Discover the Smallest Town in Virginia – Everyone Could Fit In a Regional Jet Airliner

As the first European colony in what is now the United States, Virginia had many established cities and towns. This includes the state capital of Richmond, Arlington’s influential presence on the outskirts of the District of Columbia, and the mighty shipping industry in Hampton Roads, which includes Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Portsmouth. These are the larger cities, but what is the smallest town in Virginia? Keep reading to find out.

What Are We Counting as a ‘Town’?

What we’re not talking about are Census Designated Places (CDPs). CDPs have no legal or municipal structure. The Census Department identifies them for statistical purposes. We’re looking specifically at incorporated places. These places are structured under state law and have specific boundaries, powers, and functions. Incorporated places can be towns, villages, cities, boroughs, and more. For this article, a town is the smallest level of incorporated place.

The Smallest Town in Virginia

The smallest incorporated town in Virginia is Clinchport. Clinchport has a population of 62, and its boundaries enclose 448 acres (.7 square miles). The entire population could fit into a Bombardier CRJ700—a regional jet airliner that seats 63 to 78 people, depending on configuration. Though it would be crowded, they could all probably squeeze into their town hall, a red-roofed two-story building at the corner of Gilliam and Mustang.

The History of Clinchport

Clinchport was originally formed and chartered in 1894. That original charter was repealed in 1915, and a new one was established in 1940. In 1975, the town amended the charter to modify the council and law enforcement structure. The founders believed the Clinch River would become navigable, hence the town’s name.

Despite its small size, in March and April of 1993, Clinchport held two professional wrestling events for the SMW—Smoky Mountain Wrestling. 600 and 400 people, respectively, attended each event. The style of wrestling was listed as “Rasslin’.”

At its peak in 1950, Clinchport had a population of 359. The population declined from that point but dropped precipitously after flooding in 1977. The flood was a 100-year flood and destroyed most of the residences, as well as its stores, church, post office, and elementary school. Afterward, federal authorities declared that construction would no longer be allowed in the river’s floodplain. Consequently, the majority of the town’s residents had to relocate.

Where Is Clinchport on a Map?

Clinchport is located in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, along the Clinch River. It is just south of Natural Tunnel State Park.

Animals in Clinchport

The wooded Appalachian hills surrounding Clinchport provide shelter for an incredible diversity of wildlife. White-tailed deer, black bears, beavers, raccoons, and coyotes are just some of the mammals in these hills. The streams contain smallmouth bass, rock bass, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, and longer sunfish. Red-shouldered hawks, American robins, cardinals, and kestrels are among the many species of bird that populate the trees and skies. The great blue heron, the great egret, and the bald eagle hunt the waterways. At night, you can hear the calls of spring peepers, American bullfrogs, and mountain chorus frogs. Watch your step while you walk through the woods, lest you step on a black kingsnake, garter snake, or an eastern copperhead. In addition to these, some animals are native to the region.

Virginia Opossum

As the only marsupial native to the United States and Canada, the opossum shares its name with the state of Virginia. The Virginia opossum has gray fur, with a face fading to white. It has a long, prehensile tail to hold onto branches, a pink nose, and pink feet. The opossum is an urban pest that gets into trash cans but is at home in the Virginia hills and woods.

Wild Turkey

Though they can roost in trees, wild turkeys spend most of their time foraging on the ground throughout Virginia’s wooded areas and open fields. These large birds—standing as tall as three feet and weighing as much as 18 pounds—will sometimes venture into yards looking for scraps during the lean months of winter.

Tennessee Snubnose Darter

This tiny (1.8 inches) fish has a maximum age of about 18 months and likes streams and pools that aren’t too turbulent. It especially likes rocky-bottomed bodies of water. The Tennessee snubnose darter eats midge larvae, mayfly naiads, and other insect larvae. It is numerous within streams and rivers that feed into the Tennessee River basin.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © grandbrothers/Shutterstock.com