Appalachia, Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Appalachia
Town
Main Street looking southwest
Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Country	United States
State	Virginia
County	Wise
Area
• Total	2.31 sq mi (5.97 km2)
• Land	2.28 sq mi (5.92 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation	1,647 ft (502 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	1,754
• Estimate  (2019)	1,533
• Density	671.19/sq mi (259.10/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code	24216
Area code(s)	276
FIPS code	51-02040
GNIS feature ID	1481331

Appalachia is a town located in Wise County, Virginia, in the United States. In 2010, the town had a population of 1,754 people. The town is named after the beautiful Appalachian Mountains that surround it.

History of Appalachia

The Appalachia post office first opened in 1898. This means people could send and receive mail there from that year on.

Some important historical places in Appalachia are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect buildings and areas that are special because of their history. These places include the Derby Historic District, Kelly View School, and Stonega Historic District.

Appalachia was once a very busy place for trains. Three big railroad companies used to operate here: the Southern Railway, Louisville & Nashville, and the Interstate Railroad. These railroads were very important for moving goods and people.

Today, only the Norfolk Southern Railroad still runs through Appalachia. It mainly carries coal, which is a big part of the area's history. Sometimes, it also transports other materials like ammonium nitrate and limestone. You can often see old train cars with the names of the former railroads painted on them.

Geography of Appalachia

The town of Appalachia covers about 2.3 square miles (6.0 square kilometers) of land. It does not have any large bodies of water within its borders.

Main Street looking northeast

Appalachia is surrounded by many smaller communities. These places are often called "coal camp communities." They include towns like Andover, Arno, Derby, Imboden, Exeter, Dunbar, Pardee, Osaka, Roda, and Stonega. Many of these communities grew when the mining and railroad industries started in the early 1900s.

Population and People

In 2000, there were 1,839 people living in Appalachia. The town had about 790 households. A household is a group of people living in the same home.

The population was spread out in terms of age. About 25% of the people were under 18 years old. Around 16% were 65 years old or older. The average age in the town was 37 years.

Education in Appalachia

Before the 2011 school year, Appalachia High School joined with Powell Valley High School. They formed a new school called Union High School. Its mascot is the Bears.

In May 2017, Appalachia Elementary School officially closed. Students now attend other schools in the area.

Special Events

Every year, usually in the first week of August, Appalachia holds a special celebration. It is called Coal/Railroad Days. This festival celebrates the town's history with coal mining and railroads.

The festival includes many fun activities. There is a 5K road race, music concerts, and amusement rides. You can also find street vendors selling different items. A parade is a big highlight of the event.

Sometimes, Coal/Railroad Days has been part of even bigger celebrations. In 2000, the town had a large high school reunion called Appy 2000. In 2006, the festival helped celebrate Appalachia's 100th birthday!

World Records

The town of Appalachia is proud to hold two world records:

• Bee Rock Tunnel: This is the world's second-shortest railroad tunnel.
• The Peake Building: This is an apartment building where you can enter on any of its four floors from the street level.

See also

In Spanish: Appalachia para niños