Iron Gate, Virginia
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Iron Gate is a town in eastern Alleghany County,
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 ...
, United States. The population was 324 at the 2020 census. The town is located along
U.S. 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 ...
, near Clifton Forge.


History

The Town of Iron Gate was incorporated in 1889. The town's founding was a direct result of the Iron Age. During the 1880s, iron mines began opening in Alleghany County and the Alleghany Iron and Ore Company opened its blast furnace in the northern end of Iron Gate. The proximity to the railroad made the site of Iron Gate an optimal location. Many men were employed by the company until 1919 when operations ceased.


Geography

Iron Gate is located at (37.798484, -79.791219). 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 town has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.9 km2), all of it land. Iron Gate is also where the head waters of the James River arise.


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 divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Iron Gate has a
marine west coast climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring co ...
, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Iron Gate, Virginia
/ref>


Demographics


2020 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 2020, there were 324 people residing in the town. There were 170 housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 87.3%
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 ...
, 5.2% African American or Black, 0.3% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.0%
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 ...
, 0.0% from other races, and 6.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.


2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 388 people residing in the town. There were 183 housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 94.8% White, 3.9% Black or African American, 0.0% Native American, 0.0% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 0.0% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. 1.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.


2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 404 people, 185 households, and 121 families living in the town. The population density was 1,170.6 people per square mile (445.7/km2). There were 197 housing units at an average density of 570.8 per square mile (217.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 94.55% White, 5.20% African American, and 0.25% from two or more races. Of the 185 households 17.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 31.9% of households were one person and 17.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.73. The age distribution was 16.6% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 23.8% 65 or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 94.8 males. The median household income was $26,094 and the median family income was $34,464. Males had a median income of $27,222 versus $17,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,703. About 7.4% of families and 9.9% 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 8.8% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

Iron Gate is predominately a
bedroom community A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...
of Clifton Forge and Covington. Garten Trucking operates a large trucking terminal and warehouse in the town.


Recreation

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources maintains a public access point to the James River south of the town limits. The Iron Gate public access point is one of twelve that make up the Upper James River Water Trail, a blueway along the James River.


Government

Iron Gate operates a Mayor–council form of government. Iron Gate Town Council is composed of a mayor and six council members who are elected at-large.


Education

Iron Gate is served by Alleghany County Public Schools. Public school students residing in Iron Gate are zoned to attend Sharon Elementary School, Covington Middle School (since 2023), and Alleghany High School. Mountain Gateway Community College in nearby Clifton Forge is the closest higher education institution to the town.


Infrastructure


Public safety

Law enforcement is provided by the Alleghany County Sheriff's Office. Fire protection is provided by the Iron Gate Volunteer Fire Department which operates a fire station within the town.
Emergency medical services Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services, pre-hospital care or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to d ...
are provided by the Iron Gate Volunteer Fire Department and Clifton Forge Rescue Squad.


Transportation


Air

Ingalls Field, located near
Hot Springs A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a Spring (hydrology), spring produced by the emergence of Geothermal activity, geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow ...
is the closest
general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other ...
airport to the town. The Greenbrier Valley Airport and Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport are the closest airports with commercial service.


Roads

*
U.S. 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 ...
(Market Avenue)


Rail

The
CSX CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Railroad classes, Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles () of trac ...
operated
James River Subdivision The Richmond and Alleghany Railroad was built along the James River along the route of the James River and Kanawha Canal from Richmond on the Fall Line at the head of navigation to a point west of Lynchburg near Buchanan, Virginia, and combined w ...
runs through the town. The closest passenger rail service is located in Clifton Forge.


References

{{authority control Towns in Alleghany County, Virginia Populated places on the James River (Virginia)