Penhook, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Penhook, Virginia
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 Penhook, Virginia
Location in Virginia
Penhook, Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Franklin |
| Area | |
| • Total | 12.7 sq mi (32.8 km2) |
| • Land | 11.2 sq mi (29.0 km2) |
| • Water | 1.5 sq mi (3.8 km2) |
| Elevation | 994 ft (303 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 801 |
| • Density | 72/sq mi (27.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
24137
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| Area code(s) | 540 |
| FIPS code | 51-61464 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1497083 |
Penhook is a small community in Franklin County, Virginia, in the United States. It is known as a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's an area that the government counts as a place for statistics, even if it's not an official town or city.
In 2010, about 801 people lived in Penhook. This was a bit more than the 726 people who lived there in 2000. Penhook is also part of the larger Roanoke area.
Penhook's Location and Size
Penhook is located in the eastern part of Franklin County. It sits near the border of Pittsylvania County. The community is also close to a part of Smith Mountain Lake. This lake has arms that reach into the area, like the Cool Branch arm.
The northern edge of Penhook is along the Blackwater River section of the lake. The northwestern edge follows the Bull Run arm of the lake. It then goes along Bull Run itself.
A main road, Virginia State Route 40, runs through the middle of Penhook. This road goes west about 17 miles to Rocky Mount. Rocky Mount is the main town in Franklin County. Route 40 also goes east about 16 miles to Gretna.
Penhook covers a total area of about 32.8 square kilometers (12.7 square miles). Most of this area, about 29.0 square kilometers (11.2 square miles), is land. The rest, about 3.8 square kilometers (1.5 square miles), is water. This water makes up about 11.70% of Penhook's total area.
A Look at Penhook's History
One of the oldest and most interesting buildings in Penhook is the Old Chapel Church. You can find it at 436 Old Chapel Road. This church is also known as "Snow Creek Chapel."
It was built way back in 1769 by the Church of England. It was made as a "chapel of ease." This meant it was a smaller church built for people who lived far from the main church.
In 2017, the Old Chapel Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historical places in the United States. Also, the governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, called the church a "Virginia Treasure." This special name is given to important natural, cultural, or scenic places in the state.
Who Lives in Penhook?
In 2000, a study counted 726 people living in Penhook. There were 308 homes, and 243 of these were families. The population density was about 65 people per square mile.
Most of the people living in Penhook were White (about 80.85%). About 18.18% were African American. A small number of people were Asian or from two or more races.
The people living in Penhook had different ages. About 17.8% were under 18 years old. About 19.6% were 65 years old or older. The average age in Penhook was 49 years.
