Buena Vista, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
City of Buena Vista
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 Buena Vista, Virginia
Location in Shenandoah Valley
Buena Vista, Virginia
Location in Virginia
Buena Vista, Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Virginia | |
| County | None (Independent city) | |
| Hart's Bottom Green Forest Green Valley |
c. 1800 | |
| Buena Vista | December 1888 | |
| Incorporated (town) | 1890 | |
| Incorporated (independent city) | 15 February 1892 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 6.52 sq mi (16.89 km2) | |
| • Land | 6.44 sq mi (16.67 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.09 sq mi (0.22 km2) | |
| Elevation | 837 ft (255 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,641 | |
| • Density | 1,018.6/sq mi (393.19/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Zip code |
24416
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| FIPS code | 51-11032 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 1492666 | |
| Website | https://www.buenavistava.org/ | |
Buena Vista (pronounced BEW-nə VIS-tə) is a cool place located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, in the United States. It's called an independent city, which means it's not part of a county. In 2020, about 6,641 people lived there. For official statistics, Buena Vista is often grouped with nearby Lexington and Rockbridge County.
The city is about 39 miles northwest of Lynchburg and 56 miles northeast of Roanoke.
Contents
History of Buena Vista
Buena Vista has had a few different names! Before 1888, it was known as Hart's Bottom, Green Forest, or Green Valley. It became a town in 1890. On February 15, 1892, it officially became an independent city, separating from Rockbridge County.
Several important places in Buena Vista are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Buena Vista Downtown Historic District, the Buena Vista Colored School, Cedar Hill, Glen Maury, the Old Courthouse, the Southern Seminary Main Building, and the W.N. Seay House. These spots help tell the city's story!
How Buena Vista Started
In 1863, a survey showed just a few buildings where Buena Vista is now. These included the Paxton and Majors properties, which had mills along the Maury River. The city itself was started by Benjamin C. Moomaw in the late 1800s. It began with a simple tannery (a place that makes leather) where two railroads and a canal met.
The Richmond and Alleghany Railroad and the Shenandoah Valley Railroad were important. The James River Canal was also there. It had been used since the 1700s to move goods from Virginia's Atlantic ports to Lexington. By the time Buena Vista was founded, the canal was used to provide water power.
After opening the tannery, Moomaw also started a pulp mill (for making paper) and a canning factory. In 1882, Appold & Sons Tannery opened. The first public school in Buena Vista opened in 1885.
A Time of Growth
In 1893, people described Buena Vista as a town that seemed to appear "as if by magic." In that same year, a law was passed to ban alcohol sales, making it a "dry town." Before 1889, there were almost no buildings in the area. But then, in December 1888, Benjamin Moomaw wrote the Buena Vista Prospectus. This plan helped organize the town and sell shares to raise money.
All the shares were sold in just 30 days, raising $400,000! This money helped plan the town and bring in people and businesses. On February 22, 1889, a large amount of iron ore was found. This discovery led to a huge economic boom that lasted until March 4, 1892.
In just three years, the community grew a lot! Many new buildings and businesses were added:
- A new brick school house
- An opera house
- Two churches
- A fancy hotel
- A new Masonic Lodge (Buena Vista Lodge No. 186)
- A paper and pulp mill
- A saddle factory
- A cashmere mill
- Two brick and clay factories
- A wagon factory
- Two banks
- An egg crate factory
- An electric light plant
- A furniture and chair factory
- A boiler factory
- An iron furnace and steel factory
- A glass factory
- Several wood and lumber businesses
Dealing with Floods
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Buena Vista is on the east side of the Maury River, at the bottom of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Maury River has caused damaging floods in nearby towns many times. Some big floods happened in 1870, 1936, 1969, 1985, and 1995.
The flood in 1969 was caused by heavy rain from Hurricane Camille. The flood in 1985 happened because of three storm systems, including Hurricane Juan, which brought a lot of rain to western Virginia. The biggest flood for Buena Vista happened on August 20, 1969. During this flood, downtown Buena Vista was covered in over 5 feet of water.
To help prevent future damage, the James C. Olin Flood Control Project was finished in 1997. This project includes a 2.5-mile levee wall. A walking trail called the River Walk is built on top of this wall.
Geography of Buena Vista
Buena Vista is located at coordinates 37°44′04″N 79°21′15″W. It is surrounded by Rockbridge County, but it is a separate city. The Maury River forms part of Buena Vista's western border. The city limits even cross the river in one spot to include Glen Maury Park.
U.S. Route 60 goes through the north side of Buena Vista. If you go northwest on US 60, you'll reach Lexington in about 6 miles. If you go east, you'll cross the Blue Ridge Mountains and reach Amherst in about 26 miles. US 60 also connects to Interstate 81 about 3.5 miles west of Buena Vista.
U.S. Route 501 starts in Buena Vista and heads south. It goes about 38 miles to Lynchburg, passing through the James River gorge.
The United States Census Bureau says that the city covers a total area of about 6.8 square miles (17.6 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.
People of Buena Vista
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 1,044 | — | |
| 1900 | 2,388 | 128.7% | |
| 1910 | 3,245 | 35.9% | |
| 1920 | 3,911 | 20.5% | |
| 1930 | 4,002 | 2.3% | |
| 1940 | 4,335 | 8.3% | |
| 1950 | 5,214 | 20.3% | |
| 1960 | 6,300 | 20.8% | |
| 1970 | 6,425 | 2.0% | |
| 1980 | 6,717 | 4.5% | |
| 1990 | 6,406 | −4.6% | |
| 2000 | 6,349 | −0.9% | |
| 2010 | 6,650 | 4.7% | |
| 2020 | 6,641 | −0.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2020
In 2020, the population of Buena Vista was 6,641 people.
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2020 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 5,660 | 85.23% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 289 | 4.35% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 39 | 0.59% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 24 | 0.36% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 24 | 0.36% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 18 | 0.27% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 358 | 5.39% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 229 | 3.45% |
| Total | 6,641 | 100.00% |
Quick Facts from 2018
In 2018, Buena Vista had about 6,237 people living in 2,539 homes.
- About 17.4% of the people were under 18 years old.
- About 19.5% were 65 years or older.
- Most of the people (89.9%) were white.
- About 5.5% were Black or African American.
- About 2.7% were of Hispanic or Latino background.
The average household income was $34,273. About 15.2% of people lived below the poverty line. Most homes (66.7%) were owned by the people living in them. The average value of these homes was $122,100.
Education in Buena Vista
Buena Vista is home to Southern Virginia University. In the fall of 2019, about 1,106 full-time students attended this university.
The Buena Vista City Public School (BVCPS) system serves the city's students. For the 2019-2020 school year, there were 895 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. All four schools in the system are officially recognized by the Virginia Department of Education.
Here are the four schools in the system:
- F. W. Kling Elementary: Serves grades Pre-K through 2.
- Enderly Heights Elementary: Serves grades 3 through 5.
- Parry McCluer Middle: Serves grades 6-7.
- Parry McCluer High: Serves grades 8-12.
Media and News
Buena Vista is part of the Roanoke/Lynchburg media area. Local TV news comes from stations in Roanoke, Virginia. The Roanoke Times is the main daily newspaper for Buena Vista.
There are also several local publications that cover Buena Vista, Lexington, and Rockbridge County:
- The Rockbridge Advocate (a monthly magazine)
- The News-Gazette (a weekly newspaper)
- The Rockbridge Report (a weekly website and TV show by students at Washington and Lee University)
Buena Vista is also where the classic hits radio station 96.7 3WZ is based.
Landmarks to See
Buena Vista has some interesting landmarks and historic places:
- The 1890 Buena Vista Hotel: This building is now called Main Hall at Southern Virginia University.
- The original Buena Vista Courthouse: This building is now the A.B. Modine Memorial Library.
- Canton Chinese Restaurant
- Glen Maury Park: This park has a two-story wooden pavilion. From the pavilion, you can see amazing 360-degree views of the area.
Climate
The weather in Buena Vista usually has hot, humid summers. Winters are generally mild to cool. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Buena Vista has a humid subtropical climate. This means it gets plenty of rain and has warm temperatures for much of the year.
Famous People from Buena Vista
- Charlie Manuel: He was a Major League Baseball manager who won the World Series with the Philadelphia Phillies. Charlie Manuel lived in Buena Vista and graduated from Parry McCluer High School, where he was a star in many sports. He played in the Major Leagues and in Japan during his baseball career.
- Gary Jennings: This best-selling historical fiction writer was born in Buena Vista. He is famous for his novel Aztec.
See also
In Spanish: Buena Vista (Virginia) para niños
