The Plains, Virginia
Encyclopedia
The Plains is a town in Fauquier County
, Virginia
, United States
. The population was 266 at the 2000 census. It is centered around Virginia Route 55 (John Marshall Highway) and Virginia Route 245 (Old Tavern Road). The mayor of The Plains is Robert Gurtler.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.7 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 266 people, 110 households, and 70 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,035.1 people per square mile (395.0/km²). There were 118 housing units at an average density of 459.2 per square mile (175.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.85% White and 10.15% African American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.38% of the population.
There were 110 households out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples
living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,750, and the median income for a family was $45,313. Males had a median income of $41,250 versus $33,542 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $27,909. About 13.7% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 14.8% of those sixty five or over.
, a large open-air and open-field facility that hosts several large events throughout the year, including the Virginia Gold Cup
steeplechase
horse race, which attracts over 50,000 guests on the first Saturday of each May.
A museum dedicated to the history of slavery in the area is located near the train tracks that go through town.
Long Branch Baptist Church (est. 1786), the third oldest Baptist Church in Virginia, lies a little bit to the north, in the unincorporated area called 'Halfway.' The evangelist William Broaddus, founder of Southwestern Seminary in Louisville, was pastor there in the 1830s. His nephew, John Broadus is often called 'the father of homiletics
(preaching)'.
Wakefield School
, a Pre-school through Grade 12 independent school, makes its home in The Plains, VA.
Actor Robert Duvall
once owned a restaurant in the Plains called "The Rail Stop." He still makes his residence north of town at his 360 acres (1.5 km²) Brindley Farm.
The town is also home to a seasonal corn maze
owned and operated by locals.
The National Association of Rocketry held NARAM-50 there in the summer of 2008.
The Masonic Lodge was organized on a site near the present Post Office. The Plains Lodge U.D., held its first meeting on December 29, 1898, and continued to work "Under Dispensation" until the Grand Lodge of Virginia met in Alexandria, Virginia on December 15, 1899, and issued the Lodge a Charter under the name of Cochran Lodge No. 271.
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, Virginia
Virginia
The 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" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 266 at the 2000 census. It is centered around Virginia Route 55 (John Marshall Highway) and Virginia Route 245 (Old Tavern Road). The mayor of The Plains is Robert Gurtler.
Geography
The Plains is located at 38°51′46"N 77°46′32"W (38.862698, -77.775464).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The 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...
, the town has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.7 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A 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. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 266 people, 110 households, and 70 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,035.1 people per square mile (395.0/km²). There were 118 housing units at an average density of 459.2 per square mile (175.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.85% White and 10.15% African American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.38% of the population.
There were 110 households out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,750, and the median income for a family was $45,313. Males had a median income of $41,250 versus $33,542 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $27,909. About 13.7% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 14.8% of those sixty five or over.
Attractions
The Plains is home to Great MeadowGreat Meadow
Great Meadow is a field events center and steeplechase course located in The Plains, Virginia. It is operated under the stewardship of the Great Meadow Foundation, a 501 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of open space for community use.Great Meadow and the Great Meadow...
, a large open-air and open-field facility that hosts several large events throughout the year, including the Virginia Gold Cup
Virginia Gold Cup
The Virginia Gold Cup and International Gold Cup steeplechase races are a celebration of hunt country tradition and two of the largest, most celebrated outdoor social events held in Virginia....
steeplechase
Steeplechase (horse racing)
The steeplechase is a form of horse racing and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside...
horse race, which attracts over 50,000 guests on the first Saturday of each May.
A museum dedicated to the history of slavery in the area is located near the train tracks that go through town.
Long Branch Baptist Church (est. 1786), the third oldest Baptist Church in Virginia, lies a little bit to the north, in the unincorporated area called 'Halfway.' The evangelist William Broaddus, founder of Southwestern Seminary in Louisville, was pastor there in the 1830s. His nephew, John Broadus is often called 'the father of homiletics
Homiletics
Homiletics , in theology the application of the general principles of rhetoric to the specific department of public preaching. The one who practices or studies homiletics is called a homilist....
(preaching)'.
Wakefield School
Wakefield School
Wakefield School is an independent day school located in The Plains, Virginia, with classes ranging from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. It was founded in Huntly, Virginia in 1972 as Wakefield Country Day School, and changed its name to Wakefield School in the early 1980s when it established a...
, a Pre-school through Grade 12 independent school, makes its home in The Plains, VA.
Actor Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall
Robert Selden Duvall is an American actor and director. He has won an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and a BAFTA over the course of his career....
once owned a restaurant in the Plains called "The Rail Stop." He still makes his residence north of town at his 360 acres (1.5 km²) Brindley Farm.
The town is also home to a seasonal corn maze
Corn maze
A corn maze or maize maze is a maze cut out of a corn field. They have become popular tourist attractions in North America, and a way for farms to create tourist income. Many are based on artistic designs such as characters from movies. Corn mazes appear in many different designs. Some mazes are...
owned and operated by locals.
The National Association of Rocketry held NARAM-50 there in the summer of 2008.
The Masonic Lodge was organized on a site near the present Post Office. The Plains Lodge U.D., held its first meeting on December 29, 1898, and continued to work "Under Dispensation" until the Grand Lodge of Virginia met in Alexandria, Virginia on December 15, 1899, and issued the Lodge a Charter under the name of Cochran Lodge No. 271.