Highland Springs, Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Highland Springs, Virginia
Census-designated place
Highland Springs historical marker, part of the Highland Springs Historic District.
Highland Springs, Virginia Location in Virginia Show map of Virginia Highland Springs, Virginia Location in the United States Show map of the United States
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)
• 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
Area code(s)	804
FIPS code	51-37032
GNIS feature ID	1499559

Highland Springs is a community in Henrico County, Virginia, United States. It's located about 4 miles east of Richmond. In 2020, about 16,604 people lived there. It's called a "census-designated place" (CDP), which means it's a specific area identified by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes.

A Look Back in Time

Highland Springs was started in the 1890s by a man named Edmund Sewell Read. He created it as a "streetcar suburb" of Richmond. This means it was a neighborhood built along an electric streetcar line. People could easily travel by streetcar between their homes in Highland Springs and the city of Richmond.

Why Highland Springs Was Founded

The streetcar line, run by the Seven Pines Railway Company, connected Richmond to the Seven Pines National Cemetery. Many soldiers who died in the Civil War were buried there. Mr. Read thought that families visiting the cemetery would need transportation, which made the streetcar line a good idea.

Mr. Read moved to the area from Boston because he hoped the climate would be good for his wife's health. The natural springs in the area were a perfect fit for his family. These springs also inspired the name "Highland Springs."

How the Town Was Planned

Mr. Read bought about 1,000 acres of land along the streetcar route. He divided this land into many smaller lots for homes and businesses. He planned the streets carefully. The main street was already there, called Nine Mile Road. The new cross streets were named in alphabetical order after plants.

They started with Ash, then Beech, Cedar, Daisy, Elm, Fern, Grove, Holly, Ivy, Juniper, Kalmia, Linden, Maple, Oak, Pine, Quince, Rose, and Spruce. One street, Read Street, was named after Edmund Sewell Read himself. It runs parallel to Nine Mile Road. The large brick home of the Sewell family, which is now a medical office, is located on Nine Mile Road.

Where is Highland Springs?

Highland Springs is located at 37°32′44″N 77°19′43″W / 37.54556°N 77.32861°W / 37.54556; -77.32861.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the total area of Highland Springs is about 21.6 square kilometers (8.3 square miles). Most of this area, about 20.7 square kilometers (8.0 square miles), is land. The remaining 0.9 square kilometers (0.3 square miles), or about 4%, is water.

Population Information

Highland Springs has grown over the years. In 1970, about 7,345 people lived there. By 2020, the population had grown to 16,604 people.

Other Interesting Facts

Even though the streetcars are no longer running in Highland Springs, you can still see old brick streetcar buildings in other nearby areas. There's one in Richmond's Church Hill area and another in Sandston at Seven Pines. The way some streets are laid out in Sandston is even thought to be because of how the old trolley cars used to turn.

Highland Springs is also home to the Richmond Elite, a basketball team in the new ABA. Their home games are played at Highland Springs High School.

Climate

The weather in Highland Springs usually has hot and humid summers. The winters are generally mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate. On climate maps, you might see this abbreviated as "Cfa."

See also

In Spanish: Highland Springs para niños