The Plains, Virginia

Infobox Settlement
official_name = The Plains, Virginia
settlement_type = Town
nickname =
motto =

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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of The Plains, Virginia


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Virginia
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Fauquier

government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
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established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 0.7
area_land_km2 = 0.7
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 0.3
area_land_sq_mi = 0.3
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 266
population_density_km2 = 399.7
population_density_sq_mi = 1035.1

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 186
elevation_ft = 610
latd = 38 |latm = 51 |lats = 46 |latNS = N
longd = 77 |longm = 46 |longs = 32 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 20198
area_code = 540
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 51-78192GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1496309GR|3
website =
footnotes =

The Plains is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 266 at the 2000 census. It is centered around Virginia Route 55 (John Marshall Highway) and Virginia Route 245 (Old Tavern Road). The mayor of The Plains is Robert Gurtler.

Geography

The Plains is located at coor dms|38|51|46|N|77|46|32|W|city (38.862698, -77.775464)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.7 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 266 people, 110 households, and 70 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,035.1 people per square mile (395.0/km²). There were 118 housing units at an average density of 459.2/sq mi (175.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.85% White and 10.15% African American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.38% of the population.

There were 110 households out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the town the population was spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $43,750, and the median income for a family was $45,313. Males had a median income of $41,250 versus $33,542 for females. The per capita income for the town was $27,909. About 13.7% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 14.8% of those sixty five or over.

Attractions

The Plains is home to Great Meadow, a large open-air and open-field facility that hosts several large events throughout the year, including the Virginia Gold Cup steeplechase horse race, which attracts over 50,000 guests on the first Saturday of each May.

A slave museum is located right by the train tracks that go through town.

Long Branch Baptist Church (est. 1786), the third oldest Baptist Church in Virginia, lies a little bit to the north, in the unincorporated area called 'Halfway.' The evangelist William Broaddus, founder of Southwestern Seminary in Louisville, was pastor there in the 1830s. His nephew, John Broadus is often called 'the father of homeletics (preaching)'.

Actor Robert Duvall used to operate a restaurant in the Plains, and still makes his residence north of town in 'Halfway.'

The town is also home to a corn maze.

The National Association of Rocketry will hold NARAM-50 there in the summer of 2008.

References

External links

* [http://www.greatmeadow.org Great Meadows website]
* [http://www.vagoldcup.com Virginia Gold cup website]
* [http://www.circleofseeds.com/index_cornmaze.html The Plains corn maze website]