Buffalo Gap, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Buffalo Gap, Virginia
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Buffalo Gap is a mountain pass through Little North Mountain
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 Buffalo Gap, Virginia
Location in Virginia
Buffalo Gap, Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Augusta |
| Elevation | 1,781 ft (543 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1492667 |
Buffalo Gap is a small, quiet community located in Augusta County, Virginia, in the United States. It's about 9.5 miles (15.3 km) northwest of a larger city called Staunton. It's known as an "unincorporated community," which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Instead, it's part of the larger county.
The Story of Buffalo Gap
Early Days and the Iron Furnace
Long ago, Buffalo Gap saw a big change when a company built an iron furnace there. An iron furnace is like a giant oven used to melt iron ore and make iron. This new furnace brought a lot of activity to the area.
Because of the furnace, a small town quickly grew around it. This new town had about 70 houses for people to live in. It also had a railroad station for trains and a post office for mail. Several schools were built too, so children could get an education.
In 1850, a church called the Buffalo Gap Presbyterian Church was started. It was first located about a mile west of where the church stands today.
From Boom to Quiet Community
Sadly, the iron furnace didn't work out as planned. It wasn't successful, and because of this, Buffalo Gap became almost like a ghost town. Many people left, and the busy town became very quiet.
Later, a group called the Buffalo Gap Development Company took over. They hoped to bring life back to Buffalo Gap and make it a busy, thriving town once more.
By 2004, Buffalo Gap had become what people call a "bedroom community." This means many people who live there travel to nearby Staunton for work or shopping. They enjoy living in the peaceful countryside of Buffalo Gap.
In 2004, about 200 people lived in the Buffalo Gap community. It's a place where you can enjoy country life without being too far from a city.
