Pearisburg is a town in Giles 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 ...

. The population was 2,786 at the time of 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 Giles County. Pearisburg is part of the Blacksburg– Christiansburg

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

History

Pearisburg was founded in 1808 when Giles County was established. It was named after George Pearis, a local landowner who donated a tract to be used for a town that would grow up around the county court house. Pearis had operated a

ferry A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water taxi ...

on the New River at a settlement called "Bluff City", which is incorporated into the present boundaries of the town of Pearisburg.

Geography

Pearisburg is located slightly west of the center of Giles County at (37.329184, −80.732490). It is south of the New River at the foot of Pearis Mountain, which rises to to the southwest of town. 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 Tr ...

descends Pearis Mountain and passes through the western limit of the town before crossing the New River.

U.S. Route 460 U.S. Route 460 (US 460) is a spur route of U.S. Route 60. It currently runs for 655 miles (1,054 km) from Norfolk, Virginia, at its parent route U.S. Route 60 at Ocean View to Frankfort, Kentucky, intersecting its parent route once ...

passes through the north side of town, leading southeast to Blacksburg and west to

Princeton, West Virginia Princeton, is a city in and the county seat of Mercer County, West Virginia, Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The city is coined the "Heart of Mercer County" or the "Jewel of the South" in past decades. The population was 6,432 at the ...

Virginia Route 100 State Route 100 (SR 100) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 221 (US 221) in Hillsville north to SR 61 in Narrows. SR 100 is one of the major highways of the New River Valley, c ...

passes through the center of Pearisburg, leading south to

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

near

Interstate 81 Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Isla ...

. 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 ...

, Pearisburg has a total area of , of which , or 0.15%, are water.

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 2,729 people, 1,219 households, and 789 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 890.7 people per square mile (344.3/km²). There were 1,279 housing units at an average density of 417.5 per square mile (161.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.12%

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 ...

, 2.02%

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 ...

, 0.07% Native American, 0.51%

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 ...

, 0.44% 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 0.84% 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 ...

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 0.70% of the population. There were 1,219 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.77. In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.1% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $33,720, and the median income for a family was $39,938. Males had a median income of $30,347 versus $23,482 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 $17,412. About 11.5% of families and 15.0% 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 19.1% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.

Climate

The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. 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, Pearisburg has a

marine west coast climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...

, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Pearisburg, Virginia
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Notable people

Jason Ballard Jason Ballard is an American politician and attorney who is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for the 12th district. Elected in November 2021, he assumed office on January 12, 2022. Education Ballard earned a Bachelor of Arts degree ...

, member of the

Virginia House of Delegates The Virginia House of Delegates is one of the two parts 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 ...

* Walter C. Caudill, former member of the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia * James M. French, member of the Virginia Senate *

Sally Miller Gearhart Sally Miller Gearhart (April 15, 1931 – July 14, 2021) was an American teacher, feminist, science-fiction writer, and political activist. In 1973, she became the first open lesbian to obtain a tenure-track faculty position when she was hire ...

, author and political activist * David Emmons Johnston, congressman *

Rick Kingrea Richard Owen Kingrea (born July 18, 1949) is a former American football linebacker who played eight seasons in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, and the New Orleans Saints. He played college football at Tulane ...

, former NFL linebacker *

Burgess Macneal Burgess Macneal is an American electrical engineer, recording engineer and inventor. He is most widely known for his role in the invention of parametric equalization and operation/ownership of the Sontec and ITI brands. Early years Burgess Mac ...

, engineer and inventor *

William McComas William McComas (1795 – June 3, 1865) was an American lawyer and politician who served in the Virginia Senate, United States House of Representatives and voted against secession in the Virginia Secession Convention of 1861. During the American ...

, congressman *

Marty Smith Marty Smith (November 26, 1956 – April 27, 2020) was an American professional motocross racer. He competed in the AMA Motocross Championships from 1974 to 1981, most prominently as a member of the Honda factory racing team with whom he won t ...

, sports journalist * Randall Lee Smith, convicted murderer *

Jefferson Stafford Chester Jefferson Stafford (nickname "Jeff", April 20, 1939 – July 24, 1990) was a Virginia lawyer and politician. Elected in 1971 as a Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates, he represented what had been Virginia's 12th dis ...

, member of the Virginia House of Delegates * James F. Strother, congressman * Creed Taylor, jazz record producer * John W. Williams, clerk of the Virginia House of Delegates * Joseph R. Yost, former member of the Virginia House of Delegates

References

External links

Town of Pearisburg official website
{{authority control Towns in Virginia Towns in Giles County, Virginia County seats in Virginia Blacksburg–Christiansburg metropolitan area Populated places established in 1808 1808 establishments in Virginia