Highland Springs, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Highland Springs, Virginia
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 Highland Springs, Virginia
Location in Virginia
Highland Springs, Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Virginia |
| County |  Henrico |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.3 sq mi (21.6 km2) |
| • Land | 8.0 sq mi (20.7 km2) |
| • Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.9 km2) |
| Elevation | 171 ft (52 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 16,604 |
| • Density | 1,991/sq mi (768.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
23075
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| Area code(s) | 804 |
| FIPS code | 51-37032 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1499559 |
Highland Springs is a census-designated place (CDP) located in Henrico County, Virginia, United States, 4.3 miles (7 km) East of Richmond. The population was 16,604 at the 2020 census.
History
Edmund Sewell Read founded the community of Highland Springs in the 1890s as a streetcar suburb of Richmond on the Seven Pines Railway Company's electric street railway line between the city and the National Cemetery at Seven Pines. There, many Union dead were interred, primarily as a result of battles nearby during the Civil War (1861–1865), most notably during the Peninsula Campaign of 1862. The potential traffic of visiting families to the Richmond area from out-of-town needing transportation to and from the cemetery was a motivating factor for inception of the new street railway.
Read came to the area from Boston in hopes of finding a suitable climate for his ailing wife. The natural springs in the area made it a suitable choice for the Read family, and apparently an inspiration for the new name.
Approximately mid-way along the new streetcar route from Richmond through eastern Henrico County, Read bought a 1,000-acre (400 ha) tract of land and divided it into lots. He laid out along the main street which was the pre-existing Nine Mile Road, new cross streets named in alphabetical order after plants, beginning from the west: Ash, Beech, Cedar, Daisy, Elm, Fern, Grove, Holly, Ivy, Juniper, Kalmia, Linden, Maple, Oak, Pine, Quince, Rose, and Spruce. One block south of and parallel to the Nine Mile Road, Read Street was named for its founder, Edmund Sewell Read.
The Sewells' large brick home is situated on the south side of Nine Mile Road between Grove and Holly, with Read Street to its rear. Today it serves as a medical office complex.
Like many neighborhoods in the south, Highland Springs has a street named after Robert E. Lee. The community also includes a Washington Street.
Geography
Highland Springs is located at 37°32′44″N 77°19′43″W / 37.54556°N 77.32861°W (37.545445, -77.328524).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.3 square miles (21.6 km2), of which 8.0 square miles (20.7 km2) is land and 0.35 square miles (0.9 km2), or 4.09%, is water.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1970 | 7,345 | — | |
| 1980 | 12,146 | 65.4% | |
| 1990 | 13,823 | 13.8% | |
| 2000 | 15,137 | 9.5% | |
| 2010 | 15,711 | 3.8% | |
| 2020 | 16,604 | 5.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 4,580 | 3,712 | 29.15% | 22.36% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 10,303 | 11,475 | 65.58% | 69.11% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 66 | 62 | 0.42% | 0.37% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 76 | 80 | 0.48% | 0.48% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 7 | 9 | 0.04% | 0.05% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 24 | 92 | 0.15% | 0.55% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 321 | 560 | 2.04% | 3.37% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 334 | 614 | 2.13% | 3.70% |
| Total | 15,711 | 16,604 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
Other information
Although no physical traces of the street railway remain in Highland Springs, old brick streetcar barns are extant both in Richmond, in the Church Hill area, and in Sandston at Seven Pines, where an unusual street configuration is attributed to the turning path of the old trolley cars at today's U.S. Route 60.
The new ABA team the Richmond Elite are based in Highland Springs, their home arena being Highland Springs High School.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Highland Springs has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
See also
In Spanish: Highland Springs para niños
