Tazewell County, Virginia

County in Virginia, United States

County in Virginia

Tazewell County

County

Tazewell County Courthouse

Flag

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Virginia

Virginia's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 37°08′N 81°34′W﻿ / ﻿37.13°N 81.56°W﻿ / 37.13; -81.56
Country|  United States
State|  Virginia
Founded| December 20, 1799
Named after| Henry Tazewell
Seat| Tazewell
Largest town| Richlands
Area

• Total

| 520 sq mi (1,300 km2)
• Land| 519 sq mi (1,340 km2)
• Water| 1.1 sq mi (3 km2)  0.2%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 40,429
• Density| 78/sq mi (30/km2)
Time zone| UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district| 9th
Website| tazewellcountyva.org

Tazewell County (/tæz.wɛl/) is a county located in the southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,429.[1] Its county seat is Tazewell.[2]

Tazewell County is part of the Bluefield, WV-VA Micropolitan Statistical Area. Its economy was dependent on coal and iron of the Pocahontas Fields from the late 19th into the 20th century.

## History

[edit]

Tazewell County was long a hunting ground for various historic Native American tribes and their ancestral indigenous cultures. Although rare in the eastern United States, there are petroglyphs near the summit of Paintlick Mountain.[3] Among the tribes that occupied this area in historic times were the Lenape (Delaware), and the Iroquoian-speaking Cherokee and members of the Iroquois Confederacy.

In the spring of 1771, Thomas and John Witten established the first permanent settlement in Tazewell County at Crab Orchard.[4]

As population increased in the area, Tazewell County was created on December 20, 1799. The land for the county was taken from portions of Wythe and Russell counties. It was named after Henry Tazewell, a United States senator from Virginia, state legislator and judge. Delegate Littleton Waller Tazewell originally opposed the formation of the new county but when Simon Cotterel, who drew up the bill to form the county, changed the originally proposed name of the county to Tazewell's namesake, in honor of his father Henry who had died earlier that year, the bill passed.[5]

Jeffersonville was established the following year (1800) as the county seat. On February 29, 1892, Jeffersonville was renamed as Tazewell.

During the early settlement period, many Scots-Irish settled through the Appalachian backcountry, including Tazewell.

After the Civil War, construction of railroads in southwestern Virginia enabled the development of coal and iron resources in the Clinch Valley. Richlands had a boom economy in the early 1890s, and became a rougher place with young industrial workers and more saloons.

The profits generated by the coal boom resulted in the development of mansions and the elaborate Richlands Hotel, said to rival the best hotels of New York City. But it was forced to close after the boom cycle ended. It was used for other purposes.[6]

Tazewell County was the focus of a 2005 article in Time Magazine about the opioid epidemic:[7] however, the sheriff H. S. Caudill claimed the article misrepresented Tazewell County and his statements to the reporter.[8]

## Representation in other media

[edit]

Paramount's 1994 film Lassie was filmed here. It was based on stories of Albert Payson Terhune.

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 520 square miles (1,300 km2), of which 519 square miles (1,340 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2) (0.2%) is water.[9]

Since it contains portions of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians and the Cumberland Plateau, Tazewell County has very distinct geologic areas within the county. One of the most unusual areas is Burke's Garden, a bowl-shaped valley formed by the erosion of a doubly plunging anticline. Tazewell County includes the headwaters of four watersheds, which are the Upper Clinch, Middle New, North Fork Holston, and Tug.[10] It also has the headwaters of the Bluestone River, which flows into West Virginia, where a portion is protected as a Wild and Scenic River.

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* McDowell County, West Virginia (North and West)
* Mercer County, West Virginia (Northeast)
* Buchanan County (Northwest)
* Russell County (West)
* Smyth County (South)
* Bland County (East)

### National protected area

[edit]

* Jefferson National Forest (part)

### Major highways

[edit]

* US 19
* US 460
* SR 16

SR 16 Alt.
* SR 61
* SR 67
* SR 91
* SR 102

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1800| 2,127| | —
1810| 3,007| | 41.4%
1820| 3,916| | 30.2%
1830| 5,749| | 46.8%
1840| 6,290| | 9.4%
1850| 9,942| | 58.1%
1860| 9,920| | −0.2%
1870| 10,791| | 8.8%
1880| 12,861| | 19.2%
1890| 19,899| | 54.7%
1900| 23,384| | 17.5%
1910| 24,946| | 6.7%
1920| 27,840| | 11.6%
1930| 32,477| | 16.7%
1940| 41,607| | 28.1%
1950| 47,512| | 14.2%
1960| 44,791| | −5.7%
1970| 39,816| | −11.1%
1980| 50,511| | 26.9%
1990| 45,960| | −9.0%
2000| 44,598| | −3.0%
2010| 45,078| | 1.1%
2020| 40,429| | −10.3%
2023 (est.)| 39,120| [11]| −3.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010[16] 2020[17]

### 2020 census

[edit]

Tazewell County, Virginia - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)  Race / Ethnicity  | Pop 2010[16] | Pop 2020[17] | % 2010  | % 2020

|
|
|
|

White alone (NH)  | 42,692  | 37,336  | 94.71%  | 92.35%
Black or African American alone (NH)  | 1,330  | 961  | 2.95%  | 2.38%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)  | 54  | 56  | 0.12%  | 0.14%
Asian alone (NH)  | 286  | 213  | 0.63%  | 0.53%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)  | 6  | 15  | 0.01%  | 0.04%
Some Other Race alone (NH)  | 23  | 89  | 0.05%  | 0.22%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)  | 391  | 1,252  | 0.87%  | 3.10%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)  | 296  | 507  | 0.66%  | 1.25%
Total | 45,078 | 40,429 | 100.00% | 100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

### 2000 Census

[edit]

As of the census[18] of 2000, there were 44,598 people, 18,277 households and 13,232 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile (33 people/km2). There were 20,390 housing units at an average density of 39 units per square mile (15 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.16% White, 2.29% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.16% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. 0.51% of the population Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 18,277 households, out of which 28.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.40% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 27.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,304, and the median income for a family was $33,732. Males had a median income of $28,780 versus $19,648 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,282. About 11.70% of families and 15.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.30% of those under age 18 and 13.90% of those age 65 or over.

## Education

[edit]

### Colleges

[edit]

* Bluefield University, Bluefield
* Southwest Virginia Community College, borders Russell County, near Richlands

### Public high schools

[edit]

All public schools in Tazewell County are operated by Tazewell County Public Schools system.

* Graham High School, Bluefield
* Richlands High School, Richlands
* Tazewell High School, Tazewell

## Communities

[edit]

### Towns

[edit]

* Bluefield
* Cedar Bluff
* Pocahontas
* Richlands
* Tazewell

### Census-designated places

[edit]

* Claypool Hill
* Doran
* Gratton
* Pounding Mill
* Raven (partially in Russell County)
* Springville

### Other unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Abbs Valley
* Bandy
* Baptist Valley
* Bishop (partial)
* Boissevain
* Burkes Garden
* Falls Mills
* Frog Level
* Hidden Valley
* Jewell Ridge
* Liberty
* Maxwell
* North Tazewell
* Paintlick
* Pisgah
* Red Ash
* Tannersville
* Tiptop
* Thompson Valley
* Wardell

## Law enforcement

[edit]

Law enforcement agency

Tazewell County Sheriff's Office

Abbreviation| TCSO
Jurisdictional structure
Constituting instrument|

* Yes

General nature|

* Local civilian police

Operational structure
Headquarters| Tazewell, Virginia
Agency executive|

* Brian Hieatt, Sheriff

Website
Official Website

The Tazewell County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) is the primary law enforcement agency in Tazewell County. As of 2022[update] the agency is headed by Sheriff Brian Hieatt. Since the establishment of the Tazewell County Sheriff's Office, two prohibition officers, one justice of the peace, and one sheriff's deputy have died in the line of duty.[19]

In 2016, the department was criticized by the Freedom from Religion Foundation for having stickers saying "In God We Trust" on its cars. In 2022, the department again received a letter from the FFRF, stating that Sheriff Hieatt led prayers at religious events in uniform, and criticizing it for posting religious messages on its Facebook page.[20][21]

## Politics

[edit]

United States presidential election results for Tazewell County, Virginia[22] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No.  | % | No.  | % | No.  | %
2024 | 16,711  | 83.95% | 3,030  | 15.22%  | 165  | 0.83%
2020 | 16,731  | 83.10% | 3,205  | 15.92%  | 198  | 0.98%
2016 | 15,168  | 81.70% | 2,895  | 15.59%  | 503  | 2.71%
2012 | 13,843  | 78.07% | 3,661  | 20.65%  | 228  | 1.29%
2008 | 11,201  | 65.65% | 5,596  | 32.80%  | 264  | 1.55%
2004 | 10,039  | 57.43% | 7,184  | 41.10%  | 257  | 1.47%
2000 | 8,655  | 52.96% | 7,227  | 44.22%  | 462  | 2.83%
1996 | 6,131  | 39.71%  | 7,500  | 48.58% | 1,809  | 11.72%
1992 | 6,375  | 37.38%  | 8,586  | 50.34% | 2,095  | 12.28%
1988 | 7,165  | 46.37%  | 8,098  | 52.40% | 190  | 1.23%
1984 | 9,645  | 53.89% | 8,014  | 44.78%  | 237  | 1.32%
1980 | 7,021  | 48.67% | 7,003  | 48.55%  | 401  | 2.78%
1976 | 5,565  | 41.41%  | 7,565  | 56.29% | 309  | 2.30%
1972 | 7,233  | 67.81% | 3,181  | 29.82%  | 253  | 2.37%
1968 | 4,434  | 39.11%  | 4,734  | 41.75% | 2,170  | 19.14%
1964 | 3,231  | 34.31%  | 6,081  | 64.57% | 105  | 1.12%
1960 | 3,139  | 41.44%  | 4,416  | 58.30% | 19  | 0.25%
1956 | 3,960  | 52.55% | 3,495  | 46.38%  | 80  | 1.06%
1952 | 3,232  | 55.83% | 2,527  | 43.65%  | 30  | 0.52%
1948 | 2,278  | 48.41% | 2,258  | 47.98%  | 170  | 3.61%
1944 | 2,271  | 44.29%  | 2,832  | 55.23% | 25  | 0.49%
1940 | 2,356  | 43.06%  | 3,108  | 56.80% | 8  | 0.15%
1936 | 1,981  | 39.66%  | 2,992  | 59.90% | 22  | 0.44%
1932 | 2,005  | 42.10%  | 2,713  | 56.97% | 44  | 0.92%
1928 | 3,072  | 60.82% | 1,979  | 39.18%  | 0  | 0.00%
1924 | 2,631  | 48.04% | 2,568  | 46.89%  | 278  | 5.08%
1920 | 2,408  | 57.51% | 1,770  | 42.27%  | 9  | 0.21%
1916 | 1,591  | 58.49% | 1,108  | 40.74%  | 21  | 0.77%
1912 | 586  | 23.80%  | 979  | 39.76% | 897  | 36.43%

## See also

[edit]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Tazewell County, Virginia
* Pocahontas coalfield
* Cavitt's Creek at Lake Witten

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Tazewell County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ GMallery, Garrick (2007). Picture-Writing of the American Indians V1. Kessinger Publishing. p. 121\. ISBN 978-0-548-10043-1.
4. ^ Pendleton, William (1920). History of Tazewell County and Southwest Virginia. W. C. Hill Printing Company. p. 232.
5. ^ Pendleton, William (1920). History of Tazewell County and Southwest Virginia. W. C. Hill Printing Company. p. 396.
6. ^ Louise Leslie, Tazewell County, The Overmountain Press, 1995, pp. 149-150
7. ^ Bowman, Rex (March 21, 2005). "Prescription for Crime". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
8. ^ "Tazewell County Sheriff Says Time Article Misleading". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. April 25, 2005. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
9. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
10. ^ Virginia.gov Archived January 15, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
11. ^ "QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
12. ^ "Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
14. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
15. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
16. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Tazewell County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
17. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Tazewell County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
18. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
19. ^ Officer Down Memorial page
20. ^ Boothe, Charles (August 31, 2022). "Tazewell County sheriff stands by religious posts, activities". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
21. ^ McChesney, Clayton (August 29, 2022). "Sheriff's office accused of religious bias". WVVA. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
22. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 9, 2020.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Englund, K.J. and R.E. Thomas. (1991). Coal resources of Tazewell County, Virginia [U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1913]. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.

## External links

[edit]

* Community Foundation of the Virginias, Inc.
* Official Tazewell County website
* Tazewell County Historical Society, Tazewell, VA
* Bluefield College, Bluefield, VA
* Southwest Virginia Community College, Richlands, VA
* Historic Crab Orchard Museum & Pioneer Park, Tazewell, VA

Places adjacent to Tazewell County, Virginia

| Buchanan County | McDowell County, West Virginia | Mercer County, West Virginia

|
|

|  |
Russell County |

Tazewell County, Virginia

| Bland County
|  |
| Smyth County |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Tazewell County, Virginia, United States

County seat: Tazewell

Towns|

* Bluefield
* Cedar Bluff
* Pocahontas
* Richlands
* Tazewell

Map of Virginia highlighting Tazewell County

CDPs|

* Abbs Valley
* Amonate
* Boissevain
* Claypool Hill
* Doran
* Falls Mills
* Gratton
* Jewell Ridge
* Pounding Mill
* Raven‡
* Springville

Other
communities|

* Adria
* Bandy
* Big Vein
* Bishop
* Burke's Garden
* Busthead
* Coaldan
* Cove Creek
* Fourway
* Frog Level
* Horsepen
* Liberty
* North Tazwell
* Paintlick
* Pisgah
* Red Ash
* Seaboard
* Tannersville
* Tiptop
* Thompson Valley
* Wardell
* Yards‡

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* Virginia portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

Commonwealth of Virginia

Richmond (capital)

Topics|

* Outline
* Administrative divisions
* Climate
* Colony
* Congressional districts
* Delegations
* Senators
* Representatives
* Environment
* Furniture
* Government
* Historic houses
* Historic Landmarks
* History
* First Families
* Slavery
* Homelessness
* Housing
* Law
* Gun laws in Virginia
* LGBT rights
* Music
* People
* Rights
* Rivers
* Scouting
* Slogan
* Sports teams
* State Fair
* State parks
* Symbols
* Tourist attractions
* Transportation
* Tribes

Culture|

* Abortion
* Crime
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Colleges and universities
* Media
* Newspapers
* Radio
* TV
* Politics

Regions|

* Allegheny Mountains
* Atlantic Coastal Plain
* Blue Ridge
* Chesapeake Bay
* Cumberland Mountains
* Delmarva Peninsula
* Eastern Shore
* Hampton Roads
* Middle Peninsula
* Northern Neck
* Northern Virginia
* Piedmont
* Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians
* Shenandoah Valley
* South Hampton Roads
* Southside
* Southwest Virginia
* Tennessee Valley
* Tidewater
* Tri-Cities
* Virginia Peninsula
* Western Virginia

Metro areas|

* Blacksburg-Christiansburg
* Bluefield
* Bristol
* Charlottesville
* Danville
* Harrisonburg
* Lynchburg
* Martinsville
* Richmond
* Roanoke
* Staunton-Waynesboro
* Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News
* Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
* Winchester

Counties|

* Accomack
* Albemarle
* Alleghany
* Amelia
* Amherst
* Appomattox
* Arlington
* Augusta
* Bath
* Bedford
* Bland
* Botetourt
* Brunswick
* Buchanan
* Buckingham
* Campbell
* Caroline
* Carroll
* Charles City
* Charlotte
* Chesterfield
* Clarke
* Craig
* Culpeper
* Cumberland
* Dickenson
* Dinwiddie
* Essex
* Fairfax
* Fauquier
* Floyd
* Fluvanna
* Franklin
* Frederick
* Giles
* Gloucester
* Goochland
* Grayson
* Greene
* Greensville
* Halifax
* Hanover
* Henrico
* Henry
* Highland
* Isle of Wight
* James City
* King and Queen
* King George
* King William
* Lancaster
* Lee
* Loudoun
* Louisa
* Lunenburg
* Madison
* Mathews
* Mecklenburg
* Middlesex
* Montgomery
* Nelson
* New Kent
* Northampton
* Northumberland
* Nottoway
* Orange
* Page
* Patrick
* Pittsylvania
* Powhatan
* Prince Edward
* Prince George
* Prince William
* Pulaski
* Rappahannock
* Richmond
* Roanoke
* Rockbridge
* Rockingham
* Russell
* Scott
* Shenandoah
* Smyth
* Southampton
* Spotsylvania
* Stafford
* Surry
* Sussex
* Tazewell
* Warren
* Washington
* Westmoreland
* Wise
* Wythe
* York

Independent
cities|

* Alexandria
* Bristol
* Buena Vista
* Charlottesville
* Chesapeake
* Colonial Heights
* Covington
* Danville
* Emporia
* Fairfax
* Falls Church
* Franklin
* Fredericksburg
* Galax
* Hampton
* Harrisonburg
* Hopewell
* Lexington
* Lynchburg
* Manassas
* Manassas Park
* Martinsville
* Newport News
* Norfolk
* Norton
* Petersburg
* Poquoson
* Portsmouth
* Radford
* Richmond
* Roanoke
* Salem
* Staunton
* Suffolk
* Virginia Beach
* Waynesboro
* Williamsburg
* Winchester

Virginia portal

37°08′N 81°34′W﻿ / ﻿37.13°N 81.56°W﻿ / 37.13; -81.56

Authority control databases

National|

* Germany

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

Other|

* NARA
* Yale LUX

*[Pop.]: Population
*[%±]: Percent change
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template