Luray, Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Luray, Virginia
Town
Downtown Luray
Location of Luray within Page County
Luray, Virginia Location in Virginia Show map of Virginia Luray, Virginia Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Virginia
County	Page
Named for	Luray, France
Area
• Total	4.86 sq mi (12.58 km2)
• Land	4.83 sq mi (12.50 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)
Elevation	797–1,010 ft (243 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,831
• Estimate  (2023)	4,828
• Density	1,004.14/sq mi (387.72/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	22835
Area code(s)	540
FIPS code	51-47528
GNIS feature ID	1498510

Luray is a small town in Virginia, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Page County. Luray is located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, which is in the northern part of Virginia.

In 2020, about 4,831 people lived in Luray. The town was started in 1812 by William Staige Marye. His family came from a town also called Luray in France. The current mayor of Luray is Jerry Dofflemyer.

Geography and Location

Luray is found at coordinates 38.664097 degrees north and -78.454531 degrees west. This tells you its exact spot on a map.

The town covers about 4.8 square miles (12.5 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a tiny bit being water.

Population and People

Main Street, Luray, in 1910

Aerial view in 2021

In 2000, Luray had 4,871 people living there. There were 2,037 households, which are groups of people living in the same home. About 1,332 of these were families.

The population was spread out in terms of age. About 22% of the people were under 18 years old. Around 21% were 65 years or older. The average age in Luray was 41 years old.

Fun Places and Landmarks

Luray has several interesting places to visit and learn about.

The Mimslyn Inn

The Grand Old Mimslyn Inn is a famous hotel built in 1931. It looks like a classic Southern mansion. Many people choose it for weddings. Even First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited the Mimslyn in the 1930s.

The hotel stands where an old home called "Aventine Hall" used to be. This home belonged to Peter Bouck Borst, a lawyer from the 1800s. Aventine Hall was carefully moved to another street in Luray before the Mimslyn Inn was built.

Luray Singing Tower

The Luray Singing Tower is also known as the Belle Brown Northcott Memorial. It was built in 1937 to honor the wife of Colonel Theodore Clay Northcott, who owned the Luray Caverns.

This tower is 117 feet (36 meters) tall. It has 47 bells, which together form a carillon. The bells were made in England. The biggest bell weighs over 7,600 pounds! You can enjoy free concerts here in the spring, summer, and fall. The tower is in a park right across from Luray Caverns.

Other Cool Spots

• Luray Caverns is a huge cave system located in the western part of Luray. It's a very popular tourist spot.
• Luray is close to the Thornton Gap entrance of Skyline Drive. This scenic road runs through Shenandoah National Park, and Luray is where the park's headquarters are located.
• The Luray Downtown Historic District is a special area recognized for its history and charm.
• Luray is home to Luray High School, where the sports teams are called the Bulldogs.
• The town also has The Page News and Courier, which is the main newspaper for the county.
• The Blue Ridge Bank, one of Virginia's oldest banks, was started here in 1893.
• The Shenandoah River is nearby, offering chances for boating, rafting, and fishing.

Cooter's Place Museum

Actor Ben Jones, who played Cooter in the TV show The Dukes of Hazzard, opened a museum near Luray. It's called "Cooter's Place." The museum has vehicles from the TV show, like the famous General Lee. You can also see other props and items from the show. There's a gift shop and a restaurant that serves Southern food. On weekends, Ben Jones sometimes performs live music with his band.

Education in Luray

The Massanutten School, a restored one-room schoolhouse in downtown Luray

Luray has schools for all ages.

Public Schools

The public schools in Luray are part of the Page County Public Schools system.

• Luray Elementary School
• Luray Middle School
• Luray High School

These schools serve students from Luray and the surrounding areas.

Private Schools

Mount Carmel Christian Academy is a private Christian school located just south of Luray.

Higher Education

Laurel Ridge Community College has a campus in Luray. Students can take many classes here to earn a degree. Many students from Page County and nearby areas attend this college.

Town Neighborhoods

Main Street in Luray

Belle Brown Northcott Memorial – also known as The Luray Singing Tower.

Luray is made up of several different neighborhoods. Most of the town's people live in these planned areas. Residents often refer to their neighborhood when talking about where they live.

Some of these neighborhoods include:

• Boomfield
• Cedar Knolls
• Court Street
• Downtown
• Fairview
• Forest Hills
• Golf Course/Oh Shenandoah!
• Hawksbill Heights
• Hilldale
• Husdon
• Old Farms
• Springview
• West Lu
• West Main Street / Bixler's Ferry (also known as "The Hill")
• Woodland Park

Famous People from Luray

Many interesting people have connections to Luray.

• Edward Almond: A United States Army general who fought in the Korean War.
• Floyd Baker: A professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball from 1943 to 1955.
• William Randolph Barbee: A sculptor known for creating beautiful classical statues. His son, Herbert Barbee, was also a sculptor.
• Peter Bouck Borst: A lawyer who helped develop Page County in the mid-1800s.
• Charles Frederick Crisp: A Congressman from Georgia who led the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives.
• Donald Edward Keyhoe: A Marine Corps pilot and writer who wrote many articles about aviation.
• Ben Jones: An actor famous for playing Cooter in The Dukes of Hazzard. He now owns a museum in Luray.

History of Luray

Luray became an official town on February 6, 1812, by a law passed in Virginia. It was first set up on ten acres of land near the Hawksbill Creek. Later, in 1871, it became an "Incorporated Town" and grew to about 442 acres.

Early Industry

In the late 1700s, a place called Redwell Furnace was built near Luray. Here, people made iron products like nails, farm tools, and stoves. This iron works was later called the Isabella Furnace. Other businesses, like a flour mill and a blacksmith shop, were also nearby. These industries helped the town's economy grow.

Town Growth

The first streets in Luray were planned in 1812 on land owned by Mr. Isaac Ruffner. Main Street and Peter Street (now Court Street) were among the first. The first house was built in 1814. Over the years, the town added more land and lots.

By 1845, Luray had several stores, a few churches, and about 500 people. The population more than doubled between 1880 and 1890, growing from 630 to 1,386 people.

The town continued to expand its borders over time. In 1941, 289 acres were added. More land was added in 1951, 1963, and 1985, bringing the total area to nearly 3,000 acres.

Becoming the County Seat

In the late 1700s and early 1800s, people in this area had to travel far to Woodstock to do important business like recording deeds or paying taxes. This trip was difficult because it involved crossing mountains and streams.

Because of this problem, Page County was created in 1831. Luray was chosen as the county seat because it was in a central location. This made Luray the main center for government, culture, and business in the new county.

Civil War History

View westward of Luray and New Market Gap from Skyline Drive on the Blue Ridge

Luray is sometimes mentioned in stories about the American Civil War. A battle between Union and Confederate cavalry happened nearby on September 24, 1864. This fight actually took place about three miles north of the town.

During this time, Union General Philip Sheridan sent about 6,000 soldiers to the Luray Valley. They fought against about 1,200 Confederate soldiers. One Union soldier, Private Philip Baybutt, even won the Medal of Honor for capturing a Confederate flag during this battle.

A book called Aunt Betty's Story was written in 1889. It is the autobiography of Bethany Veney, a formerly enslaved woman who lived in Luray.

Climate

The weather in Luray has hot, humid summers and cool winters. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.

Transportation

US 211 in Luray

The main roads that go through Luray are US 211 and US 340. These roads help people travel into and out of the area. There are also local business routes, US 211 Bus and US 340 Bus, which provide access to downtown Luray.

Images for kids

• Archeological Site No. AU-154

  Archeological Site No. AU-154

• Blackrock Springs Site

  Blackrock Springs Site

• Jeremey's Run Site

  Jeremey's Run Site

• Paine Run Rockshelter

  Paine Run Rockshelter

• Heiston-Strickler House

  Heiston-Strickler House

• Kanawha (Luray, Virginia)

  Kanawha

• Luray Norfolk and Western Passenger Station

  Luray Norfolk and Western Passenger Station

• Massanutton Heights

  Massanutton Heights

• Mount Calvary Lutheran Church

  Mount Calvary Lutheran Church

• Page County Courthouse (Virginia)

  Page County Courthouse

• Abram and Sallie Printz Farm

  Abram and Sallie Printz Farm

• Redwell-Isabella Furnace Historic District

  Redwell-Isabella Furnace Historic District

• Ruffner House

  Ruffner House

• Skyline Drive Historic District

  Skyline Drive Historic District

• Isaac Spitler House

  Isaac Spitler House

• Stover House

  Stover House

• Wall Brook Farm

  Wall Brook Farm

See also

In Spanish: Luray (Virginia) para niños