kids encyclopedia robot

Southside (Virginia) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Southside, also known as Southside Virginia, is a special part of the state of Virginia. It's mostly the area south of the James River. This river is where the name "Southside" comes from! It was one of the first places in Virginia where people settled during the time of the colonies.

Southside- Location
Southside of Virginia

Back when Virginia was a colony, Southside was a place for people who wanted to start new businesses. It was different from the Tidewater area, which had older, richer families. Many early settlers in Southside were younger sons from these established Tidewater families.

A big part of Southside was created in 1703. This happened when Prince George County, Virginia was formed from Charles City County. Over time, four more counties and three cities were also created from this land.

Today, some people define Southside a bit differently. They see it as the southern part of Virginia's Piedmont region. This means it's south of the James River, west of the Fall Line, and east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This area is often thought of as the true heart of Southside. This newer definition also considers how cities like Richmond have grown. Their suburbs now cover large parts of nearby counties like Chesterfield and Powhatan.

Southside Virginia is also sometimes called Virginia's Black Belt. This is because it has historically had a large number of African-Americans living there compared to other parts of the state. Southside is the northern tip of a larger "Black Belt" region. This region stretches all the way from Virginia to East Texas.

Counties in Southside Virginia

Many counties are considered part of the Southside region. Some of the first ones were created from Prince George County, Virginia. These include Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Nottoway, Amelia, and Prince Edward. The city of Petersburg, Virginia is also in this area, along with Richmond.

The western part of Southside is known for being rural and having a traditional culture. Counties in this area include:

Several independent cities are also in western Southside. These are Danville, Emporia, and Martinsville.

The western areas of Southside have strong ties to North Carolina. For example, people from Danville and Martinsville often visit the Piedmont Triad in North Carolina for shopping and to use the Piedmont Triad International Airport. People from South Boston and Clarksville, Virginia travel to the Research Triangle in North Carolina for similar reasons, including using the Raleigh–Durham International Airport.

Southside Virginia Climate

The Southside Piedmont region has a different climate than Virginia's coastal areas. Summers are usually hot. High temperatures are often in the upper 80s to low 90s Fahrenheit (low 30s Celsius). This can be 5 to 7 degrees Fahrenheit (3 to 4 degrees Celsius) hotter than in Richmond.

Winters are moderately cold. Nighttime temperatures often drop below freezing. It can be 5 to 7 degrees Fahrenheit (3 to 4 degrees Celsius) cooler than in Norfolk. This difference is because Southside is farther from the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean helps to keep coastal temperatures more moderate.

Snow and frozen rain usually fall every year in Southside. The western and northern parts of the area typically get a few more inches of snow than the rest.

Industries and Jobs

For a long time, Southside was famous for its tobacco crops. The rich soil and frequent spring rains were perfect for growing tobacco. Farmers also grew soybeans and some types of cotton. However, tobacco uses up nutrients in the soil. So, in the early 1800s, farmers in the Piedmont area started growing a mix of different crops.

The Fall Line was where the first industries began. Mills used the power of rivers to operate in cities like Richmond and Petersburg, Virginia. Petersburg was an industrial city even before the American Civil War. It had many free black people working there.

Starting in the 1940s, many textile mills opened in the Southside Piedmont area. One of the biggest was Dan River Mills in Danville. Martinsville was also known for its textile mills. Companies like Tultex and Fieldcrest operated there. Martinsville was even called the "Sweatshirt Capital of the World." Textile companies moved to the South from places like New England. They found cheaper labor costs and fewer labor unions here. The cost of living in Southside is still lower than in most big cities. Working in textile mills offered much better pay than farming at that time.

Along with tobacco manufacturing, textile mills helped Southside become more successful. But starting in the 1970s, many textile mills closed. Companies moved their work to other countries like Mexico, India, and China, where labor was even cheaper. Also, fewer people wanted tobacco products because of health concerns, which hurt the Southside economy.

Furniture making was another important industry. Kenlea Furniture operated in Kenbridge for many years. The Bassett Furniture company still operates in Bassett. The Army bases Fort Gregg-Adams and Fort Barfoot also provide many jobs. They grew a lot during World War II. Some people living in Southside commute to the Philip Morris factory in south Richmond.

In the 1990s, new manufacturing jobs came to the area. These included making strong metals and ceramics for industrial use. Many prisons were also built in Southside. They offered good-paying security jobs to local people.

Media and News

People in Southside can watch TV stations from different cities. Those in the eastern parts get Richmond stations. People in the western parts get stations from Roanoke and Lynchburg. Some viewers on the northern edge of Southside get Charlottesville stations. Those on the southern edge get stations from Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, Raleigh, and Durham in North Carolina.

Most people listen to radio stations from these larger cities too. But Southside also has many local radio stations. Country music stations are very popular. However, you can also find local stations playing classic rock, adult contemporary, Top 40, and public radio.

Everyone in Southside can read Virginia's largest newspaper, the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Southside is also covered by Cardinal News. This is a non-profit news group that reports on Southwest and Southside Virginia. Also, all the towns in Southside have their own local newspapers, which are usually published once a week.

Higher Education

Southside Virginia is home to several colleges and universities:

  • Averett University
  • Central Virginia Community College
  • Hampden–Sydney College
  • Liberty University
  • Longwood University
  • Lynchburg College
  • Patrick & Henry Community College
  • Randolph College
  • Southside Virginia Community College
  • Virginia University of Lynchburg

Cities and Towns in Southside

Here are some of the cities and towns you can find in Southside Virginia:

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Southside (Virginia) Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.