Grottoes, Virginia | |
---|---|
Town | |
Coordinates: 38°16′3″N78°49′30″W / 38.26750°N 78.82500°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Virginia |
Counties | Rockingham, Augusta |
Area | |
• Total | 2.07 sq mi (5.37 km2) |
• Land | 2.04 sq mi (5.28 km2) |
• Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.09 km2) |
Elevation | 1,112 ft (339 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 2,668 |
• Estimate (2019) [3] | 2,860 |
• Density | 1,402.65/sq mi (541.56/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
ZIP code | 24441 |
Area code | 540 |
FIPS code | 51-33488 |
GNIS feature ID | 1495628 [2] |
Website | Official website |
Grottoes is a town in Rockingham and Augusta counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 2,899 at the 2020 census. The town lies right on the border with Augusta County, and several commercial, residential, and recreational lots have portions within Augusta County.
The town is part of the Harrisonburg Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the small portion that extends into Augusta County is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Grottoes is home to Grand Caverns, America's oldest show cave (opened for tours in 1806).
The town was previously known as Liola in the 1880s, then briefly called Grottoes (meaning "caves") in 1889. [4] A group of land speculators formally founded Shendun, a combination of "Shenandoah" and the Gaelic word "dun" meaning 'castle' or 'fortified hill', in 1892. Through a series of financial missteps, the Shendun Corporation went bankrupt in 1893. On March 11, 1912 the name was officially changed back to Grottoes.
Situated between the South Fork of the Shenandoah River and Brown's Gap, the town benefited from easy access to surrounding towns and natural resources. In 1933 a Civilian Conservation Corps Camp No. 1369 was established 3 miles east of Grottoes, and they built trails and roads into Shenandoah National Park that still exist today. [5] The former CCC camp also served as Civilian Public Service Camp No. 4, a place for conscientious objectors to serve during World War II, and around 100 young Mennonite men lived and worked within four main categories: Soil Conservation, Forestry Service, National Park Service, and Land Reclamation Service. [6]
Grand Caverns was designated a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service in 1973. [7] The Stephen Harnsberger House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. [8]
Grottoes is located at 38°16′3″N78°49′30″W / 38.26750°N 78.82500°W (38.267385, −78.824868) in the Shenandoah Valley. [9] According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2), all land.
The geographical location, within 15 miles of Waynesboro, Staunton, Harrisonburg, and Elkton, continues to be a major asset of the town. Additionally Grottoes is 43 miles from Charlottesville, 87 miles from Winchester, and 105 miles from Roanoke. Major geographic features in the area include Skyline Drive, Massanutten Peak, and Natural Chimneys.
The main highways providing access to Grottoes are U.S. Route 340 and Virginia State Route 256. US 340 provides north–south access, connecting to Interstate 64 near Waynesboro and U.S. Route 33 near Elkton. SR 256 provides access to and from the west, connecting to Interstate 81 near Weyers Cave.
Previous routes of transport included overland through Brown's Gap to the east, by rail on the Norfolk Southern (formerly the Shenandoah Valley Railroad), [10] or by water on the South Fork to nearby Port Republic and then on the Shenandoah River all the way to Harpers Ferry, WV.
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1900 | 381 | — | |
1910 | 456 | 19.7% | |
1920 | 492 | 7.9% | |
1930 | 534 | 8.5% | |
1940 | 759 | 42.1% | |
1950 | 908 | 19.6% | |
1960 | 969 | 6.7% | |
1970 | 1,166 | 20.3% | |
1980 | 1,369 | 17.4% | |
1990 | 1,455 | 6.3% | |
2000 | 2,114 | 45.3% | |
2010 | 2,668 | 26.2% | |
2019 (est.) | 2,860 | [3] | 7.2% |
U.S. Decennial Census [11] |
As of the 2020 census [12] there were 2,899 people, 1,283 households, and 1,156 families living in the town. The population density was 1,590.4 people per square mile (614.1 people/km2). There were 1,283 housing units at an average density of 986.9 units per square mile (381.0 units/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 86.16% White, 7.07% Hispanic or Latino, 4.07% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 3.27% from other races, and 6.00% identified as two or more races.
There were 1,283 households, out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.5% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38. In the town, 54.48% identified female and 45.51% identified male.
The median household income is $78,750. [13] Among families with a single householder present, males had a median income of $95,625 versus $40,679 for females. [14] The per capita income for the town was $29,984. About 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, and of 21.9% of those people were under 18 years old.
Waynesboro is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is a principal city of the Staunton-Waynesboro Metropolitan Statistical Area. Waynesboro is located in the Shenandoah Valley and is surrounded by Augusta County. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,196.
Rockingham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 83,757. Its county seat is the independent city of Harrisonburg.
Augusta County is a county in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The second-largest county of Virginia by total area, it completely surrounds the independent cities of Staunton and Waynesboro. Its county seat is Staunton, but most of the administrative services have offices in neighboring Verona.
Craigsville is a town in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population was 923 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Crimora is a census-designated place (CDP) in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,209 at the 2010 census, a 23% increase from the 1,796 reported in 2000. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Dooms is a census-designated place (CDP) in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,327 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Fishersville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,629 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Greenville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population was 887 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Jolivue is a census-designated place (CDP) in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,129 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Sherando is a census-designated place (CDP) in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population was 688 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Stuarts Draft is a census-designated place (CDP) in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area and adjacent to the South River. Its population was 12,142 as of the 2020 census.
Verona is a census-designated place (CDP) in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,239 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Weyers Cave is a census-designated place (CDP) in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,700 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Monterey is a town in Highland County, Virginia, United States. The population was 165 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Highland County.
Stanley is a town in Page County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,723 at the 2023 census.
Elkton is an incorporated town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States. It is included in the Harrisonburg Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,941 at the 2020 census and 2,762 at the 2010 census. Elkton was named for the Elk Run stream.
Staunton is an independent city in the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,750. In Virginia, independent cities are separate jurisdictions from the counties that surround them, so the government offices of Augusta County are in Verona, which is contiguous to Staunton. Staunton is a principal city of the Staunton-Waynesboro Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2010 population of 118,502. Staunton is known for being the birthplace of Woodrow Wilson, the 28th U.S. president, and as the home of Mary Baldwin University, historically a women's college. The city is also home to Stuart Hall, a private co-ed preparatory school, as well as the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind. It was the first city in the United States with a fully defined city manager system.
Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport is in the census-designated place of Weyers Cave, Virginia, United States, 5 miles (8.0 km) west of the Town of Grottoes and 12 miles (19 km) northeast of the City of Staunton. It is used for general aviation and is served by one airline, subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.
State Route 256 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known for most of its length as Weyers Cave Road, the state highway runs 6.78 miles (10.91 km) from U.S. Route 11 near Weyers Cave east to US 340 in Grottoes. SR 256 connects Interstate 81 (I-81) with Weyers Cave in northern Augusta County and Grottoes, which is home to Grand Caverns, in southeastern Rockingham County.
The Staunton–Waynesboro Metropolitan Statistical Area is a United States Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in Virginia, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). As of the 2020 census, the MSA had a population of 125,433.