Bastian, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bastian, Virginia
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Bastian, Virginia
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 Bastian, Virginia
Location in Virginia
Bastian, Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Bland |
| Elevation | 2,182 ft (665 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 343 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
24314
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| Area code(s) | 276 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1492520 |
Bastian is a small community in Bland County, Virginia, United States. It is known as an "unincorporated community" and a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it's a recognized area for counting people, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. In 2020, about 343 people lived in Bastian. The community is located about 4 miles (6.4 km) north-northwest of Bland, Virginia, and has its own post office with the ZIP code 24314.
Contents
History of Bastian
Bastian is a small community nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. It was first settled between 1905 and 1908.
How Bastian Got Its Name
Originally, Bastian was called Parkersburg. It was named after Parker Hornbarger, who owned much of the land where the community was built, along with Jack Hager. Later, James Starks and Eli Leedy owned a lot of this land. The name "Bastian" came from F.E. Bastian, who was the manager of Bland County's only railroad.
Schools in Bastian
In the early days, children in Bastian went to a one-room schoolhouse. This was until 1923, when a bigger school was built. Before that, students also attended small schools near Hunting Camp Creek. When the Virginia Hardwood Lumber Company arrived in 1927, more people moved to Bastian. This meant more classrooms were needed, so several small schools were built. In 1955, a modern brick building for Bastian Elementary School was constructed. This building now serves as the Bland County School Board Office.
Industries and Jobs
Over the years, Bastian has been home to many different businesses and industries.
- The W.F. White Lumber Company
- The G.W. Miller Mining Planing Mill
- The Canva Mining Company (which mined manganese)
- The C&A Lumber Company
- The Tultex Sewing Factory
One of the biggest employers was the Virginia Hardwood Lumber Company. It operated a large sawmill in Bastian from 1927 to 1944. At its busiest, it employed 350 workers! Today, a company called General Injectables and Vaccines, which sells medicines, is one of the main employers in the area.
In the 1930s, Bastian was also home to an important camp for the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was a program during the New Deal that helped young men find work during the Great Depression. Thousands of young men stayed and worked at the Bastian CCC camp.
Railroad and Transportation
As the lumber industry grew, there was a need for better ways to transport materials. In 1912, the New River, Holston, and Western Railroad company built a new railroad line. In 1914, W.E. Mingea Jr. decided to extend the railroad from Bastian to Suiter. This new train line ran through several communities, including Narrows, Niday, Round Bottom, Rocky Gap, Hicksville, Bastian, and Suiter. The train carried both goods and passengers until it stopped running in 1946.
First to Get Electricity
In the early 1930s, Bastian became the very first community in Bland County to have electricity! They got their power from a large generator owned by the Virginia Hardwood Lumber Company. This powerful generator produced enough electricity to run both the company's operations and the entire community.
Later Changes
By the mid-1940s, several big changes happened in Bastian. The CCC camp closed down, the Virginia Hardwood Lumber Company stopped operating, and the railroad line was discontinued. In the early 1970s, Interstate 77, a major highway, was built just east of Bastian, bringing new connections to the area.
