Giles County is a county in Virginia, United States, along the state line with West Virginia in the New River Valley. It had a population of 16,787 at the 2020 census and covers 360 square miles (932 km2) centred near 37°19′N 80°42′W.
Pearisburg is the county seat, and its postal code is 24134. The county has four incorporated towns, about two dozen unincorporated communities, no civil townships — Virginia counties do not use the township system — the Eastern time zone, and FIPS code 51071.
Towns & Villages in Giles County
Giles County has four incorporated towns — Narrows, Pearisburg, Pembroke, and Rich Creek — plus roughly thirty unincorporated communities and hamlets scattered through the New River Valley and its side hollows. Glen Lyn was an incorporated town until it voted to dissolve its charter in 2024; it is listed below as an unincorporated community.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pearisburg | Town · seat | 2,909 | 24134 |
| Narrows | Town | — | 24124 |
| Pembroke | Town | — | 24136 |
| Rich Creek | Town | — | 24147 |
| Glen Lyn | Unincorp. | — | 24093 |
| Newport | Unincorp. | — | 24128 |
| Ripplemead | Unincorp. | — | 24150 |
| Staffordsville | Unincorp. | — | 24167 |
| Eggleston | Unincorp. | — | 24086 |
| Bane | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bear Spring | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Berton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bluff City | Unincorp. | — | 24134 |
| Boxley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| First Ford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| French | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Goldbond | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hoges Chapel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kimballton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kire | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Klotz | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lurich | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Maybrook | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Midway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mountain Lake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mountain View | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Norcross | Unincorp. | — | — |
| North Pearisburg | Unincorp. | — | 24134 |
| Olean | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Penvir | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Phlegar | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Poplar Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Prospectdale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ronk | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shumate | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Springdale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Thessalia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Trigg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| White Pine Lodge | Unincorp. | — | — |
Bluff City is a name to know rather than a separate place: it was an early New River ferry settlement founded by landowner George Pearis and has long since been absorbed into present-day Pearisburg, which grew up around it after the county was organised. North Pearisburg is likewise a residential extension of the county seat and shares its 24134 ZIP.
ZIP Codes
- 24134 — Pearisburg (also serves Bluff City and North Pearisburg)
- 24124 — Narrows
- 24136 — Pembroke (also serves the Mountain Lake area)
- 24147 — Rich Creek
- 24128 — Newport
- 24150 — Ripplemead
- 24167 — Staffordsville
- 24086 — Eggleston
- 24093 — Glen Lyn
The county’s smaller hollows and crossroads communities — places such as Bane, Kimballton, Klotz, and Trigg — do not have a standalone ZIP and are served by the nearest post office town listed above.
Geography
Giles County sits in the New River Valley, where the New River cuts a gorge north through a series of Appalachian ridges — East River Mountain, Peters Mountain, and Salt Pond Mountain — on its way into West Virginia. Salt Pond Mountain holds Mountain Lake, one of only two natural freshwater lakes in Virginia; its outflow runs to the New River via Little Stony Creek and a waterfall known as The Cascades. The county’s terrain is almost entirely rural and mountainous, and much of its southern and eastern edge lies within Jefferson National Forest; the Appalachian Trail crosses the county and passes the western edge of Pearisburg.
Giles County borders Craig County to the east, Montgomery County to the southeast, Pulaski County to the south, and Bland County to the west, all in Virginia. Across the state line it borders Monroe County to the north, Mercer County to the northwest, and Summers County to the north, both in West Virginia.
Demographics
Giles County had 16,787 residents at the 2020 census, spread across 356 square miles of land for a density of about 47 people per square mile. Pearisburg, with 2,909 residents, is the county’s largest community; Narrows, its second incorporated town, is the next largest but its 2020 population figure is not independently verified here. Giles County is a rural, older-skewing county — its median age was 46.0 in 2020 — and its household income runs below the Virginia median of $89,931.
Economy & Local Life
Manufacturing and healthcare anchor the local economy alongside agriculture and forestry. A long-running fiber and chemical plant at Narrows, historically tied to the Hoechst Celanese and now Celanese Corporation lineage, has been one of the county’s largest employers for decades. Tourism is a growing sector: Mountain Lake Lodge, the resort built above the natural lake in the 1930s, drew national attention as the filming location for the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing and still hosts visitors drawn to the lake, The Cascades hiking trail, and the Appalachian Trail corridor. Pearisburg’s downtown along the Appalachian Trail also serves through-hikers each spring and summer.
History
Giles County was formed in 1806 from parts of Montgomery, Monroe, and Tazewell counties and named for William Branch Giles, a Virginia congressman, U.S. senator, and later governor of the state. Pearisburg was established as the county seat two years later, in 1808, on land donated by early landowner George Pearis around the site of his New River ferry crossing. The county’s isolated mountain geography kept it thinly settled through the 19th century, and its economy shifted from subsistence farming toward mining, timber, and, in the 20th century, chemical manufacturing along the New River at Narrows.
Getting There
US Route 460 crosses the county east–west, connecting Pearisburg to the Blacksburg-Christiansburg area, and US Route 219 runs north into West Virginia. Virginia Routes 42, 61, and 100 connect the county’s smaller communities.
- Blacksburg, Virginia — 25 miles east
- Roanoke, Virginia — 45 miles east
- Bluefield, West Virginia — 30 miles northwest
- Beckley, West Virginia — 60 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA), about 40 miles east of Pearisburg. There is no Amtrak service in Giles County; Norfolk Southern freight tracks run through the county but do not carry passengers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Giles County, Virginia?
It is in southwestern Virginia’s New River Valley, on the state line with West Virginia, roughly 25 miles northwest of Blacksburg.
What is the population of Giles County?
Giles County had a population of 16,787 at the 2020 census.
How big is Giles County?
The county covers 360 square miles (932 km2), of which 356 square miles are land and about 4.6 square miles are water.
What is the county seat of Giles County?
Pearisburg is the county seat.
How many towns are in Giles County?
Four places are incorporated towns — Narrows, Pearisburg, Pembroke, and Rich Creek — alongside roughly thirty unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Giles County?
Giles County has nine ZIP codes, headed by 24134 (Pearisburg), 24124 (Narrows), 24136 (Pembroke), and 24147 (Rich Creek).
Is Mountain Lake a natural lake?
Yes. Mountain Lake, on Salt Pond Mountain in Giles County, is one of only two natural freshwater lakes in Virginia and is best known as the filming location for Dirty Dancing.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Virginia.