Montgomery County History and Geography
Political History
Montgomery County is located in the southwestern part of Virginia in the region known
as the New River Valley. This region takes its name from the New River, the nation's
oldest and the world's second oldest river, and includes the counties of Floyd, Giles,
Montgomery, Pulaski, and the City of Radford. This part of southwestern Virginia was first
explored in 1671 when an expedition discovered the New River. Pioneers from Pennsylvania
and eastern Virginia began settling the region in the early 1700s. These early settlers
were predominantly of German, French, Scotch-Irish, and English descent.
Montgomery County traces its origin back to 1776 when it was formed and named after General
Richard Montgomery, an American hero of the French and Indian War and the American Revolution.
The first settlement, Draper's Meadow, was established in the 1740s but was destroyed by
Shawnee Indians during the French and Indian War.
Christiansburg, the county seat, was incorporated in 1792 and named in honor of Colonel
William Christian. This community was an important stop on the Wilderness Road, which roughly
corresponds to the present day U.S. Route 11.
Blacksburg was incorporated in 1871. The Town originated on tracts of land donated by
William Black, for whom it was named, and was established at the same site as the previous
settlement of Draper's Meadow.
Today, the Towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg are the population centers of the
County and are located approximately 35 miles southwest of the City of Roanoke. Blacksburg
is home to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
(Virginia Tech). Founded in 1872 as a land-grant college, Virginia Tech is the largest university
in Virginia and one of the country's leading research institutions. Christiansburg remains
the County seat and is the retail center of the New River Valley.
Economic Foundations and Diversity
Montgomery County continues to grow and support a well-diversified economy. Local residents
enjoy the enhanced quality of life provided by Montgomery County's diverse economic base
in which a wide variety of skilled and professional employment opportunities exist.
Since the 1970s, Montgomery County's industrial base has experienced an overall
picture of growth. Government, manufacturing, trade and service industries are strongly
represented in the County.
Directly related to the growth and success of the service and trade sectors of the economy
is tourism in Montgomery County. In addition to Montgomery County's natural beauty,
cultural attractions, and historic assets, the presence of
Virginia Tech and Radford University
have made the County a desirable destination for visitors. Montgomery County is an events-oriented
community, wherein expenditures from travelers attending major university and community events
generate a significant amount of revenue for the County. Recognizing the importance of tourism,
community leaders continue to work toward the County's tourism development.
Topography
Montgomery County has a land area of 393 square miles and lies in the broad picturesque
area between the Appalachian Plateau and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
A divide, separating the New River drainage basin to the Gulf of Mexico and the
Roanoke River drainage basin to the Atlantic Ocean, crosses the County roughly through
the center from north to south. The New River drainage basin is a gently rolling land
surface, whereas the Roanoke River drainage basin is a hilly land surface. Thus, the
topography of the County varies from gently rolling to steep mountainous terrain, with
elevations varying from 1,300 to 3,700 feet above sea level. The majority of the County
is at an elevation of 2,000 feet.
Soil Characteristics
The mountainous terrain of Montgomery County has resulted in the formation of a
wide variety of soil types. Soils range from shallow, steep soils on the mountainsides
to the deep, fertile soils of the valleys. Approximately 7% of the County's total
area is covered by soils considered suitable for urban uses, and 39% of the soils are
considered well-suited for agriculture.
Natural Resources
Land is the County's greatest natural resourcnother major natural resource
is water. Ground water is generally of good quality, and availability of ground water
is highly variable in different parts of the County. Most wells yield less than 20
gallons per minute, but yields of over 100 gallons per minute are not uncommon. The
most productive well in the County yields 703 gallons per minute. The New River, one
of the major water resources in southwestern Virginia, provides the water supply for the
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-VPI Water Authority.
Nearly 60 percent of Montgomery County is forested, and approximately 7 percent
of this forest land lies in the Jefferson National Forest, with the remainder being
in private ownership. The forest consists of mixed pine and hardwoods and contains
over 200 million cubic feet of growing stock.
Montgomery County contains a variety of mineral resources. Limestone is currently
the only mineral being mined or quarried. In the past, Montgomery County has produced
commercial quantities of coal, iron, shale, sandstone, and gold. Zinc, lead, copper,
and manganese are known to occur in the County, but have never been utilized commercially.
Climate
The County enjoys a moderate climate as reflected below:
| Average Winter temperature | mid 40s (day) / mid 20s (night) |
| Average Summer temperature | low 80s (day) / high 50s (night) |
| Average annual rainfall | 40 inches |
| Average annual snowfall | 28 inches (varies greatly) |
| Average growing season | 161 days |
| Average relative humidity | 66 percent (midafternoon) |
| Sunshine | 60 percent in Summer / 50 percent in Winter |
| Prevailing wind | west |
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