South Boston, formerly Boyd's Ferry, is a town in
Halifax 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 8,142 at the 2010 census,
down from 8,491 at the 2000 census. It is the most populous town in Halifax County.
History
On December 8, 1796, 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, ...
authorized eight commissioners to establish at Boyd's Ferry on the south side of the
Dan River the town of South Boston, named for
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
. Because this site proved vulnerable to flooding, it was eventually abandoned in favor of a new settlement on the north side. By the 1850s the
Richmond and Danville Railroad passed through South Boston, which eventually developed into an important market for brightleaf tobacco. In 1884 it was incorporated as a town; in 1960 it became 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 ...
; and in 1995 it made history by being the first city in Virginia to revert to town status and rejoined Halifax County.
Within the town limits
Berry Hill Plantation,
E. L. Evans House,
Reedy Creek Site,
South Boston Historic District, 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 ...
.
Fourqurean House,
Glennmary,
Glenwood,
Tarover, and
Seaton are nearby.
South Boston was home to the National Tobacco Festival (a typically three day annual festival held every fall) from its inception in 1935 to 1941, when it was suspended during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. In 1948, the festival was moved to
Richmond when it outgrew the town. It was held in Richmond until 1984, when it was canceled due to rising production costs and decreased interest.
South Boston was the second largest producer of tobacco in the United States until the
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
.
Geography
South Boston is located south of the center of Halifax County at (36.707722, −78.903388).
It is bordered to the south by the unincorporated community of
Riverdale.
U.S. Route 501 passes through the center of the town, leading north to
Halifax, the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
, and south to
Roxboro, North Carolina.
U.S. Route 360 crosses the southeastern corner of the town limits, leading northeast to
Keysville and west to
Danville.
U.S. Route 58 passes through the southernmost part of South Boston with US 360, leading west with it to Danville but running east to
South Hill.
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 ...
, South Boston has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.74%, are water.
The
Dan River, a tributary of the
Roanoke River
The Roanoke River ( ) runs long through southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the ...
, flows to the east along the southern edge of the town.
Climate
Major highways
*
*
*
*
*
*
Demographics
As of the census
of 2000, there were 8,491 people, 3,502 households, and 2,185 families residing in the town. The population density was 694.7 people per square mile (268.3/km
2). There were 3,946 housing units at an average density of 322.8 per square mile (124.7/km
2). The racial makeup of the town was 50.63%
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 ...
, 47.25%
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 ...
, 0.21%
Native American, 0.48%
Asian, 0.51% from
other races, and 0.92% 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 1.45% of the population.
There were 3,502 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.1 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 73.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $25,964, and the median income for a family was $34,848. Males had a median income of $28,212 versus $20,371 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,872. About 15.3% of families and 20.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.2% of those under age 18 and 23.9% of those age 65 or over.
Notable Places
*
Southern Virginia Higher Ed Center
Notable people
*
Jeremy Jeffress, former pitcher for the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
and
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...
*
Michael Tucker, Major League Baseball player
*
William M. Tuck, 55th Governor of
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 ...
, born in
Halifax County, Virginia
Halifax County is a county (United States), county located in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 34,022. Its county seat is Halifax, Virginia, Halifax.
...
and rests in South Boston.
*
Walter B. Scates, Chief Justice of the
Illinois Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Illinois is the state supreme court, the highest court of the judiciary of Illinois. The court's authority is granted in Article VI of the current Illinois Constitution, which provides for seven justices elected from the fiv ...
and Illinois Attorney General, born in South Boston
* Burton Family of
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. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
.
Ward and
Jeff Burton, both brothers, are from South Boston and prepared for their racing career at
South Boston Speedway. Their children
Jeb (Ward) and
Harrison (Jeff) are from the city as well.
*
NFL player
Tyrone Davis of the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
and
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
is from South Boston.
*
Robert Llewellyn, born December 29, 1945, in
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 ...
, is a professional photographer who grew up in South Boston and now lives in
Earlysville, Virginia.
*
Grandmaster Slice, American hip-hop musician
*
Greg Vanney, former professional soccer player and head coach of the
LA Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The Gal ...
.
*
G. C. Waldrep, poet and historian, was born and raised in South Boston.
* Olympic high jumper
Tisha Waller is from South Boston.
*
Jay Blackton, who won an Academy Award for
Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture in ''
Oklahoma!
''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical theater, musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs (play), Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of ...
'', is buried in South Boston.
*
Colin Garrett, racing driver
See also
*
List of former counties, cities, and towns of Virginia
References
Further reading
Substantial Changes to Counties and County Equivalent Entities: 1970–PresentUnited States Census Bureau
External links
Town of South Boston official websiteHalifax County Department of Tourism''South Boston News & Record''''The Gazette-Virginian''Town records 1905–1999online at
Footnote.com
{{authority control
Towns in Virginia
Towns in Halifax County, Virginia
Populated places established in 1796
1796 establishments in Virginia