Moneta is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

in Bedford County,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, United States. The community is located along Route 122 between the towns of

Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...

and Rocky Mount.

History

Olive Branch Missionary Baptist Church and the Holland-Duncan House 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 ...

. On August 26, 2015, the community made news when journalists Alison Parker and Adam Ward were murdered on live television by former colleague Vester Flanagan at a nearby shopping center and marina.

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 CDP has a total area of 3.846 square miles (9.96 km²).

Demographics

2020 census

The community was delineated by the US Census Bureau for the first time during the 2020 Census. 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 2020, there were 450 people residing in the CDP. There were 223 housing units. The racial makeup of the CDP was 81.8%

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 ...

, 6.9% African American or Black, 0.0% American Indian, 0.7%

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 ...

, 0.0%

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 ...

, 2.4% 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 8.2% from

two or more races 2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many cultur ...

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, for example, by the United States ...

of any race were 6.7% of the population.

Government

The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...

operates the Moneta Post Office within the CDP. The Moneta ZIP code extends to both sides of

Smith Mountain Lake Smith Mountain Lake is a large reservoir in the Roanoke Region of Virginia, United States, located southeast of the City of Roanoke and southwest of Lynchburg. The lake was created in 1963 by the Smith Mountain Dam impounding the Roanoke River. ...

, including parts of Franklin County, since there is no Smith Mountain Lake postal address. Law enforcement is provided by the Bedford County Sheriff's Office, which maintains a field office within the CDP. Fire protection is provided by Moneta Volunteer Fire Department, which operates three fire stations, including one within the CDP.

Emergency medical services Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to definitive care. ...

are provided by the Moneta Volunteer Rescue Squad and Bedford County Department of Fire and Rescue.

Education

The CDP is served by

Bedford County Public Schools Bedford County Public Schools is a school district based in Bedford, Virginia, United States. It serves Bedford County, Virginia, United States. Schools Elementary schools *Bedford Elementary School *Bedford Primary School *Big Island Eleme ...

. Public school students residing in Moneta are zoned to attend Moneta Elementary School, Staunton River Middle School, and

Staunton River High School Staunton River High School is one of the three high schools in Bedford County, Virginia, opened in the Fall of 1963. The Principal is Mrs. Darcy Parker, with two assistant principals (Mrs. Dooley and Mr. Hetherington). Characteristics SRHS is a cam ...

Transportation

Air

Smith Mountain Lake Airport is the closest

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...

airport to Moneta. The Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport and

Lynchburg Regional Airport Lynchburg Regional Airport , also known as Preston Glenn Field, is a public use airport in Campbell County, Virginia, United States. It is located at the intersection of Route 29 South and Route 460, five nautical miles (6 mi, 9&nbs ...

are the closest airports with commercial service.

Highways

* Virginia Route 122

Rail

Norfolk Southern The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Railroad classes, Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway (U.S.), Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the ...

rail line runs through the CDP. The closest passenger rail service is located in Roanoke and Lynchburg.

In popular culture

Moneta was popularized as the filming location for scenes in the 1991 movie ''

What About Bob? ''What About Bob?'' is a 1991 American black comedy film directed by Frank Oz and starring Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss. Murray plays Bob Wiley, a troubled patient who follows his self-centered psychotherapist Dr. Leo Marvin (Dreyfuss) on v ...

''. In the movie, Bob arrived by bus with his goldfish and went into a local general store, which still stands, albeit in a disheveled state because it is no longer open.

References

Unincorporated communities in Bedford County, Virginia Unincorporated communities in Virginia {{BedfordCountyVA-geo-stub