Galax is 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 ...

in the southwestern part of the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,720. The

Bureau of Economic Analysis The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the United States Department of Commerce is a U.S. government agency that provides official macroeconomic and industry statistics, most notably reports about the gross domestic product (GDP) of the United ...

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

The area that later became Galax was part of an

land grant A land grant is a gift of real estate—land or its use privileges—made by a government or other authority as an incentive, means of enabling works, or as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service. Grants ...

given to James Buchanan in 1756 by the British Crown. The first

plat In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Survey System, Public Lands Surveys to ...

map for Galax is dated December 1903; The town founders selected the site for the city on a wide expanse of

meadow A meadow ( ) is an open habitat or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non- woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as they maintain an open character. Meadows can occur naturally under favourable con ...

land bisected by Chestnut Creek and sitting at an altitude of on a plateau. The

Virginia General Assembly The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the oldest continuous law-making body in the Western Hemisphere, and the first elected legislative assembly in the New World. It was established on July 30, ...

officially chartered the town of Galax in 1906.George Ellison, ''Blue Ridge Nature Journal: Reflections on the Appalachian Mountains in Essays and Art'' (

The History Press The History Press is a British publishing company specialising in the publication of titles devoted to local and specialist history. It claims to be the United Kingdom's largest independent publisher in this field, publishing approximately 300 ...

, 2006), p. 39. The town is named for '' Galax urceolata'', an

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...

groundcover Groundcover or ground cover is any plant that grows low over an area of ground, which protects the topsoil from erosion and drought. In a terrestrial ecosystem, the ground cover forms the layer of vegetation below the shrub layer known as the ...

plant found throughout the

Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a Physiographic regions of the United States, physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States and extends 550 miles southwest from southern ...

. At the time, the plant was gathered and sold by many people in southwestern Virginia and northwestern

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

as an

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars th ...

; a Norfolk and Western Railway Company official suggested that the town be named for the plant. The first Galax Agricultural Fair took place in September 1908, when Galax had 600 residents.Nunn & Alley, p. 8. In the past, Galax was an industrial town; by the 1960s, Galax was home to six furniture factories, a

mirror A mirror, also known as a looking glass, is an object that Reflection (physics), reflects an image. Light that bounces off a mirror forms an image of whatever is in front of it, which is then focused through the lens of the eye or a camera ...

factory, at least four textile companies, two large department stores, a lumber company, Carnation Milk, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, and Clover Creamery. The Town of Galax was separated from Carroll and Grayson counties and became an independent city on December 6, 1953. 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 The bit is the most basic unit of information in computing and digital communication. The name is a portmanteau of binary digit. The bit represents a logical state with one of two possible values. These values are most commonly represented as ...

connections. This was part of an economic-development effort. 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 The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

Geography

Galax is located at (36.664675, −80.920275). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , virtually all of which is land. The city is located northwest of

Winston-Salem, North Carolina Winston-Salem is a city in Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the List of municipalities in North Carolina, fifth-most populous ...

and southwest of

Roanoke, Virginia Roanoke ( ) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. It lies in Southwest Virginia, along the Roanoke River, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Blue Ridge range of the greater Appalachian Mountains. Roanok ...

Demographics

2020 census

''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 A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 6,837 people, 2,950 households, and 1,843 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 3,217 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 86.11%

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

, 6.26%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.45% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 5.51% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

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 Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

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 Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $17,447. About 13.6% of families and 18.6% 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 26.8% of those under age 18 and 21.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Galax has historically been a center of

furniture Furniture refers to objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., Stool (seat), stools, chairs, and sofas), eating (table (furniture), tables), storing items, working, and sleeping (e.g., beds and hammocks). Furnitur ...

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 Globalization is the process of increasing interdependence and integration among the economies, markets, societies, and cultures of different countries worldwide. This is made possible by the reduction of barriers to international trade, th ...

.Beth Macy
The Decline of an American Furniture Maker
''New Yorker'' (July 10, 2014). The company won $46 million in an anti- dumping case against China, which allowed the factory to keep running. 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). 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 A privately held company (or simply a private company) is a company whose Stock, shares and related rights or obligations are not offered for public subscription or publicly negotiated in their respective listed markets. Instead, the Private equi ...

that at its peak owned five factories (two of them in Galax) and employed more than 1,800 workers.Tonia Moxley
Galax's Vaughan Furniture Co. to close in the new year
''Roanoke Times'' (December 31, 2014). Beginning in 2002, imported furniture from Mexico and then China disrupted U.S. manufacturing, leading to the company's decline. 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. 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 Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

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 The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and National Scenic Byway, All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is the longest linear park in the U.S., runs for through 29 counties in Virginia and ...

and the New River." The Crossroads Rural Entrepreneurial Institute opened in Galax in 2005.

Culture

Located in the

Appalachia Appalachia ( ) is a geographic region located in the Appalachian Mountains#Regions, central and southern sections of the Appalachian Mountains in the east of North America. In the north, its boundaries stretch from the western Catskill Mountai ...

n 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 A ridge is a long, narrow, elevated geomorphologic landform, structural feature, or a combination of both separated from the surrounding terrain by steep sides. The sides of a ridge slope away from a narrow top, the crest or ridgecrest, wi ...

. Galax and the surrounding region are also known for traditional instrument-making; A distinctive style of

Appalachian dulcimer The Appalachian dulcimer (many variant names; see below) is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or four strings, originally played in the Appalachian region of the United States. The body extends the length of t ...

is named for Galax. The annual Old Fiddlers' Convention, held in Galax since 1935, is a popular old-time and

bluegrass music Bluegrass music is a genre of American roots music that developed in the 1940s in the Appalachian region of the United States. The genre derives its name from the band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys. Bluegrass has roots in African America ...

festival.

Recreation

The New River Trail State Park, a 57-mile

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "Federated state, state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on accou ...

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. Located four miles east of Galax, in neighboring Carroll County, is the Crooked Creek Wildlife Management Area, which encompasses of gently rolling mountains, both forested and open. The

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. The Blue Ridge Music Center featuring a concert center, mountain music museum and visitor center is at milepost 213. Grayson Highlands State Park noted for scenic views, trail hiking including the

Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tra ...

, 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.

Climate

Long-term temperature and precipitation records describe the city's climate as an

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...

(''Cfb'') with monthly averages ranging from 32.5° to 70.7 °F in January and July, respectively. The

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...

is 6b.

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 The Virginia House of Delegates is one of the two houses of the Virginia General Assembly, the other being the Senate of Virginia. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbe ...

* Charles William Carrico Sr., member of the

Senate of Virginia The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate is composed of 40 senators representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts. The Senate is presided over by the lieutenant governor of Vir ...

* Virgil J. Cox, physician and state delegate *

Bobby Dodd Robert Lee Dodd (November 11, 1908 – June 21, 1988) was an American college football player and coach, college baseball coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Georgia Tech from 1945 to 1966, compili ...

College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...

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 Marquette University () is a Private university, private Jesuit research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It was established as Marquette College on August 28, 1881, by John Henni, the first Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Ar ...

Queens University of Charlotte The Queens University of Charlotte is a private university in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It has approximately 1,900 undergraduate and graduate students. Established in 1857, the university offers 50 undergraduate majors, 58 minors, ...

* 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.Galax City Manager
Retrieved April 26, 2024. Galax has voted for the Republican Presidential candidate in each of the last six elections.

References

External links

City of Galax official website

Galax Tourism

Grayson Carroll Galax VA Directory

Galax Scrapbook
* {{Coord, display=title, 36.664675, -80.920275 1906 establishments in Virginia Cities in Virginia Populated places established in 1906 Southwest Virginia