: SWVA Economic Analysis Report (n.d.), p. 5.</ref>

The Crossroads Rural Entrepreneurial Institute opened in Galax in 2005.<ref>Paul Dellinger, Galax, nearby counties celebrate opening of institute 'where dreams can come true', Roanoke Times (June 27, 2005).</ref>

Culture

File:Galaxdowntown-1998.jpg

Downtown Galax, Virginia

Located in the Appalachian region of the United States, Galax is known as a center of traditional "old-time" music and musicians, as is Round Peak, North Carolina near Mount Airy, some 15 miles away on the other side of the ridge.<ref>Brad Leftwich, Old-Time Fiddle Round Peak Style (Mel Bay, 2011), p. 5.</ref> Galax and the surrounding region are also known for traditional instrument-making;<ref>John A. Burrison, Roots of a Region: Southern Folk Culture (University Press of Mississippi, 2007), p. 71.</ref> A distinctive style of Appalachian dulcimer is named for Galax.<ref>Ralph Lee Smith, Appalachian Dulcimer Traditions (Scarecrow, 2010), pp. 66-70.</ref>

The annual Old Fiddlers' Convention, held in Galax since 1935, is a popular old-time and bluegrass music festival.<ref>Nick Kaye, Celebrating the Sounds of Appalachian Strings. New York Times (July 2, 2009).</ref><ref>Matt Bai, The Fallback, New York Times (March 12, 2006).</ref>

Recreation

The New River Trail State Park, a 57-mile state park following an abandoned railroad right-of-way, passes through the city of Galax and four nearby counties. The park is used by hikers, horseback riders, fishermen, canoeists, boaters, and cyclists, and features two tunnels, three major bridges, almost 30 smaller bridges and trestles, and a historic shot tower.<ref>New River Trail State Park: General Information, Virginia State Parks.</ref>

Located four miles east of Galax, in neighboring Carroll County, is the Crooked Creek Wildlife Management Area, which encompasses Template:Convert of gently rolling mountains, both forested and open.<ref>Crooked Creek WMA, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.</ref>

The Blue Ridge Parkway is about seven miles from Galax via South Main Street and Highway 89 with the picturesque Mabry Mill located at milepost 176.2 about thirty-five miles away.<ref>Blue Ridge Parkway-Mabry Mill https://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway-place/mabry-mill/</ref> The Blue Ridge Music Center featuring a concert center, mountain music museum and visitor center is at milepost 213.<ref>Blue Ridge Music Center http://www.blueridgemusiccenter.org/</ref>

Grayson Highlands State Park noted for scenic views, trail hiking including the Appalachian Trail, Mount Rogers (the highest peak in Virginia) and wild mountain ponies is about forty miles to the west near the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area.<ref>Virginia State Parks https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/</ref>

Climate

Long-term temperature and precipitation records describe the city's climate as an oceanic climate (Cfb) with monthly averages ranging from 32.5° to 70.7 °F in January and July, respectively.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The hardiness zone is 6b.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Webarchive

Education

Galax is served by the Galax City Public School Division.

• High School: Galax High School (serving grades 9 through 12)
• Middle School: Galax Middle School (serving grades 6 through 8)
• Elementary School: Galax Elementary School (serving prekindergarten through grade 5)

Notable people

• Kylene Barker, Miss America 1979
• Eddie Bond, singer and musician
• Nancy Melvina Caldwell, member of the Virginia House of Delegates
• Charles William Carrico Sr., member of the Senate of Virginia
• Virgil J. Cox, physician and state delegate<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Open access</ref>
• Bobby Dodd, College Football Hall of Fame as player and coach
• Dori Freeman, singer and songwriter
• Charlie Higgins, old-time fiddle player
• Mary Holland, actress and comedian
• Penelope W. Kyle, president of Radford University 2005 to June 2016
• Bart Lundy, NCAA college basketball coach High Point University, Marquette University, Queens University of Charlotte
• Tom McKnight, professional golfer Champions Tour
• Charles B. Morris, Korean and Vietnam War Veteran, Congressional Medal of Honor, Sergeant Major, US Army
• Larry Richardson, American bluegrass and old-time banjoist and guitarist
• Betsy Rutherford, old-time country music singer and recording artist
• Jim Scott, Virginia state legislator
• Ernest Stoneman, early country music recording artist
• Jack Kenny Williams, 17th President of Texas A&M University

Politics

Galax utilizes as a council-manager form of government. The mayor of Galax is Willie Greene and the city manager is, as of April 2024, Michael Burnette.<ref>Galax City Manager. Retrieved April 26, 2024.</ref>

Galax has voted for the Republican Presidential candidate in each of the last six elections.

See also

• Mountain View, Arkansas, a city with similar music culture in the Ozark Mountains
• National Register of Historic Places in Galax, Virginia

External links

• City of Galax official website
• Galax Tourism
• Old Fiddler's Convention
• Grayson Carroll Galax VA Directory
• Galax Scrapbook
• Template:Internet Archive short film