Luray is the county seat of Page County, Virginia, United States. It is in the Shenandoah Valley and found within the northwestern part of the Commonwealth. The population was 4,831 at the 2020 census.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which 4.7&nbsp;square&nbsp;miles (12.3&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) is land and 0.21% is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Luray has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa).

Demographics

thumb|left|Main Street, Luray in 1910

left|thumb|Aerial view in 2021

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Luray had a population of 4,831. The median age was 47.9 years. 17.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 25.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.0 males age 18 and over.

97.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 2.4% lived in rural areas.

There were 2,076 households in Luray, of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 39.3% were married-couple households, 19.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 33.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. officially known as the Belle Brown Northcott Memorial, was erected in 1937 in memory of Colonel Theodore Clay Northcott's wife (Northcott was the owner of the Luray Caverns). At high the Luray Singing Tower contains a carillon of 47 bells from John Taylor & Co of Loughborough, Leicestershire, Great Britain. The largest bell weighs 7,640 pounds and is six feet in diameter. The smallest weighs a mere 12½ pounds. Recognized as one of the country's major carillons, regularly scheduled recitals are held, free of charge, through the spring, summer and fall. The carillon is situated in a park opposite Luray Caverns.

  • Luray Caverns is located in the western part of Luray
  • Luray is the nearest town to the Thornton Gap entrance to Skyline Drive (to the east), as well as serving as the headquarters for Shenandoah National Park
  • Murder Mountain, located off Old Wagon Road in Luray, has become a destination for ghost hunters
  • The Luray Downtown Historic District is a Virginia Main Street Community and a registered National Historic District
  • Home to the 2010 Valley Baseball League Champion Luray Wranglers
  • The only high school in Luray is Luray High School, home of the Bulldogs
  • The town is also home to The Page News and Courier, the major newspaper for the county
  • In 1893 the Blue Ridge Bank was founded, one of the oldest still functioning banks in Virginia
  • The community's proximity to the South Fork of the Shenandoah River provides recreational opportunities connected with boating, white water rafting, and fishing as well as hunting in the fall
  • Jeremey's Run Site is an archaeological site listed on the National Register of Historic Places
  • In addition to the Luray Downtown Historic District, Aventine Hall, and archaeological sites, the Heiston-Strickler House, Kanawha, Luray Norfolk and Western Passenger Station, Massanutton Heights, Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Page County Courthouse, Abram and Sallie Printz Farm, Redwell-Isabella Furnace Historic District, Ruffner House, Skyline Drive Historic District, Isaac Spitler House, Stover House, and Wall Brook Farm are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (the book's cover reads merely "Aunt Betty's Story") is the 1889 autobiography of Bethany Veney's life in Luray.

thumb|right|US 211 in Luray

Transportation

US 211 and US 340 intersect in Luray and are the main roadways into and out of the area. US 211 Bus and US 340 Bus provide local access to downtown Luray. Main Street is U.S. 211 Business.

thumb|upright=1.3|West Main Street in Downtown Luray on an early summer morning in 2008

Notable people

  • Edward Mallory "Ned" Almond (1892 – 1979), controversial United States Army general
  • Floyd Baker (1916 - 2004), Major League Baseball infielder
  • William Randolph Barbee (1818 – 1868), sculptor
  • Andrew Russell Barbee, Jr. (1827 – 1903), brother of William Randolph Barbee, noted surgeon during the American Civil War
  • Herbert Barbee (1848 – 1936), son of William Randolph Barbee, noted for his neoclassical sculpture
  • Peter Bouck Borst (1826 – 1882), active participant in the mid-19th century development of Page County, Virginia
  • Charles Frederick Crisp (1845 –1896), Congressman from Georgia from 1882 until his death in 1896
  • Carolyn Ellis, academic known for her innovations in autoethnography
  • Thomas Jordan (1819 –1895), Confederate general
  • Donald Edward Keyhoe (1897 – 1988), Marine Corps naval aviator
  • Robert Franklin Leedy (1863 – 1924), lawyer, soldier, and Virginia state legislator
  • Keith McHenry (1957 - ) co-founded the global movement Food Not Bombs

References

  • Town website