Craigsville, Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Craigsville, Virginia
Town
SR 42 in Craigsville
Location of Craigsville, Virginia
Country	United States
State	Virginia
County	Augusta
Area
• Total	2.07 sq mi (5.35 km2)
• Land	2.07 sq mi (5.35 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,529 ft (466 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	923
• Estimate  (2019)	931
• Density	450.41/sq mi (173.94/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	24430
Area code(s)	540
FIPS code	51-19904
GNIS feature ID	1492819
Website	http://www.craigsville.us

Craigsville is a small town in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. In 2010, about 923 people lived there. It is part of the larger Staunton–Waynesboro area.

History of Craigsville

Early Beginnings

The story of Craigsville began in 1721. A couple from Scotland, William and Jeanette Craig, received land from the government. They were the first people to settle and farm this land. The area eventually got its name from them. For over 100 years, from 1721 to the 1850s, it remained a farming community.

The Craigs had two sons, Robert and James. Mr. Craig divided his farm equally between them. Robert got the eastern part, and James got the western part.

Changes Over Time

The Craigsville School was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This means it's an important historical building.

Since 1960, when Craigsville officially became a town, it has provided water and sewer services to its residents. These systems have been updated over the years. The town also takes care of over 100 street lights.

The early 1960s brought many changes. The high school moved from Craigsville to Buffalo Gap. Later, the elementary school moved into the old high school building. The original elementary school building is now used as apartments.

Many local businesses, like the bakery, laundry, barber shop, drug store, theater, and hotel, have closed. However, there are still stores that provide what residents need.

Industry and the Prison

In 1968, two big companies closed: the Lehigh Portland Cement Company and the Stillwater Worsted Mill Industry. The building that used to be Stillwater is now used for storage.

More recently, the Augusta Correctional Center, a prison, moved into the nearby Estaline Valley. The town supplied water to the prison, which helped the town's economy. The prison also offered many jobs. However, in December 2023, the prison announced it would close permanently. This closure is a big challenge for Craigsville. The town will lose money from selling water to the prison. Local businesses might also see fewer customers.

Geography

Craigsville is located at 38°4′46″N 79°22′52″W / 38.07944°N 79.38111°W / 38.07944; -79.38111.

The town covers a total area of about 5.3 square kilometers (2.07 square miles). All of this area is land.

Transportation

View south along SR 42 leaving Craigsville

The main road that goes through Craigsville is Virginia State Route 42. If you travel northeast on this road, you can connect to U.S. Route 250. From there, you can reach Interstate 81 near Staunton by taking Virginia State Route 254. If you go southwest on Route 42, you can connect to Interstate 64.

Population Information

In 2000, there were 979 people living in Craigsville. There were 413 households, which are groups of people living together. About 31.5% of these households had children under 18. The average household had 2.37 people.

The population was spread out by age. About 24.9% were under 18 years old. Around 15.8% were 65 years or older. The average age in the town was 38 years.

Notable person

• Tony Schiavone, a well-known professional wrestling announcer and sports talk show host for companies like AEW and WCW.

Climate

The weather in Craigsville has hot and humid summers. The winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.

See also

In Spanish: Craigsville (Virginia) para niños