Wise County

Wise County is the name of two counties in the United States:

Wise

Wise may refer to:

People

Places

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Other uses

See also

Virginia

Virginia (ⁱ/vərˈdʒɪnjə/ vər-JIN-yə, UK /vərˈdʒɪniə/ vər-JIN-ee-ə), officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state located in the South Atlantic region of the United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" due to its status as the first colonial possession established in mainland British America, and "Mother of Presidents" because eight U.S. presidents were born there, more than any other state. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay, which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna. The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond; Virginia Beach is the most populous city, and Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision. The Commonwealth's estimated population as of 2014 is over 8.3 million.

The area's history begins with several indigenous groups, including the Powhatan. In 1607 the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first permanent New World English colony. Slave labor and the land acquired from displaced Native American tribes each played a significant role in the colony's early politics and plantation economy. Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution and joined the Confederacy in the American Civil War, during which Richmond was made the Confederate capital and Virginia's northwestern counties seceded to form the state of West Virginia. Although the Commonwealth was under one-party rule for nearly a century following Reconstruction, both major national parties are competitive in modern Virginia.

Norton, Virginia

Norton is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 3,958, making it the least populous city in Virginia, along with the westernmost. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Norton with surrounding Wise County for statistical purposes.

History

Norton was named for Eckstein Norton, a railroad official.

The Country Cabin and Hotel Norton are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Education

Geography

Norton is located at 36°56′12″N 82°37′31″W / 36.936805°N 82.625146°W / 36.936805; -82.625146, along the Powell and Guest Rivers.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.5 square miles (19 km²), virtually all of which is land.

Major highways

US 23

US 58 Alt.

Demographic

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,904 people, 1,730 households, and 1,067 families residing in the city. The population density was 518.5 people per square mile (200.2/km²). There were 1,946 housing units at an average density of 258.4 per square mile (99.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.57% White, 6.15% Black, 0.08% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.87% of the population.

Wise County, Virginia

Wise County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,452. Its county seat is Wise. The county was formed in 1856 from Lee, Scott, and Russell Counties and named for Henry A. Wise, who was the Governor of Virginia at the time.

History

The Cherokee conquered the area including Wise from the Xualae between 1671 and 1685. It was later contested by the Six Nations and the Shawnee. A Cherokee hunting party fought a protracted battle with a Shawnee one at the headwaters of the Clinch river for two days in the summer of 1786, a victory for the Cherokee although losses were heavy on both sides.

The first white explorers to have reached present-day Wise county are said to have been Thomas Walker and Christopher Gist, both in 1750. Several forts were built all along the Clinch from 1774 onward, but only after Chickamauga Cherokee leader Bob Benge was slain in 1794 was present-day Wise considered safe for white settlers even to hunt in. Among the earliest settlers within the county was William Wells in around 1792.