Virginia State Route 42
Encyclopedia
State Route 42 is a primary state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...

 in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

. Running parallel to and west of Interstate 81, SR 42 consists of three sections with gaps filled by secondary routes in between. Some of SR 42 lies along the old Fincastle and Cumberland Gap Turnpike. Another major piece, from near Clifton Forge
Clifton Forge, Virginia
Clifton Forge is a town in Alleghany County, Virginia, United States which is part of the Roanoke Region. The population was 3,884 at the 2010 census. The Jackson River flows through the town, which as a result was once known as Jackson's River Station....

 to Buffalo Gap
Buffalo Gap, Virginia
Buffalo Gap is an area located a few miles away from Churchville, Virginia. It is a rural area and houses, a high school, and gas station/grocery store are scattered out around the area....

, parallels the old Virginia Central Railroad
Virginia Central Railroad
Virginia Central Railroad was chartered as the Louisa Railroad in 1836 by the Virginia Board of Public Works and had its name changed to Virginia Central Railroad in 1850. It connected Richmond with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad at Gordonsville in 1854, and had expanded westward past the Blue...

.

Description

Smyth County
SR 42 begins at State Route 91 at Broadford, where SR 91 turns north to cross Brushy Mountain. SR 42 continues the east-northeasterly path of SR 91 through the valleys formed by the North Fork Holston River, crossing State Route 16 at Black Hill.

Bland County
SR 42 continues past Groseclose Store and Ceres
Ceres, Virginia
Ceres is an unincorporated community in Bland County, Virginia, United States. Ceres is located on Virginia State Route 42 west-southwest of Bland. Ceres has a post office with ZIP code 24318....

, meeting State Route 623 at Sharon Springs, the source of the North Fork Holston River. A low crossing of the Tennessee Valley Divide
Tennessee Valley Divide
The Tennessee Valley Divide is the eastern and southern boundary of the drainage basin of the Tennessee River and its tributaries.The Tennessee Valley Divide begins near the northeasternmost source of the Tennessee River, in the vicinity of Bluefield, West Virginia. From there, the divide...

 at about 2850 feet (869 m) takes SR 42 into the valleys formed by Walker Creek
Walker Creek (Virginia)
-References:**USGS Hydrologic Unit Map - State of Virginia...

. After passing Effna, SR 42 joins U.S. Route 52 as that route comes down from its Big Walker Mountain crossing. SR 42 crosses Interstate 77 as it approaches Bland
Bland, Virginia
Bland is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Bland County, Virginia, United States. Bland was originally known as Bland Court House. The population as of the 2010 Census was 409....

, and, in Bland, it meets State Route 98 and parts ways with US 52, still heading east-northeast near Walker Creek. SR 42 passes Point Pleasant and Crandon, and meets State Route 738 at Mechanicsburg, before crossing Kimberling Creek, a tributary of Walker Creek, and then entering Giles County.

Giles County
SR 42 continues to follow Walker Creek
Walker Creek (Virginia)
-References:**USGS Hydrologic Unit Map - State of Virginia...

 through Giles County, passing White Gate before ending at State Route 100 at Poplar Hill.

SR 42 formerly turned north on SR 100, following Walker Creek northeast to Staffordsville. There it turned east on current State Route 730 (now connected to SR 100 via SR 750, an old alignment of SR 100), following some smaller brooks and passing over a summit on its way to Eggleston, where it crossed the New River. SR 730 continues through a rather hilly area from Eggleston to its end at U.S. Route 460, from which US 460 follows Sinking Creek
Sinking Creek (Virginia)
-References:**USGS Hydrologic Unit Map - State of Virginia...

 past Maybrook to the next piece of SR 42 near Newport.

SR 42 begins again at U.S. Route 460 near Newport. It crosses old US 460 in Newport and begins following Sinking Creek in a general east-northeasterly direction.

Craig County
After entering Craig County, SR 42 passes the communities of Huffman
Huffman, Virginia
Huffman is an unincorporated community in southwest Craig County, Virginia.It lies along State Route 42.-References:US Board on Geographic Names, http://geonames.usgs.gov/...

, Simmonsville
Simmonsville, Virginia
Simmonsville is an unincorporated community in southwestern Craig County, Virginia, United States. It lies along State Route 42, southwest of New Castle....

, and Sinking Creek, the creek with that name ending soon after. SR 42 then crosses a summit at 2704 feet (824 m) and begins to parallel Meadow Creek past Looney to Meadow Creek Falls, where it reaches its first twisty section. It descends through a gap between Sinking Creek Mountain and Johns Creek Mountain and down the slopes of Johns Creek Mountain into the town of New Castle, where it ends again at State Route 311. This descent takes it from 2570 feet (783 m) at Looney down to 1310 feet (399 m) in New Castle.

SR 42 once continued northeast on State Route 615, part of the way to U.S. Route 220 near Eagle Rock
Eagle Rock, Virginia
Eagle Rock is an unincorporated community in Botetourt County, Virginia, United States, located on the James River between Iron Gate and Buchanan, Virginia.-Geography:Eagle Rock is located at . Its elevation is .-History:...

. (The gap was never completely filled, and part of SR 615 was State Route 43.) This route generally parallels Craig Creek
Craig Creek
Craig Creek is an tributary of the James River in the U.S. state of Virginia. It flows through the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians in western Virginia, passing northwest of Roanoke....

, which takes the waters of Meadow Creek from New Castle into the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...

 at Eagle Rock. From Eagle Rock, which is in Botetourt County, U.S. Route 220 heads north, generally along the James River, to Cliftondale Park
Cliftondale Park, Virginia
Cliftondale Park is an unincorporated community in Alleghany County, Virginia, United States.-References:*...

 (east of Clifton Forge) in Allegheny County. There, US 220 joins Interstate 64/U.S. Route 60 to the west, but the old SR 42 heads east on old US 60 (State Route 670 and State Route 632) over a summit at about 1220 feet (372 m) to State Route 269.

Alleghany County
The third - and longest - piece of SR 42 begins where old U.S. Route 60 becomes State Route 269. SR 42 begins by heading north, along with SR 269, to exit 29 of Interstate 64/US 60. There SR 269 ends, while SR 42 heads north-northeasterly, generally following the Cowpasture River
Cowpasture River
The Cowpasture River is a chief tributary of the James River in western Virginia in the United States. It is long.-Course:The Cowpasture rises in northeastern Highland County and flows generally southwestwardly, initially between Bullpasture Mountain and Shaws Ridge through a narrow valley floor...

 past Nicelytown
Nicelytown, Virginia
Nicelytown is an unincorporated community in Alleghany County, Virginia, United States.-References:*...

 and into Bath County.

Bath County
SR 42 continues near the Cowpasture River past Nimrod Hall to State Route 39 at Millboro Springs
Millboro Springs, Virginia
Millboro Springs is an unincorporated community in Bath County, Virginia, in the United States.-Reference:...

. It turns east with SR 39, rising from about 1300 feet (396 m) at Millboro Springs to about 1780 feet (543 m) near Hotchkiss
Hotchkiss, Virginia
Hotchkiss is an unincorporated community in Bath County, Virginia, in the United States.-Reference:...

. There the ground levels out, and the combined SR 39 and SR 42 continue east, paralleling Mill Creek into Rockbridge County at Panther Gap.

Rockbridge County
SR 39 and SR 42 continue to parallel Mill Creek from Panther Gap into Goshen
Goshen, Virginia
Goshen is a town in Rockbridge County, Virginia, United States. The population was 406 at the 2000 census. The town is known amongst the Boy Scouts of America for hosting Goshen Scout Reservation, one of the largest Boy Scout camps in America....

, where SR 39 splits to the southwest and SR 42 turns northeast, crossing the Calfpasture River
Calfpasture River
The Calfpasture River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It flows about from its source, Gordons Peak in the Allegheny Mountains, to its confluence with the Little Calfpasture River, forming the Maury River. Via the Maury, the Calfpasture's waters flow into the James River, thence...

. It runs alongside some small creeks on its way to Bells Valley, and continues to follow small creeks into Augusta County.

Augusta County
SR 42 passes through Craigsville
Craigsville, Virginia
Craigsville is a town in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population was 979 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Craigsville is located at ....

, Following the Little Calfpasture River
Little Calfpasture River
The Little Calfpasture River is a tributary of the Maury River in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is part of the James River watershed.The river rises east of Elliott Knob on Great North Mountain in the Allegheny Mountains of western Virginia, in Augusta County...

 from there past Augusta Springs
Augusta Springs, Virginia
Augusta Springs, Virginia is a census-designated place in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 257.-Reference:*...

 and Mount Elliott Springs to Chapin. It crosses a summit of 2125 feet (648 m) at North Mountain and then follows Buffalo Branch through Buffalo Gap to the west end of State Route 254.

Once SR 42 passes through Buffalo Gap, the land is flatter, and the road heads cross-country, still in a north-northeasterly direction, past Churchville
Churchville, Virginia
Churchville is a census-designated place in the western part of Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 194. Churchville Elementary School is located there. It is home to the Churchville Public Library, part of the Augusta County Library Branch...

 (where it crosses U.S. Route 250), Stover, Parnassus, Moscow
Moscow, Virginia
Moscow is a small village about south of Bridgewater, Virginia located on route 42 with only a few residents left. It consists of a Brethren church, elementary school named North River Elementary , cabinet shop, a couple houses, and a gas and grocery store. This is mostly a business area for the...

, Mount Solon
Mount Solon, Virginia
Mount Solon is an unincorporated community in Augusta County, Virginia, United States, southwest of Harrisonburg and northwest of Staunton. Mount Solon is located in the 6th US Congressional District. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Earliest Settlements...

, and Mossy Creek.

Rockingham County
SR 42 continues through Bridgewater, where State Route 257 joins it from the east, to Dayton. State Route 42 Business follows the old road through Dayton, and SR 257 leaves to the west, while State Route 290 crosses there. Then SR 42 enters the city of Harrisonburg on High Street. It passes straight through Harrisonburg from High Street across U.S. Route 33 (Market Street) onto Virginia Avenue, leaving the city to the north.

SR 42 continues in its north-northeasterly direction from Harrisonburg, passing Edom
Edom, Virginia
Edom is an unincorporated community located in Rockingham County, in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is located along Route 42 at the crossroads with State Route 721, north of Harrisonburg and southeast of Singers Glen. Linville Creek flows through the village....

, Broadway
Broadway, Virginia
Broadway is a town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,192 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Broadway is located at ....

 (where it crosses State Route 259), and Timberville
Timberville, Virginia
Timberville is a town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,739 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrisonburg Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Timberville is located at ....

 (where it weets the west end of State Route 211 and crosses the North Fork Shenandoah River, which also passes through Broadway).

Shenandoah County
At Forestville
Forestville, Virginia
Conicville is an unincorporated community in Shenandoah County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...

, SR 42 turns to the northwest until Getz Corner, where it again turns north-northeasterly. It passes Hudson Crossroads, Conicville
Conicville, Virginia
Conicville is an unincorporated community in Shenandoah County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...

, Davey Hill, and Columbia Furnace
Columbia Furnace, Virginia
Columbia Furnace is an unincorporated community in Shenandoah County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...

, where it meets State Route 675, formerly part of State Route 59 west into West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...

. At Columbia Furnace, SR 42 curves to the east, using the old SR 59 past Harmony and Calvary
Calvary, Virginia
Calvary is an unincorporated community in Shenandoah County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...

 and across Interstate 81 to its end at U.S. Route 11 and State Route 670 in southern Woodstock
Woodstock, Virginia
Woodstock is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. It has a population of 5,097 according to the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Shenandoah County....

.

Major intersections

{| class="wikitable"
!County
!Location
!Mile

!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=3|Smyth
Smyth County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,081 people, 13,493 households, and 9,607 families residing in the county. The population density was 73 people per square mile . There were 15,111 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...


|Broadford
|0.00
|
|Southern terminus of southern segment of SR 42
|-
|rowspan=2|Chatham Hill
|9.59
|
|South end of concurrency with SR 16
|-
|9.91
|
|North end of concurrency with SR 16
|-
|rowspan=4|Bland
Bland County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,871 people, 2,568 households, and 1,908 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile . There were 3,161 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...


|
|33.17
|
|South end of concurrency with US 52
|-
|rowspan=3|Bland
Bland, Virginia
Bland is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Bland County, Virginia, United States. Bland was originally known as Bland Court House. The population as of the 2010 Census was 409....


|37.14
|
|I-77 Exit 52
|-
|
|
|
|-
|38.05
|
|North end of concurrency with US 52
|-
|Giles
Giles County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,657 people, 6,994 households, and 4,888 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 7,732 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...


|Poplar Hill
|61.63
|
|Northern terminus of southern segment of SR 42
|-
|colspan=5|
|-
|Giles
Giles County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,657 people, 6,994 households, and 4,888 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 7,732 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...


|Newport
Newport, Virginia
Newport is an unincorporated community in Giles County, Virginia, United States, with the ZIP code of 24128.-External links:*...


|0.00
|
|Southern terminus of central segment of SR 42
|-
|Craig
Craig County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,091 people, 2,060 households, and 1,507 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile . There were 2,554 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...


|New Castle
New Castle, Virginia
New Castle is the only town in Craig County, Virginia, United States. The population was 153 at the 2010 census...


|29.43
|
|Northern terminus of central segment of SR 42
|-
|colspan=5|
|-
|rowspan=2|Alleghany
Alleghany County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,926 people, 5,149 households, and 3,866 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 5,812 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...


|rowspan=2|Nicelytown
Nicelytown, Virginia
Nicelytown is an unincorporated community in Alleghany County, Virginia, United States.-References:*...


|0.00
|
|Southern terminus of northern segment of SR 42; south end of concurrency with SR 269
|-
|0.18
|
|I-64 Exit 29; north end of concurrency with SR 269
|-
|Bath
Bath County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,048 people, 2,053 households, and 1,451 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 2,896 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile...


|Millboro Springs
Millboro Springs, Virginia
Millboro Springs is an unincorporated community in Bath County, Virginia, in the United States.-Reference:...


|16.64
|
|South end of concurrency with SR 39
|-
|Rockbridge
Rockbridge County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,808 people, 8,486 households, and 6,075 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile . There were 9,550 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...


|Goshen
Goshen, Virginia
Goshen is a town in Rockbridge County, Virginia, United States. The population was 406 at the 2000 census. The town is known amongst the Boy Scouts of America for hosting Goshen Scout Reservation, one of the largest Boy Scout camps in America....


|24.84
|
|North end of concurrency with SR 39
|-
|rowspan=3|Augusta
Augusta County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 65,615 people, 24,818 households, and 18,911 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 26,738 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...


|Buffalo Gap
Buffalo Gap, Virginia
Buffalo Gap is an area located a few miles away from Churchville, Virginia. It is a rural area and houses, a high school, and gas station/grocery store are scattered out around the area....


|46.05
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Churchville
Churchville, Virginia
Churchville is a census-designated place in the western part of Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 194. Churchville Elementary School is located there. It is home to the Churchville Public Library, part of the Augusta County Library Branch...


|51.30
|
|South end of concurrency with US 250
|-
|51.77
|
|South end of concurrency with US 250
|-
|rowspan=4|Rockingham
Rockingham County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 67,725 people, 25,355 households, and 18,889 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 27,328 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...


|Bridgewater
Bridgewater, Virginia
Bridgewater is an incorporated town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States. The population was 5,644 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bridgewater is home to the Reds of the Rockingham County Baseball League...


|68.11
|
|South end of concurrency with SR 257
|-
|rowspan=3|Dayton
Dayton, Virginia
Dayton is a town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States. The population is 1,530 as of the 2010 census. It is included in the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Dayton is located at...


|70.84
|
|North end of concurrency with SR 257
|-
|
|
|
|-
|
|
|
|-
|colspan=2|City of Harrisonburg
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...


|75.54
|
|
|-
|rowspan=4|Rockingham
Rockingham County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 67,725 people, 25,355 households, and 18,889 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 27,328 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...


|rowspan=3|Broadway
Broadway, Virginia
Broadway is a town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,192 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Broadway is located at ....


|88.21
|SR 259 Alt. east (Broadway Avenue)
|
|-
|88.73
|
|South end of concurrency with SR 259
|-
|89.15
|
|North end of concurrency with SR 259
|-
|Timberville
Timberville, Virginia
Timberville is a town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,739 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrisonburg Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Timberville is located at ....


|90.54
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Shenandoah
Shenandoah County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 35,075 people, 14,296 households, and 10,064 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 16,709 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...


|Mount Clifton
Mount Clifton, Virginia
Mount Clifton is an unincorporated community in Shenandoah County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...


|102.88
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Woodstock
Woodstock, Virginia
Woodstock is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. It has a population of 5,097 according to the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Shenandoah County....


|118.60
|
|I-81 Exit 283
|-
|119.23
|
|Northern terminus of northern segment of SR 42

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK