Floyd is a town in
Floyd County, Virginia
Floyd County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,476. Its county seat is the town of Floyd. Floyd County is included in the Blacksburg- Christiansburg, VA Metropolitan Statistical ...
, United States. The population was 425 at the
2010 census. It is the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Floyd County.
The Town of Floyd was originally named Jacksonville as the surrounding county was formed during the tenure of President
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...
. The name was subsequently changed to Floyd for Virginia governor
John Floyd.
History
The
Floyd Historic District,
Floyd Presbyterian Church,
Glenanna,
Phlegar Farm, and
Oakdale 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 v ...
.
File:Floyd, Va - Country Store.jpg, Floyd Country Store, the location of the "Friday Night Jamboree" of old-time string band and bluegrass music
File:Floyd, Va - Hardware store.jpg, Hardware store at the main intersection
Geography
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 the ...
, the town has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.2 km
2), all of it land.
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, notabl ...
system, Floyd 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.
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 incl ...
of 2000, there were 432 people, 238 households, and 117 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 RosenberPopul ...
was 942.3 people per square mile (362.6/km
2). There were 264 housing units at an average density of 575.9 per square mile (221.6/km
2). The racial makeup of the town was 93.29%
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 on ...
, 4.63%
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 ...
, 0.23%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.23%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.69% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.93% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.69% of the population.
There were 238 households, out of which 18.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.0% 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 t ...
living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.8% were non-families. 49.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 31.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.82 and the average family size was 2.57.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.5% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 30.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 70.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 66.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $25,781, and the median income for a family was $40,938. Males had a median income of $27,232 versus $19,464 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 town was $23,557. About 10.4% of families and 13.2% 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 t ...
, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 16.9% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
The Town of Floyd is becoming known as a regional destination for music, especially
bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a genre of American roots music
The term American folk music encompasses numerous music genres, variously known as ''traditional music'', ''traditional folk music'', ''contemporary folk music'', ''vernacular music,'' or ...
, and
old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dancing, clogging, and buck dancing. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering on a combination ...
. The Floyd Country Store's Friday Night Jamboree, which features local and area bands, has been held each Friday night for many years, gaining in popularity during the past decade. In fair weather, the indoor stage performances and dancing are joined by simultaneous banjo-and-fiddle-centered jam sessions in driveways and seating areas along South Locust Street. Local old time string band The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee won first prize at the 85th Annual Old Fiddlers' Convention held in Galax, Virginia.
County Sales, a notable music distribution company founded by
David Freeman focusing on old-time, bluegrass and related music, is located in the town.
[
]
Floyd is also home to a large
counter-culture
A counterculture is a culture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, sometimes diametrically opposed to mainstream cultural mores.Eric Donald Hirsch. ''The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy''. Hou ...
movement. There are other musical venues and stages in the town, featuring many different styles of music. The Winter Sun, a complex in downtown Floyd, frequently hosts shows for bands. The National Music Festival, focused on classical music, hosted its first season in Floyd in 2011.
Floyd is the location of Red Rooster Coffee.
Notable people
*
Donna Polseno, visual artist known for pottery, ceramics, and sculpture
*
Curtis Turner
Curtis Morton Turner (April 12, 1924 – October 4, 1970) was an American stock car racer. Throughout his life, he developed a reputation for drinking and partying. In 1999, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
History
He was ...
, former
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
driver
*
Don Williams
Donald Ray Williams (May 27, 1939 – September 8, 2017) was an American country singer, songwriter, and 2010 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He began his solo career in 1971, singing popular ballads and amassing seventeen number ...
,
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
pitcher
Don Williams Stats
Retrieved December 30, 2020.
* Morgan Wade, singer
See also
* National Register of Historic Places in Floyd County, Virginia
*Chateau Morrisette Winery
Chateau Morrisette Winery is a winery located in Floyd, Virginia. It was founded by David Morrisette in 1980, making it among the oldest wineries in Virginia. Containing of land, the winery production has increased to approximately 60,000 case ...
References
External links
*
{{authority control
Towns in Floyd County, Virginia
Towns in Virginia
County seats in Virginia