Richlands, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richlands, Virginia
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Intersection of Front and Suffolk in Richlands
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| Motto(s):
The Center of a Friendly Circle
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Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Virginia | |
| County | Tazewell | |
| Incorporated | 1892 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 5.71 sq mi (14.77 km2) | |
| • Land | 5.65 sq mi (14.63 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.14 km2) | |
| Elevation | 1,933 ft (589 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,261 | |
| • Density | 926.37/sq mi (357.70/km2) | |
| U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Population Estimates | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
24641
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| Area code(s) | 276 | |
| FIPS code | 51-66928 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 1473194 | |
| Website | http://town.richlands.va.us/ | |
Richlands is a town in Tazewell County, Virginia, United States. In 2020, about 5,261 people lived there. It is part of the larger Bluefield, WV-VA micropolitan area, which has over 100,000 residents.
Contents
History of Richlands
Richlands started as a farming community. It is located along the Clinch River. The town got its name because its land was very fertile, meaning it was "rich" for farming.
In 1890, a company called Clinch Valley Coal & Iron Company began to develop Richlands. They hoped the town's coal, iron, and timber would make it a big industrial center, like "Pittsburgh of the South." However, their plans stopped after a big stock market crash in 1893.
Richlands officially became a town in 1892. This means it was given the legal right to govern itself.
Some important old buildings in Richlands are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect places that are important to history. These include the Richlands Historic District, the Tazewell Avenue Historic District, and the Williams House.
Geography of the Town
Richlands covers an area of about 2.7 square miles (6.9 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Population Facts
Richlands has seen its population change over the years. Here is how many people have lived in the town during different census years:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 475 | — | |
| 1910 | 743 | 56.4% | |
| 1920 | 1,171 | 57.6% | |
| 1930 | 1,355 | 15.7% | |
| 1940 | 2,203 | 62.6% | |
| 1950 | 4,648 | 111.0% | |
| 1960 | 4,963 | 6.8% | |
| 1970 | 4,843 | −2.4% | |
| 1980 | 5,796 | 19.7% | |
| 1990 | 4,456 | −23.1% | |
| 2000 | 4,144 | −7.0% | |
| 2010 | 5,823 | 40.5% | |
| 2020 | 5,261 | −9.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 4,144 people living in Richlands. The town had about 1,566 people per square mile. Most of the people living in Richlands were White.
The average age of people in Richlands in 2000 was 41 years old. About 20% of the population was under 18 years old.
Education in Richlands
Students in Richlands attend schools that are part of the Tazewell County Public School System.
The schools in Richlands are:
- Richlands Elementary School
- Richlands Middle School
- Richlands High School
For higher education, Southwest Virginia Community College is located nearby in Wardell, Virginia. King University, which is based in Bristol, Tennessee, also has a campus at Southwest Virginia Community College.
Famous People from Richlands
Many interesting people have come from Richlands:
- Mike Compton was a professional American football player. He played as a guard for teams like the Detroit Lions and the New England Patriots.
- Mark Gibson is known as a racing driver.
- Cathryn Hankla is a talented poet and artist.
- Heath Miller was a very successful professional American football player. He played as a tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers and won the Super Bowl twice.
- Jim Moody served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Wisconsin.
- Larry Wright was a person who pretended to be a stock car racing driver in a big NASCAR race in 1982.
See also
In Spanish: Richlands (Virginia) para niños
