Waynesboro, deriving its name from
General Anthony WayneAnthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of "Mad Anthony".-Early...
, is an
independent cityAn independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity.Independent cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other nation-state.-United States:In the United States, an independent city...
located within the confines of
Augusta CountyAugusta County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of 2006 the U.S. Census Bureau gives an estimated population of 70,910 residents,...
in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
VirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" because it is the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents. The geography and climate of the state are shaped by the Blue...
. The population was 19,520 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 21,454 for 2006. It is located in the
Shenandoah ValleyThe Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bound to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
, near many important historical markers of the Civil War and
Shenandoah National ParkShenandoah National Park encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the U.S. state of Virginia. This national park is long and narrow, with the broad Shenandoah River and valley on the west side, and the rolling hills of the Virginia Piedmont on the east...
. A portion of
Interstate 64Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with U.S. 40 and U.S...
falls within the city limits of Waynesboro, and the
Blue Ridge ParkwayThe Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
,
Skyline DriveSkyline Drive is a 105-mile road that runs the entire length of the National Park Service's Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, generally along the ridge of the mountains. The scenic drive is particularly popular in the fall when the leaves are changing colors...
, and the
Appalachian TrailThe Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply The A.T., is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States, extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long. The path is maintained by thirty trail...
are less than five miles away. The town is perhaps best known for being the home of
P. Buckley MossP. Buckley Moss was born on May 20, 1933 on Staten Island in New York City. She attended Washington Irving High School for the Fine Arts in Manhattan. In what turned out to be quite ironic in light of her later career, she was voted "Least Likely to Succeed" by the students of her high school. She...
and the P. Buckley Moss Museum, which attracts 45,000 visitors annually. A large
DuPontE. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont or Du Pont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont is currently the world's second largest chemical company in terms of market capitalization and...
plant (now
InvistaInvista, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas is the world's largest integrated fiber, resin and intermediates company. DuPont originally formed the company as a subsidiary in 2003 from its textile fibers division and named it DuPont Textiles and Interiors while a permanent identity was established...
and owned by
Koch IndustriesKoch Industries, Inc. is a private corporation based in Wichita, Kansas with subsidiaries involved in manufacturing, trading and investments...
) and the associated Benger Laboratory where Lycra (
spandexSpandex, or elastane, is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It is stronger and more durable than rubber, its major non-synthetic competitor.{cn}} It is a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1959 by DuPont chemist Joseph Shivers...
) was invented, as well as a large
textileA textile is a flexible material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw wool fibres, linen, cotton, or other material on a spinning wheel to produce long strands...
mill called Wayn-Tex (now owned by Mohawk Industries), were significant employers for residents through much of the 20th century. Waynesboro is home to the corporate headquarters of
NtelosnTelos is a telecommunications company based in Waynesboro, Virginia. nTelos is a provider of PCS services to customers as well as a provider of local telephone service and Internet access to customers in Virginia and West Virginia.- Wireless :...
(a regional wireless and telecommunications company serving Virginia,
West VirginiaWest Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, and Pennsylvania and Maryland to the northeast...
,
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties...
,
TennesseeTennessee is a state located in the Southeastern United States. According to the 2008 census, it has a population of 6,214,888, an increase of nearly 9.5% since 2000. Tennessee is the 14th fastest growing state in the US and is ranked 17th by population. It is ranked 36th by total land area. In...
,
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is a Southern state situated in the Upland South, although the state is infrequently placed, geographically and culturally, in the Midwest. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a...
, and
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state of the United States. The thirty-fourth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the seventh-most populous with nearly 11.5 million residents...
). Tourism, industrial production, and retail remain vital to the Waynesboro economy. The
GeneralsThe Waynesboro Generals are a collegiate summer baseball team in Waynesboro, Virginia. They play in the southern division of the Valley Baseball League....
of the
Valley Baseball LeagueThe Valley Baseball League is an NCAA sanctioned baseball league in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia. Each Valley Baseball League season consists of 44 games played during summer. Many Valley Baseball League players have continued on to play in Major League Baseball.The league was started...
play there.
Waynesboro is a principal city of the
Staunton-Waynesboro micropolitan areaThe Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area is a United States Micropolitan Statistical Area in Virginia, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget as of June, 2003...
, which includes all of Augusta County and the independent cities of Staunton and Waynesboro.
History
Located in the British Colony of Virginia, before the
American RevolutionThe American Revolution is the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America at first rejected the governance of the Parliament of Great Britain, and later the British monarchy itself, to become the sovereign United States of...
and shortly thereafter independence and statehood for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the areas west of the
AppalachianThe Appalachian Mountains , often called the Appalachians, are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. Definitions vary on the precise boundaries of the Appalachians...
and
Blue Ridge MountainsThe Blue Ridge, or Blue Ridge Mountains, is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at...
were known as the frontier. Travel over the mountains in a wagon was near impossible, except where nature afforded some gap between them. One such
wind gapA wind gap is a valley through which a waterway once flowed, but is now dry as a result of stream capture. A water gap is a similar feature, but one in which a waterway still flows...
,
Rockfish GapRockfish Gap is a wind gap located in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Afton Mountain in the U.S. state of Virginia.Separating the Shenandoah Valley from the Piedmont region of the state, it is the site of the mountain crossing of Interstate 64, U.S. Highway 250, and the former Blue Ridge Railroad...
, is located near Waynesboro, making the area a convenient location for a stop for many who wished to venture west.
The area was commonly referred to as Teasville (or Teesville) early on. There are a couple of theories of why it was called that. First, it was named after the tavern owned by Jacob Teas and his wife. It is believed that many stayed the night at the Teas’ tavern, including
George WashingtonGeorge Washington was the commander of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and served as the first President of the United States of America...
,
Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States , the principal author of the Declaration of Independence , and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of republicanism in the United States...
, and the Marquis de Chastellux. (It is only fair to point out that there are few taverns of this period in which Washington and Jefferson are not claimed to have visited). In a letter from the Marquis de Chastellux, the Marquis describes the tavern as one of the worst in America and affirms that Jefferson had stayed there and told him of the place.
Second, it was names after the Tees brothers.
Shortly after U.S. Army General
Anthony WayneAnthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of "Mad Anthony".-Early...
's important victory at Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794 during the
Northwest Indian WarThe Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a large confederation of Indians for control of the Northwest Territory, which ended with a decisive U.S. victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794...
, the area began to be called Waynesborough. Since many settlers to the area were from
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...
, it is no small wonder that they would want their new land named after a hero from their home. Sometime after, it was called Waynesboro.
As early as 1798, the current downtown area was plotted and sold. On January 8, 1801, the town Waynesborough was officially recognized by the state of Virginia, and was incorporated by 1834.
Some of the remaining buildings from this period of its history include the
Plumb HouseThe Plumb House is a historic U.S. home located at 1012 West Main Street, Waynesboro, Virginia. The house currently serves as the Plumb House Museum.-Plumb House Museum:...
(now a museum open for tours seasonally) and the Coiner-Quesenbury House built in 1806, believed to be the first brick house built in the town, which is still standing on Main Street.
Population growth to the town was slow at first. In 1810, the town had a population of 250. By 1860, that number grew to 457. The town maintained a steady stream of visitors, however, due to its position on the
Valley TurnpikeValley Pike or Valley Turnpike is the traditional name given for the Indian trail and roadway which now is designated as U.S. Highway 11 in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia....
, which took advantage of connections through
Rockfish GapRockfish Gap is a wind gap located in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Afton Mountain in the U.S. state of Virginia.Separating the Shenandoah Valley from the Piedmont region of the state, it is the site of the mountain crossing of Interstate 64, U.S. Highway 250, and the former Blue Ridge Railroad...
.
On March 2, 1865, Waynesboro was the site of the last battle of the
Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
for the Confederate Lt. General Jubal A. Early. The
Battle of WaynesboroThe Battle of Waynesboro was fought on March 2, 1865, in Augusta County, Virginia, during the American Civil War. It was the final battle for Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal Early, whose force was destroyed.-Background:...
lasted only 20 minutes, and was a final blow for the Confederate Army in the
Shenandoah ValleyThe Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bound to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
. After losing this battle, Early relinquished the town and the valley to General
Philip SheridanPhilip Henry Sheridan was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with Lt. Gen. Ulysses S...
. Some of the buildings from this period still show their scars from this battle.
After the war, the Waynesboro area became the junction of two railroad lines. The
Chesapeake and Ohio RailwayThe Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
(running east to west) and the
Shenandoah Valley RailroadShenandoah Valley Railroad was a line completed on June 19, 1882 extending up the Shenandoah Valley from Hagerstown, Maryland USA through the West Virginia panhandle into Virginia to reach Roanoke, Virginia and a connection with the Norfolk and Western Railway . The development of this railroad had...
, which soon became the
Norfolk and Western RailwayThe Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
(running north to south). The lines met near Waynesboro, giving the town the nickname as the "Iron Cross".
In 1890, land to the east of Waynesboro was plotted and sold. Within that year, the
Town of Basic CityBasic City was an incorporated town located in Augusta County, Virginia, in the United States. Formed in 1890, it was named after a process for steel manufacture. This process was to be implemented in Basic City, and gave rise to land speculation...
was incorporated. A rivalry soon developed between the two towns, each attempting to best the other as the more developed area. One important difference between the two was that Waynesboro had been a "dry" area since before the
Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
. This meant that no
alcoholAn alcoholic beverage is a drink that contains ethanol . Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits....
could be sold within the town’s borders. Such was not the case in Basic City, where bars were opened for the benefit of Basic’s citizens (as well as any others).
The two towns voted for and approved of consolidation into a single town to be called Waynesboro-Basic in 1923. Due to the duplicitous actions of some of Waynesboro’s town leaders, namely Guy Branamen, the petition given to the state referred to the new town as merely Waynesboro. This became official in 1924, to the great outrage of the people of Basic City, which became one of the "Lost Towns" of Virginia.
Since 1924, Waynesboro has made numerous territorial acquisitions from areas of Augusta County through annexation and officially became an
independent cityAn independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity.Independent cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other nation-state.-United States:In the United States, an independent city...
in 1948. In 2005, Waynesboro established a new charter, repealing one in place since 1948.
Geography
Waynesboro is located at (38.069874, -78.894517). It is 1,305 feet above sea level.
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of 15.4 square miles (39.8 km²), of which, 15.4 square miles (39.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.13%) is water.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 19,520 people, 8,332 households, and 5,432 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 1,270.8 people per square mile (490.7/km²). There were 8,863 housing units at an average density of 577.0/sq mi (222.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.46% White, 9.96% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.09% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.29% of the population.
There were 8,332 households out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,686, and the median income for a family was $40,772. Males had a median income of $30,943 versus $22,185 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was $17,932. About 11.0% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.5% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Waynesboro is the home of
Fishburne Military SchoolFishburne Military School is located in Waynesboro, Virginia. Founded by James A. Fishburne in 1879, it is one of the oldest military schools in the country...
, an all male military
boarding schoolA boarding school is a school where some or all pupils not only study, but also live during term time, with their fellow students and possibly teachers. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board", that is, food and lodging...
for grades 8-12. It sits on a hill overlooking the downtown area.
The
Waynesboro City Public Schools system serves the area.
Media
Waynesboro's local newspaper is the
The News VirginianThe News Virginian is a newspaper owned by Media General. The paper serves residents in the cities of Waynesboro and Staunton, Virginia, as well as Augusta and Nelson Counties.- External links :*...
.
Two movies have filmed scenes in Waynesboro:
Toy SoldiersToy Soldiers is a 1991 American action drama film, directed by Daniel Petrie, Jr. and starring Sean Astin, Wil Wheaton, Louis Gossett, Jr., Denholm Elliott, Andrew Divoff, and R. Lee Ermey. The plot revolves around an elite, independent all-male boarding school, the Regis High School, which is...
(1991) and
Evan AlmightyEvan Almighty is a American comedy film, and sequel to Bruce Almighty. It was directed by Tom Shadyac and stars Steve Carell, Lauren Graham, John Goodman, and Morgan Freeman reprising his role as God. Evan Almighty was released in cinemas on June 22, 2007. After jumping from Jim Carrey to Steve...
(2007).
Further reading
- Hawke, George, A History of Waynesboro to 1900, Waynesboro Historical Commission, 1997
- Bowman, Curtis, Waynesboro Days of Yore: Volumes I and II, McClung Companies, Inc, Waynesboro, 1992
External links