Place:South Boston, Halifax, Virginia, United States

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NameSouth Boston
Alt namesSouth Boston Citysource: Getty Vocabulary Program
South Boston Independent Citysource: Getty Vocabulary Program
TypeCity or town
Coordinates36.708°N 78.903°W
Located inHalifax, Virginia, United States
source: Family History Library Catalog


the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

South Boston, formerly Boyd's Ferry, is a town in Halifax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 8,142 at the 2010 census, down from 8,491 at the 2000 census. It is the most populous town in Halifax County.

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History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia
Presidential election results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
1992 52.1% 1,435 38.1% 1,051 9.8% 271
1988 64.1% 1,694 35.4% 936 0.6% 15
1984 65.6% 1,899 33.7% 974 0.7% 20
1980 61.0% 1,615 36.7% 971 2.4% 63
1976 57.0% 1,389 41.1% 1,001 2.0% 48
1972 71.6% 1,865 27.2% 709 1.2% 31
1968 50.2% 1,298 24.0% 620 25.9% 669
1964 65.4% 1,206 34.5% 636 0.1% 1
1960 62.7% 807 37.1% 477 0.2% 3

On December 8, 1796, the Virginia General Assembly authorized eight commissioners to establish at Boyd's Ferry on the south side of the Dan River the town of South Boston, named for Boston, Massachusetts. Because this site proved vulnerable to flooding, it was eventually abandoned in favor of a new settlement on the north side. By the 1850s the Richmond and Danville Railroad passed through South Boston, which eventually developed into an important market for brightleaf tobacco. In 1884 it was incorporated as a town; in 1960 it became an independent city; and in 1995 it made history by being the first city in Virginia to revert to town status and rejoined Halifax County. South Boston is also known for its outstanding, authentic Mexican food.

Within the town limits Berry Hill Plantation, E. L. Evans House, Reedy Creek Site, South Boston Historic District, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Fourqurean House, Glennmary, Glenwood, Tarover, and Seaton are nearby.

South Boston was home to the National Tobacco Festival (a typically three day annual festival held every Fall) from its inception in 1935 to 1941, when it was suspended during World War II. In 1948, the festival was moved to Richmond, Virginia when it outgrew the town. It was held in Richmond until 1984, when it was canceled due to rising production costs and decreased interest. South Boston was the second largest producer of tobacco in the United States until the Great Depression.

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