Rocky Mount, Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rocky Mount, Virginia
Town
Franklin County courthouse, built 1909
Seal
Motto(s):  Crescit eundo It grows as it goes
Location of Rocky Mount in Franklin County
Country	United States
State	Virginia
County	Franklin
Founded	1786
Area
• Total	6.85 sq mi (17.74 km2)
• Land	6.82 sq mi (17.65 km2)
• Water	0.04 sq mi (0.09 km2)
Elevation	1,200 ft (400 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,903
• Density	693.0/sq mi (267.58/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code	24151
FIPS code	51-68496
GNIS feature ID	1499983

Rocky Mount is a town in Franklin County, Virginia, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Franklin County. The town is part of the Roanoke area. In 2020, about 4,903 people lived there. Rocky Mount is located in the Roanoke Region of Virginia.

History of Rocky Mount

Early Beginnings and Iron Works

In the 1740s, a man named Robert Hill built a block house. This was a strong building used for trading with Native Americans. English settlers arrived later, around 1760. They named the town Rocky Mount because of a steep cliff nearby. The area first had two small villages: Rocky Mount and Mount Pleasant.

The Washington Iron Furnace was built on what is now Main Street. It was used to make iron. This furnace was damaged by a flood in 1850. Repairs stopped when the American Civil War began.

Town Growth and Early Buildings

The first court meeting in Rocky Mount happened in 1786. This was after the American Revolutionary War. The court met in a home until land was given to build a courthouse. The first courthouse was made of logs. Rocky Mount got its own post office in 1795.

The town was divided into building lots in 1804. The courthouse was replaced with a new one in 1831. By 1836, the iron furnace employed 100 people. The town had about 275 residents. It also had 30 houses and several businesses. These included grocery stores and a newspaper office.

The oldest home still standing is "Mount Pleasant," built in 1829. Its detached brick kitchen, built around 1820, is the oldest building in town.

Rocky Mount During the Civil War

During the Civil War, many families from the eastern part of Virginia came to Rocky Mount for safety. Some brought enslaved African Americans with them. Henry A. Wise, a former governor, moved his family here. Jubal Anderson Early, who became a Confederate general, was born nearby. He had a law office in Rocky Mount.

One of the oldest buildings from that time was built in 1861 for Dr. Thomas Greer. Two other older buildings from 1850-1854 are still used as law offices today. Rocky Mount did not have any battles during the war.

After the Civil War and New Schools

In 1867, the Freedmen's Bureau helped open a Sunday school in Rocky Mount. About one-third of the people living there were African Americans who had been freed from slavery. There was no regular school for their children until much later. Booker Taliaferro Washington, a famous educator, was born enslaved in Franklin County. After the war, his mother moved him to West Virginia for his education.

Tobacco was a very important crop for the area before and after the Civil War. In 1873, Rocky Mount officially became a town. It joined with the smaller village of Mount Pleasant.

Railroads and Industry Boom

Rocky Mount's population grew from about 400 people in 1870 to 1100 in 1920. In 1880, the Franklin and Pittsylvania Railroad connected Rocky Mount to other towns. Most of the town's buildings burned in a big fire in 1889.

Another railroad, the Norfolk and Western Railway, was built around 1892. This helped the town grow even more. It was called the "Pumpkin Vine" because of its winding route. New factories opened, like Canadawas y Mills, which made flour and boxes in 1898.

Nathanial V. Angle, a former teacher, started the Bald Knob furniture factory in 1903. This factory later became the famous Lane Furniture Company. By World War I, Angle owned many businesses, including a lumberyard and the first Ford car dealership in the area.

Many of the town's historic buildings were built in the early 1900s. The present Franklin County courthouse was built in 1909. It looks like the Roanoke County courthouse.

New Churches and Businesses

New churches were built as the town grew. Trinity Episcopal Church, built in 1874, survived the 1889 fire. The Presbyterian Church also reopened after the fire. The Bethel AME church, built before World War I, is still used today.

A Coca-Cola bottling plant opened around 1920. The oldest car dealership in the area (Chevrolet) started in 1926. Other businesses, like a dairy bottling plant and an animal feed plant, opened before World War II. The Art Deco-style People's National Bank was built in 1928.

Schools and Public Works

For a long time, schools were separated by race. Schools for white students often had more money. In 1915, Rocky Mount built a new brick school for white students. In the same year, African American residents built the Rocky Mount Colored School and dormitory themselves.

Later, a modern school for African American students was built in 1952. This school was used until 1966, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that separate schools were not equal. This building is now used by the National Park Service.

The town's brick Municipal Building was built in 1929. During the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) built the United States Post Office in 1936. The county jail was also built in 1938. The WPA also helped improve roads and create Mary Elizabeth Park.

Modern Era and Historic Places

The library, built in 1940, was one of ten libraries funded by a secret donor in rural Virginia. It is now an administration building. In 1990, the old Norfolk and Western train station was saved. It is now a place for tourists to get information.

Several places in Rocky Mount are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Booker T. Washington National Monument and the Washington Iron Furnace.

Geography and Location

Rocky Mount is located in the middle of Franklin County. U.S. Route 220 goes around the east side of town. This road leads north about 23 miles to Roanoke, Virginia and south about 26 miles to Martinsville, Virginia. Virginia State Route 40 goes through the center of Rocky Mount.

The town covers about 6.85 square miles of land. A small part, about 0.04 square miles, is water. The Pigg River flows along the southern edge of the town. Grassy Hill, a hill about 1934 feet high, is in the northern part of town.

Climate

Rocky Mount has a climate with hot, humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. This type of climate is called a humid subtropical climate.

Population and People

Population Changes Over Time

State historical marker for Rocky Mount

2020 Census Information

In 2020, there were 4,903 people living in Rocky Mount. There were 2,063 households. The town's population was mostly White (72.4%) and Black (20.3%). Other groups made up smaller parts of the population. About 3.6% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

The average income for a household in the town was $46,021. For families, the average income was $56,250.

Notable People from Rocky Mount

• Joey Arrington, a racing car driver.
• Jane Derby, a fashion designer, was born here.
• Jubal A. Early, a Confederate general, had his law office here.
• Ron Hodges, a former baseball player for the New York Mets, was born and grew up here.
• Jesse L. Martin, an actor, was born and grew up here.
• Virgil Goode, a politician, grew up here.
• Satch Worley, a racing car driver.

Images for kids

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  Franklin County courthouse, built 1909

• 

  Location of Rocky Mount in Franklin County

• 

  Seal of Rocky Mount

• 

  State historical marker for Rocky Mount

See also

In Spanish: Rocky Mount (Virginia) para niños