Salem, Virginia
Encyclopedia : S : SA : SAL : Salem, Virginia
Salem is an independent city in Virginia, USA, bordered by the city of Roanoke and Roanoke County. The population was 24,747 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Roanoke County[Geographic references#6GR6]. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Salem with Roanoke county for statistical purposes.
Roanoke College is located in the city. The NCAA Division III football championship game, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, is played here annually. Salem is also the home to a minor league baseball team, the Salem Avalanche.
History
Europeans first explored the area of Salem in the 1670s. Fort Lewis, named for General Andrew Lewis of what is now Roanoke County was constructed to the west of the town in 1752. The town grew up as a small settlement serving travelers on the Great Road and was officially founded in 1802, though it received its charter in 1806. It is not known with certainty why the town was named Salem; however, the most widely accepted explanation is that Salem was named to honor William Bryan, a prominent citizen, who had moved from Salem, New Jersey. Salem was attacked twice during the American Civil War, but its Salem Flying Artillery was said to have fired the last Confederate shot of the war.Salem annexed South Salem in 1953 and an eastern tract in 1960, giving it a population of 16,058 and thus making it Virginia's largest town at that time. Salem officially became a city on December 31, 1967.
In education, Salem has been the home of two colleges. The Virginia Collegiate Institute, later Roanoke College, arrived in 1847, and the Roanoke Women's College, later Elizabeth College, operated in the town between 1912 and 1922.
At present, Salem has a certain amount of fame in the athletic community. It serves as the site of the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the NCAA Division III Football Championship. It currently holds the Men's NCAA Division III Basketball Championship and Women's NCAA Division III Softball Championship and numerous other national events. It has held many of these events for several years in a row due in part to the city's hospitality, fantastic facilities and city support. Its high school, Salem High School, is also known for its football team which won 6 state championships in 10 years, a feat unmatched in Virginia high school football. They won in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004 and 2005.
Geography
Salem is located at (37.286895, -80.055836)[Geographic references#1GR1].According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 37.8 km² (14.6 mi²), all land.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 24,747 people, 9,954 households, and 6,539 families residing in the city. The population density was 654.9/km² (1,696.4/mi²). There were 10,403 housing units at an average density of 275.3/km² (713.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.88% White, 5.88% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.97% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.There were 9,954 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.84.
The age distribution is 20.9% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,997, and the median income for a family was $47,174. Males had a median income of $32,472 versus $23,193 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,091. About 4.3% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
External links
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