FRANKLIN COUNTY, VIRGINIA

'Franklin County' is a county located in the U.S. state — officially, "Commonwealth" — of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 47,286. Its county seat is Rocky Mount⁶.

Contents

History

Geography

Districts

Adjacent Counties

Demographics

Towns

References

External links

History

The county was formed in 1785 from parts of Bedford County and Henry County. It was named for Benjamin Franklin. This county was home to Confederate General Jubal Anderson Early, and Booker T. Washington, a slave who became one of the main civil rights activists of his era. During Prohibition, local wits named Franklin County the "Moonshine Capital of the World," a name trumpeted today by the local chamber of commerce, although it is still being made commonly in the area ^[1]. In 2002, a book was written about ''The Great Moonshine Conspiracy Trial of 1935'' in the County.^[2] Since the 1980s, much residential development has occurred around Smith Mountain Lake, attracting both commuters to Roanoke, Lynchburg, Martinsville, and Danville and many retirees, and has driven the county's population growth.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,843 km² (712 mi²). 1,792 km² (692 mi²) of it is land and 50 km² (19 mi²) of it (2.74%) is water.

Districts

The county is divided into supervisor districts; a few are: Blackwater, Blue Ridge, Boones Mill, Gills Creek, Rocky Mount, Snow Creek, Union Hall, Ferrum, Glade Hill, and Penhook.

Adjacent Counties

★ Bedford County, Virginia - northeast

★ Pittsylvania County, Virginia - southeast

★ Henry County, Virginia - south

★ Patrick County, Virginia - southwest

★ Floyd County, Virginia - west

★ Roanoke County, Virginia - northwest

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 47,286 people, 18,963 households, and 13,918 families residing in the county. The population density was 26/km² (68/mi²). There were 22,717 housing units at an average density of 13/km² (33/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.95% White, 9.35% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.42% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. 1.21% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 18,963 households out of which 29.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.10% were married couples living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.60% were non-families. 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.20% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 27.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,056, and the median income for a family was $45,163. Males had a median income of $29,807 versus $22,215 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,605. About 7.30% of families and 9.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.70% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.

Towns

★ Boones Mill

★ Ferrum

★ North Shore

★ Penhook

★ Rocky Mount

★ Union Hall

★ Westlake Corner

References

1. CNN.com Making Illegal Liquor -- and profits -- in Appalachian Hills
2. Blue Ridge Traditions Magazine: Book Review of ''The Great Moonshine Conspiracy Trial of 1935'', T. Keister Greer, 2002, ISBN 0972235515

External links

★ Franklin County government official website

★ Rocky Mount official website