Pittsylvania County, Virginia

Infobox U.S. County
county = Pittsylvania County
state = Virginia


map size = 250
founded = 1767
seat = Chatham | area_total_sq_mi = 978
area_land_sq_mi =971
area_water_sq_mi =7
area percentage = 0.75%
census yr = 2000
pop = 61745
density_km2 =25
web = www.pittgov.org
|

Pittsylvania County is a county located in the U.S. state — officially, "Commonwealth" — of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 61,745. Its county seat is ChathamGR|6. Pittsylvania County and the independent city of Danville, Virginia are combined in the Danville, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The largest undeveloped uranium deposit in the United States—and the seventh largest in the world—is located in Pittsylvania County. [Shulz, Max (2008, July 26). [http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB121702806468386311.html Virginia Is Sitting on the Energy Mother Lode] . The Wall Street Journal. Accessed 27 July 2008.]

History

Originally "Pittsylvania" was a name suggested for an unrealized British colony located primarily in what is now West Virginia. Pittsylvania County would not have been within this proposed colony, subsequently known as Vandalia.

The county was formed in 1767 from Halifax County. It was named for William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1766 to 1768 and opposed harsh colonial policies.

In 1777 the western part of Pittsylvania County became Henry County.

Maud Clement's History of Pittsylvania County notes the following: ”Despite the settlers’ intentions, towns failed to develop for two reasons: the generally low level of economic activity in the area and the competition from plantation settlements already providing the kind of marketing and purchasing services typically offered by a town. Plantation settlements along the rivers, particularly at ferrying points, became commercial centers. The most important for early Pittsylvania was that of Sam Pannill, a Scots-Irishman, who at the end of the eighteenth century, while still a young man, set up a plantation town at Green Hill on the north side of the Stuanton River in Campbell. (Clement 15)”

“Until the opening of the Dismal Swamp Canal in 1817-19, Pittsylvania was geographically cut off from access to the coast and thus had grown very slowly. Its economy was tobacco-dominated and reliant on a growing slave labor force. It was a county without towns or a commercial center. Plantation villages on the major River thoroughfares were the only centers of trade, until the Danville emergence.(Clement 23)”

The city of Danville’s history up through the antebellum period overall is an expression of the relationship between the town and the planters who influenced its development.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 978 square miles (2,533 km²), making it the largest county in Virginia. 971 square miles (2,514 km²) of it is land and 7 square miles (19 km²) of it (0.76%) is water.

Districts

The county is divided into seven districts: Banister, Callands-Gretna, Chatham-Blairs, Dan River, Staunton River, Tunstall, and Westover.

Adjacent counties and cities

*Bedford County, Virginia - northwest
*Campbell County, Virginia - northeast
*Halifax County, Virginia - east
*Caswell County, North Carolina - southeast
*Danville, Virginia - south
*Rockingham County, North Carolina - southwest
*Henry County, Virginia - west/southwest
*Franklin County, Virginia - west/northwest

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 61,745 people, 24,684 households, and 18,216 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 people per square mile (25/km²). There were 28,011 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile (11/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 75.00% White, 23.66% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.37% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. 1.23% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 24,684 households out of which 30.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were married couples living together, 11.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.20% were non-families. 23.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.00% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 26.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,153, and the median income for a family was $41,175. Males had a median income of $30,105 versus $21,382 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,991. About 8.60% of families and 11.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.80% of those under age 18 and 16.60% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Towns

*Chatham
*Gretna
*Hurt

Although Danville is within the boundaries of Pittsylvania County, it is not a part of the county. Since it is incorporated as a city, it is an independent city under Virginia law.

Unincorporated communities

*Blairs
*Chalk Level
*Dry Fork
*Grit
*Mount Airy
*Mt. Hermon
*Pickeral's Crossing
*Pittsville
*Renan
*Ringgold
*Sonans
*Straightstone
*Whittles Depot
*Tightsqueeze

ee also

*List of Virginia counties

References

External links

* [http://www.pittgov.org Pittsylvania County government official website]
* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncccha/ Caswell County Historical Association]