Clifton Forge is a town in

Alleghany County, Virginia Alleghany County is an American county located on the far western edge of Commonwealth of Virginia. It is bordered by the Allegheny Mountains, from which the county derives its name, and it is the northernmost part of the Roanoke Region. The ...

, United States which is part of the greater Roanoke Region. The population was 3,555 at the 2020 census. The Jackson River flows through the town, which as a result was once known as Jackson's River Station. Clifton Forge was an

independent city An independent city or independent town is a city or town that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity (such as a province). Historical precursors In the Holy Roman Empire, and to a degree in its successor states ...

during the 2000 census. However, in 2001, Clifton Forge gave up its city status and reverted to a town. In previous decades, the railroad was a major employer. Clifton Forge is known for its mountain views and clear streams.

History

Clifton Forge Commercial Historic District Clifton Forge Commercial Historic District is a national historic district located at Clifton Forge, Alleghany County, Virginia. The district encompasses 77 contributing buildings in the central business district of Clifton Forge. It primarily ...

Clifton Forge Residential Historic District Clifton Forge Residential Historic District is a national historic district located at Clifton Forge, Alleghany County, Virginia. The district encompasses 728 contributing buildings and two contributing sites in a predominantly residential secti ...

, Clifton Furnace, Jefferson School, and Longdale Furnace Historic District are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

Transportation

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada. ...

, the national passenger rail service, provides service to the Clifton Forge station with the

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **'' Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **'' Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, t ...

route. Also Clifton Forge serves a major locomotive fuel facility for

CSX Transportation CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...

and is home to the Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society and C&O Railway Heritage Center. Clifton Forge is serviced by three major highways,

Interstate 64 Interstate 64 (I-64) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. Route 40 (US 40), and US 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchang ...

US Route 60 U.S. Route 60 is a major east–west United States highway, traveling from southwestern Arizona to the Atlantic Ocean coast in Virginia. The highway's eastern terminus is in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where it is known as Pacific Avenue, in th ...

, and

US Route 220 U.S. Route 220 (US 220) is a spur route of US 20. It runs in a north–south layout in the eastern United States, unlike its parent route as well as conventionally even-numbered highways which run east-west. US 220 extends for fr ...

Geography

Clifton Forge is located at (37.819801, -79.823584). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the town had a total area of , all land. Portions of the town were built upon a bridge, elevating the town above a stream.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, there were 3,884 people, 1,701 households, and 982 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 1,252.9 people per square mile (485.5/km²). There were 2,004 housing units at an average density of 646.5 per square mile (225.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.4%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 11.8%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population. There were 1,701 households, out of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.3% were non-families. 37.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.85. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.7% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 22.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $34,256, and the median income for a family was $53,547. Males had a median income of $38,500 versus $29,630 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $20,833. About 14.3% of families and 23.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 33.4% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

system, Clifton Forge has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

In popular culture

* ''Mama'' (2013 horror film) Although the film was produced in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

, it is set in Clifton Forge. *The 1985

video Video is an electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving visual media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, which were quickly replaced by cathode-ray tube (CRT) sy ...

for "

Driver 8 "Driver 8" is the second single from American musical group R.E.M.'s third album, ''Fables of the Reconstruction''. Released in September 1985, the song peaked at number 22 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It was not releas ...

" by R.E.M. was partly filmed in and around the C&O (Chessie System) yards. * Dopesick (miniseries), based on the book by Beth Macy, was filmed in several different areas of Clifton Forge.

Notable people

Natives

People born in Clifton Forge: *

Gary Ray Bowles Gary Ray Bowles (January 25, 1962 – August 22, 2019) was an American serial killer who was executed in 2019 for the murders of six men in 1994. He is sometimes referred to as The I-95 Killer since most of his victims lived close to the Inter ...

(1962-2019) - serial killer * Dana Brunetti (born 1973) - media executive * Bray Cary (born 1948) - politician * Lisa Disbrow (born 1962) - US Air Force secretary * Oscar L. Heltzen (1882-1968) - lawyer *

Richard L. Hoffman Richard Lawrence Hoffman (September 25, 1927 – June 10, 2012) was an American zoologist known as an international expert on millipedes, and a leading authority on the natural history of Virginia and the Appalachian Mountains. He was a biology ...

(1927-2012) - zoologist *

Johnny Humphries John William Humphries (June 23, 1915 – June 24, 1965) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1938 to 1946. Born in Clifton Forge, Virginia, he played for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies. Humphries playe ...

(1915-1965) - baseball pitcher * Trudi Lacey, basketball player and coach *

Nancy Massie Meadows Nancy Massie Meadows (1912–March 27, 1986) was the wife of former Governor of West Virginia Clarence W. Meadows and served as that state's First Lady, 1945-1949. She was born in 1912 at Clifton Forge, Virginia. She graduated from Stuart Hall ...

(1912-1986) - governor * Nathan Moore (born 1970) - musician known as "Percy Byrd" * William Overstreet Jr. (1921-2013) - WW2 pilot * Ira De Augustine Reid (1901-1968) - sociologist *

Denny Riddleberger Dennis Michael Riddleberger (born November 22, 1945) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. Listed at , , Riddleberger threw left-handed and batted right-handed. Dennis attended Churchland High School and then Old Dominion Universi ...

(born 1945) - baseballer *

Bryan Stinespring Bryan Stinespring (born October 12, 1963) is an American football coach. He is the Activities Director for Alleghany High School in Covington Virginia. He was the assistant head coach and offensive line coach at the University of Delaware, as we ...

(born 1963) - football coach * James T. Turner (born 1938) - senior judge * Roger Arliner Young (1899-1964) - scientist

Politics

References

External links

Town of Clifton Forge

Travel & Tourism
{{authority control Towns in Virginia Towns in Alleghany County, Virginia Populated places on the James River (Virginia) Railway towns in Virginia