Wise County, Virginia

Founding: 1856
Parent counties: Lee, Russell, and Scott
Namesake: Henry Wise, Virginia governor
Seat: Wise (1856–)
Land area: 403 square miles
Population (2020): 36,130
Population (historic): 4,508 (1860); 7,772 (1880); 19,653 (1900); 51,167 (1930)
Periods of population growth: pre-1860–1950; 1970s; 1990–2010

Subdivisions: One city; six towns; eight CDPs
National Register listings: 20 (plus one in Norton)
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 2,001 (11.1%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 20.3%
Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940): 4.6%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 21.1%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 21.2%

Average farmhouse value (1930): $820
Average outbuilding value (1930): $311

Average farmhouse size (1940): 4.3 rooms

Number of farms (1920): 1,067
Average farm size (1920): 33.2 acres
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Wise

 
Namesake: Henry Wise, Virginia governor
Founding: 1856 (founding as Gladeville); 1858 (post office); 1874 (incorporation)
Population (2020): 2,971
Population (historic): 128 (1880); 511 (1900); 1,112 (1930)
Periods of population growth: pre-1880–1980; 1990–2010

Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 103 (7%)
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