Editing Danville, Virginia

{{short description|Independent city in Virginia, United States}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Danville, Virginia
| settlement_type    = [[Independent city (United States)|Independent city]]
| image_skyline      = DANVILLE.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Worsham Street overlook, Main & Ridge St. intersection, Masonic building (River City Towers), Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge, municipal building from Union Street, repurposed Dan River Fabrics "Home" sign.(Clockwise from the top)
| image_seal         = Danville va seal.png
| nicknames          = River City,<br/>City of Churches,<br/>DanVegas,<br/>D'ville
| motto              = Reimagine That
| image_map          = Danville-Location.svg
| mapsize            = 
| map_caption        = Location in the Commonwealth of [[Virginia]]
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
| pushpin_map        = Virginia#USA
| pushpin_label_position = top
| pushpin_relief     = yes
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Danville in [[Virginia]]
| coordinates        = {{coord|36|35|14|N|79|24|16|W|region:US-VA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = State
| subdivision_type2  = [[County (Virginia)|County]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Virginia]]
| subdivision_name2  = None ([[Independent city (United States)|Independent city]])
| established_date   = 
| named_for          = [[Dan River (Virginia)|Dan River]]
| government_type    = [[Council–manager government|Council–manager]]
| leader_title1      = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name1       = Alonzo Jones
| leader_title2      = [[Vice Mayor]]
| leader_name2       = Gary P. Miller
| leader_title3      = [[City council|Council]]
| leader_name3       = Danville City Council
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_sq_mi   = 43.70
| area_land_sq_mi    = 42.80
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.90
| elevation_ft       = 531
| population_total   = 42590
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| population_demonym = Danvillian
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]
| postal_code        = 24540-24541, 24543
| area_code          = [[Area code 434|434]]
| website            = {{URL|www.danville-va.gov}}
| footnotes          = 
| pushpin_label      = Danville
| timezone           = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset         = −5
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = −4
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 51-21344<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1492837<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_est     = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_51.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 113.19
| area_land_km2      = 110.84
| area_water_km2     = 2.34
| population_density_km2 = auto
| official_name      = 
| image_blank_emblem = Logo of Danville, Virginia.png
| blank_emblem_type  = Logo
| image_flag         = Flag of Danville, Virginia.png
}}

'''Danville''' is an [[independent city (United States)|independent city]] in the [[Virginia|Commonwealth of Virginia]] in the United States. The city is located in the [[Southside (Virginia)|Southside Virginia]] region and on the fall line of the [[Dan River (Virginia)|Dan River]].

The city was a center of [[Tobacco in the United States|tobacco]] production and was an area of Confederate activity during the [[American Civil War]],<ref name="auto">{{cite web |last1=DeNordendorff |first1=Charles |title=Map of Danville Defences 1863 |url=http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/gilmer/id/100 |publisher=University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |access-date=8 June 2016}}</ref> due to its strategic location on the [[Richmond and Danville Railroad]]. In April 1865, Danville briefly served as the third and final capital of the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] before its surrender later that year.

Danville has maintained an African American majority population since the [[Reconstruction era]]. During this time, the city was represented politically by African American members of the [[Readjuster Party]]. However, this changed following the [[Danville Massacre]] of 1883, after which Democrats regained control both locally and statewide.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/reckoning-in-a-small-town-civil-war-meets-civil-rights-in-the-last-capital-of-the-confederacy/2020/09/18/317eaf88-f6a3-11ea-89e3-4b9efa36dc64_story.html|title=Reckoning in a small town: Civil War meets civil rights in the Last Capital of the Confederacy|last=Schneider|first=Gregory|date=September 19, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=June 10, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://wordinblack.com/2021/10/in-the-1880s-election-fraud-and-a-massacre-stopped-black-progress/|title=In the 1800s, election fraud and a massacre stopped black progress|last=Work Castle|first=Molly|date=October 19, 2021|website=Word in Black|access-date=June 10, 2023}}</ref> Decades later, during the civil rights era, Danville again became a flashpoint for racial violence and resistance to desegregation efforts.

Danville is the principal city of the [[Danville, Virginia micropolitan area|Danville, Virginia Micropolitan Statistical Area]]. The [[Bureau of Economic Analysis]] combines the city of Danville with surrounding [[Pittsylvania County, Virginia|Pittsylvania County]] for statistical purposes. The population was 42,590 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Danville city, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US5159091108|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 26, 2022}}</ref> It is bounded by Pittsylvania County to the north and [[Caswell County, North Carolina]] to the south. It hosts the [[Danville Otterbots]] baseball club of the [[Appalachian League]].

==History==
===18th century===
[[File:View of the Dan River Danville Virginia.JPG|thumb|upright=1.1|The [[Dan River (Virginia)|Dan River]] in downtown Danville]]
Numerous [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] tribes had lived in this part of the [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]] region since prehistoric times. During the colonial period, the area was inhabited by [[Siouan language]]-speaking tribes.

In 1728, English colonist [[William Byrd II|William Byrd]] headed an expedition sent to determine the true boundary between Virginia and [[North Carolina]]. Late that summer, the party camped upstream from what is now Danville. Byrd was so taken with the beauty of the land, that he prophesied a future settlement in the vicinity, where people would live "with much comfort and gaiety of Heart." He named the river along which they camped as the "[[Dan River (Virginia)|Dan]]", for Byrd felt he had wandered "[[From Dan to Beersheba]]."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://danvillehistory.org/history.html|title=History|website=Danville Historical Society|language=en|access-date=2019-06-15|archive-date=April 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414221351/http://www.danvillehistory.org/history.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After the [[American Revolutionary War]], the first settlement developed in 1792 downstream from Byrd's campsite, at a spot along the river shallow enough to allow fording. It was named "Wynne's Falls", after the first settler. The village developed from the meetings of pioneering [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]] veterans, who gathered annually here to fish and talk over old times.

In 1793, the state General Assembly authorized construction of a tobacco warehouse at Wynne's Falls. This marks the start of the town as "The World's Best Tobacco Market", Virginia's largest market for [[brightleaf tobacco]]. The village was renamed "Danville" by an act of November 23, 1793.

===19th century===
[[File:William T Sutherlin Mansion Danville Virginia.JPG|thumb|upright=1.1|Danville was home to tobacco entrepreneur William T. Sutherlin. The city was sometimes called the "last capitol of the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]]"]]
[[File:Dan's Hill Virginia.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Dan's Hill estate in western Danville]]
[[Image:Old 97 wreck at Stillhouse Trestle in Virginia - 1903 (2).jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Wreck of the Old 97, 1903]]
[[File:Shuttered textile mill Dan River Mills Danville Virginia.JPG|thumb|upright=1.1|The abandoned Dan River Mills on the [[Dan River (Virginia)|Dan River]]]]
A charter for the town was drawn up on February 17, 1830, but by the time of its issue, the population had exceeded the pre-arranged boundaries. This necessitated a new charter, which was issued in 1833. In that year, James Lanier was elected the first mayor, assisted by a council of "twelve fit and able men."

By the mid-19th century, [[William T. Sutherlin]], a planter and entrepreneur, was the first to apply water power to run a tobacco press. He became a major industrialist in the region.

In the mid to late 1800s, several railroads reached Danville, including the [[Richmond and Danville Railroad]] (completed 1856), and the [[Atlantic and Danville Railway]] (completed 1890). These enabled the export of Danville's manufacturing and agricultural products. The major growth in industry came in the late 19th century, after the war. The [[Southern Railway (U.S.)|Southern Railway]], successor to the Richmond and Danville, built a grand passenger station in Danville in 1899, which is still in use by Amtrak and is a satellite facility of the Virginia Museum.

At the outbreak of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], Danville had a population of approximately 5,000 people. During the war years, the town was transformed into a strategic center of [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] activity. William Sutherlin was named [[quartermaster]] of its depot. The rail center was critical for supplying Confederate forces, and a hospital station was established for Confederate wounded.  A network of batteries, breastworks, redoubts and rifle pits defended the town.<ref name="auto"/>

A prison camp was set up, with the conversion of six tobacco warehouses, including one owned by Sutherlin, for use as prisons. At one time they held more than 5,000 captured [[Union (American Civil War)|American]] soldiers. [[Malnutrition]] and [[dysentery]], plus a [[smallpox]] epidemic in 1864, caused the death of 1,314 of these prisoners. Their remains have been interred in the [[Danville National Cemetery (Virginia)|Danville National Cemetery]].

The [[Richmond and Danville Railroad]] was the main supply route into [[Petersburg, Virginia|Petersburg]], where Lee's [[Army of Northern Virginia]] was [[Siege of Petersburg|holding the defensive]] line to protect [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]]. The Danville supply train ran until General [[George Stoneman|Stoneman's]] Union cavalry troops tore up the tracks. This event was immortalized in the song, "[[The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down]]."

In 1865, Danville hosted the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] government. Confederate President [[Jefferson Davis]] stayed at Sutherlin's mansion from April 3 to 10, 1865, and the house became known as the "Last Capitol of the Confederacy."<ref name="arcadia">{{cite book|first1=Frankie Y.|last1=Bailey|first2=Alice P.|last2=Green|title=Wicked Danville: Liquor and Lawlessness in a Southside Virginia City|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ia9_CQAAQBAJ&pg=PT59|year=2011|publisher=Arcadia Publishing Incorporated|isbn=978-1-62584-122-3|page=59}}</ref> Here he wrote and issued his last Presidential Proclamation. The final Confederate Cabinet meeting was held at the Benedict House (since destroyed) in Danville. Davis and members of his cabinet left the city when they learned of Lee's [[surrender at Appomattox]], and moved to [[Greensboro, North Carolina]], making their way south. On the day they left, Governor [[William Smith (Virginia governor)|William Smith]] arrived from [[Lynchburg, Virginia|Lynchburg]] to establish his headquarters here.

In 1882, the biracial [[Readjuster Party]] had gained control of the city council, causing resentment and even alarm among some white residents, even though the council was still dominated by white members; the city had a majority African-American population. The Readjuster Party had been in power at the state level since 1879. Violence broke out on November 3, 1883, a few days before the election, when a racially-motivated street fight turned to shooting after a large crowd gathered; five men were killed, four of them black. A local Danville commission found African Americans at fault for the violence on November 3, but a US Senate investigation decided that white residents were to blame. No prosecution resulted from either inquiry.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia
|contribution=Danville Riot (1883)
|first=Brendan
|last=Wolfe
|title=Encyclopedia Virginia
|url=https://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Danville_Riot_1883#itsFR
|year=2015
|publisher=[[Virginia Humanities]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|title=The Press on the Danville Riot
|newspaper=[[Richmond Dispatch]]
|date=November 6, 1883
|url=https://staging.encyclopediavirginia.org/_The_Press_on_the_Danville_Riot_Richmond_Dispatch_November_6_1883
|access-date=February 25, 2019
|archive-date=February 25, 2019
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225223801/https://staging.encyclopediavirginia.org/_The_Press_on_the_Danville_Riot_Richmond_Dispatch_November_6_1883
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

In the late 19th and continuing into the early 20th centuries, tobacco processing was a major source of wealth for business owners in the city, in addition to the textile mills. Wealthy planters and owners built fine houses, some of which have been preserved.

Given the falls on the river, the area was prime for industrial development based on water power. On July 22, 1882, six of Danville's residents (Thomas Benton Fitzgerald, Dr. H.W. Cole, Benjamin F. Jefferson and three brothers: Robert A., John H., and James E. Schoolfield) founded the Riverside Cotton Mills, making use of cotton produced throughout the South. Both the Riverside Cotton Mills and Danville itself grew tremendously during Fitzgerald's leadership of the company as President. In its day it was known nationally as [[Dan River Inc. Riverside Division Historic District|Dan River Inc.]], the largest single-unit [[textile mill]] in the world.

As the industrial town grew rapidly, it attracted many single workers, and associated gambling, drinking, and prostitution establishments. By the early 20th century, the city passed laws against gambling, but it continued in small, private places.<ref name="arcadia"/>  On September 9, 1882, Danville Mayor John H. Johnston shot and killed John E. Hatcher, his chief of police. Hatcher had demanded an apology for a statement Johnston had made regarding unaccounted fine money. Johnston was charged with murder, but he was acquitted at trial. The Southern "culture of honor" was still strong and jurors apparently believed the killing was justified.<ref>{{cite web | title = John Epps Hatcher | publisher = Hatcher Families Genealogy Society | url = http://hatcherfamilyassn.com/getperson.php?personID=I28032&tree=WmTheIm}}</ref>

The [[Southern Railway (U.S.)|Southern Railway]] constructed a railroad line to the city in the late 19th century and had facilities here, which contributed to the growing economy. In 1899, the company completed a grand passenger station, designed by its noted architect [[Frank Pierce Milburn]]. For many years, passenger traffic was strong on the railroad; it also operated freight trains.

===20th century===
A serious train wreck occurred in Danville on September 27, 1903. "Old 97", the [[Norfolk Southern Railway|Southern Railway]]'s crack express mail train, was running behind schedule. Its engineer "gave her full throttle", but the speed of the train caused it to jump the tracks while on a high trestle crossing the valley of the Dan River. The engine and five cars plunged into the ravine below, killing nine and injuring seven. The locomotive and its engineer, Joseph A. ("Steve") Broadey, were memorialized in song. A historic marker at the train crash site is located on U.S. 58 between Locust Lane and North Main Street. A mural of the ''[[Wreck of the Old 97]]'' has been painted on a downtown Danville building to commemorate the incident.

Afterward Democrats forced African Americans out of office and suppressed their voting rights. In November 1883 Democrats regained control of the state legislature by a large majority, and pushed out the Readjuster Party.

White Democratic legislators interpreted the Danville events as more reason to push blacks out of politics. In 1902, the state legislature passed a new constitution that raised barriers to voter registration, effectively [[Disfranchisement after the Reconstruction era|disenfranchising most blacks]] and many poor whites, who had been part of the Readjuster Party. They excluded them from the political system, causing them to be underrepresented and their segregated facilities to be underfinanced.<ref name="vaenc">[https://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Disfranchisement#its2 Brent Tarter, "Post-Reconstruction Suffrage and following sections"], ''Disfranchisement'', Encyclopedia of Virginia, 19 July 2016; accessed 17 March 2018</ref>

On July 15, 1904, the Danville police successfully broke up a lynching party by firing warning shots above a crowd. About 75 white men had gathered at the jail to take Roy Seals, an African American man arrested as a suspect in the murder of a white railroad worker. The police saved Seals and the city quickly indicted some of the lynch mob; several men were convicted, fined and served 30 days in jail. The killer was found to have been another white man, who was prosecuted.<ref name="arcadia"/>

On March 2, 1911, Danville police chief R. E. Morris, who had been elected to three two-year terms and was running for a fourth term, was arrested as an escaped convicted murderer. He admitted that he was really Edgar Stribling of [[Harris County, Georgia]]. He had been on the run for thirteen years.<ref>[https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/03/03/105022523.pdf "Arrest Police Chief as Escaped Convict"], ''The New York Times'', March 3, 1911. Retrieved January 10, 2008.</ref>

On October 13, 1917, Walter Clark was lynched. He was an African American man who had fatally shot a policeman while resisting arrest for the killing of his common-law wife. Clark held off the police for two hours, but a mob gathered and set his house on fire. He was shot multiple times and killed as he left the house. His was the last lynching in Danville.<ref name="arcadia"/>

Heightened activism in the [[civil rights movement]] in Virginia occurred in Danville during the summer of 1963. Since the early 20th century, most blacks had been excluded from voting by the state constitution, which had created barriers to voter registration. White Democrats had imposed legal segregation after regaining control of the state legislature following the [[Reconstruction era]], and [[Jim Crow laws]] maintained [[white supremacy]]. On May 31, representatives of the black community organized as the Danville Christian Progressive Association (DCPA), demanding an end to segregation and job discrimination in the city. They declared a boycott of white merchants who refused to hire blacks and marched to City Hall in protest of conditions.

Most of the marchers were high school students. Police and city workers, armed with clubs, beat the young protesters and sprayed them with fire hoses. Around forty protesters needed medical attention, but the marches and other protests continued for several weeks.<ref name=CRMV>{{cite news|last = Civil Rights Movement Archive| title = Danville VA, Movement| url = http://www.crmvet.org/tim/timhis63.htm#1963danville}}</ref> Reverend [[Martin Luther King Jr.]], leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), came to Danville and spoke at High Street Baptist Church about the police brutality. He said it was the worst he had seen in the South. The date of one protest on June 10, 1963, later came to be referred to as "[[Bloody Monday (Danville)|Bloody Monday]]."<ref name=NA>{{cite news|last1=Crane|first1=John R.|title=Bloody Monday: History-changing day|url=http://www.newsadvance.com/go_dan_river/news/danville/bloody-monday-history-changing-day/article_c1366350-ca50-11e2-949c-0019bb30f31a.html |access-date=4 November 2015 |publisher=News-Advance |date=June 2, 2013}}</ref>

The [[Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee]] (SNCC) sent organizers to Danville to support the local movement. They helped lead protests, including demonstrations at the [[Howard Johnson's|Howard Johnson Hotel]] and restaurant on Lee Highway. The hotel was known for discriminating locally against blacks as customers and excluding them as workers. A special grand jury indicted 13 DCPA, [[Southern Christian Leadership Conference|SCLC]], and SNCC activists for violating the "John Brown" law. This law, passed in 1830 after a slave uprising, made it a serious felony to "...incite the colored population to acts of violence or war against the white population." It became known as the "John Brown" law in 1860 because it was used to convict and hang abolitionist [[John Brown (abolitionist)|John Brown]] after his raid on [[Harpers Ferry, West Virginia|Harpers Ferry]] in 1859.<ref name=CRMV/>[[File:RiverwalkDanDaniel.jpg|thumb|The Riverwalk Trail near the Dan Daniel Park along the Dan River]]

By the end of August, more than 600 protesters had been arrested in Danville on charges of inciting to violence, contempt, trespassing, disorderly conduct, assault, parading without a permit, and resisting arrest. Because of the large number of arrests on these charges, often the jails were overcrowded, and protesters were housed in detention facilities in other nearby jurisdictions. The demonstrations failed to achieve desegregation in Danville at that time. Town facilities remained segregated until after passage of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]]. African American residents were mostly unable to register and vote until after the federal government enforced their constitutional rights under the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]].<ref name=CRMV/>

Since the late 20th century, the textile industry has moved to offshore, cheaper labor markets. The Dan River mill has closed and many of its buildings have been torn down, with the bricks sold for other uses. "The White Mill" of the Dan Mill complex, considered historically and architecturally significant, is being renovated in the early 21st century as an apartment complex.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tupponce |first=Joan |date=2021-07-30 |title=Danville's White Mill gets second chance |url=https://www.virginiabusiness.com/article/danvilles-white-mill-gets-second-chance/ |access-date=2022-01-15 |website=Virginia Business}}</ref>

In the late 20th century, the restructuring of the tobacco, textile, and railroad industries all had an adverse effect, resulting in the loss of many jobs in Danville. The decline in passenger traffic caused the Danville railroad station to fall into disuse. It was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1995, and has been renovated by a combination of public and private funding. Today part of the station is devoted to the first satellite facility of the [[Science Museum of Virginia]].

The station renovations were completed in 1996. This project spurred investment in other warehouse properties, "which have been redeveloped into offices, commercial spaces, apartments, lofts, and restaurants. The approximately $4 million of federal grant money initiated the redevelopment and leveraged additional funds from public and private sources."<ref name="danstation">[http://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/danville-va-dan/ "Danville, VA (DAN)"], The Great American Stations, 2013–2018, Amtrak; accessed 17 March 2018</ref>

Related spaces were developed for a park with amphitheater, a community meeting and recreation facility, and the Danville Farmer's Market. The city used ISTEA funds in association with the Virginia Department of Transportation, and partnered also with Amtrak, Pepsi-Cola, and other private sources.

===21st century===
The city and region continue to work to develop new bases for the economy. At the beginning of the century, in the 2000s, the economic losses made it challenging to preserve the city's many architecturally and historically significant properties dating from its more prosperous years.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=https://henricohistoricalsociety.org/news2007.thirdquarter.html
|title=News 2007 - Third Quarter|website=www.henricohistoricalsociety.org|access-date=February 2, 2025}}</ref>

In 2007, [[Preservation Virginia]] President William B. Kerkam, III, and its Executive Director Elizabeth S. Kostelny announced at a press conference held in Danville at Main Street Methodist Church that the entire city of Danville had been named as one of the Most Endangered Historic Sites in Virginia.<ref name="auto1"/> This designation highlighted the importance of preserving Danville's architectural and historical heritage and drew attention to the challenges of maintaining these properties amid economic struggles.

Danville has been actively working to redevelop its River District as a hub for community life and economic activity. This effort includes revitalizing historic buildings, fostering local businesses, and promoting [[heritage tourism]] to attract visitors and stimulate economic growth.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discoverdanville.com/districts/river-district/river-district-development/
|title=River District Development |website=www.discoverdanville.com|access-date=February 2, 2025}}</ref>

In 2020, the city approved a referendum to open a casino at the site of the old mill, which is slated to open in 2024. It is expected to generate significant revenue and create jobs for the community.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wset.com/news/local/caesars-virginia-pushes-back-opening-to-2024-cites-supply-chain-labor-shortage-issues-casino-resort-entertainment-venue-danville-virginia-may-3-2022|title=Danville casino opening pushed to 2024|last=Cross|first=David|date=May 3, 2022|website=WSET.com|access-date=July 7, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://journalnow.com/news/local/new-casino-in-danville-expected-to-draw-heavily-from-north-carolina/article_3794da6c-fbe3-11ed-8257-c73ad415cc38.html|title=New casino in Danville expected to draw heavily from North Carolina|last=Sexton|first=Scott|date=May 27, 2023|website=[[Winston-Salem Journal]]|access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2023/05/12/ceasars-opens-new-casino-on-the-n-c--border--luring-players-and-workers|title=New casino opening in VA on the N.C. border, luring players and workers|last=Duncan|first=Charles|date=May 12, 2023|website=Spectrum News|access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.caesars.com/caesars-virginia|title=Caesars Virginia Homepage|website=caesars.com|access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref>

==Geography==
Danville is located along the southern border of Virginia, {{convert|70|mi}} south of [[Lynchburg, Virginia|Lynchburg]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.distance-cities.com/distance-lynchburg-va-to-danville-va|title=Distance between Lynchburg, VA & Danville, VA|website=distance-cities.com|access-date=January 24, 2022}}</ref> and {{convert|45|mi}} northeast of [[Greensboro, North Carolina]], via [[U.S. Route 29]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.distance-cities.com/distance-greensboro-nc-to-danville-va#:~:text=There%20are%2041.79%20miles%20from,%2C%20NC%20to%20Danville%2C%20VA.|title=Distance between Greensboro, NC & Danville, VA|website=distance-cities.com|access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> [[U.S. Route 58]] leads east {{convert|78|mi}} to [[South Hill, Virginia|South Hill]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.distance-cities.com/distance-south-hill-va-to-danville-va#:~:text=There%20are%2070.85%20miles%20from,if%20you%20drive%20non%2Dstop%20.|title=Distance between South Hill, VA & Danville, VA|website=distance-cities.com|access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> and west {{convert|30|mi}} to [[Martinsville, Virginia|Martinsville]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.distance-cities.com/distance-martinsville-va-to-danville-va|title=Distance between Martinsville, VA & Danville, VA|website=distance-cities.com|access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|43.9|sqmi|1}}, of which {{convert|43.1|sqmi|1}} is land and {{convert|1.0|sqmi|1}} (2.3%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web| url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=2011-04-23| date=2011-02-12| title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

===Climate===
Danville has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Cfa''). Winter nights usually average below freezing, with [[air frost]]s being abundant during that season. During summer, it is influenced by the strong sun and convective air masses, providing both hot temperatures and frequent thunderstorms.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://weatherspark.com/y/19567/Average-Weather-in-Danville-Virginia-United-States-Year-Round|title=Climate and Average Weather Year Round in Danville|website=WeatherSpark.com|access-date=June 10, 2023}}</ref>
{{Weather box
|location = [[Danville Regional Airport]], Virginia (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1916–present)
|single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 80
| Feb record high F = 85
| Mar record high F = 91
| Apr record high F = 95
| May record high F = 101
| Jun record high F = 105
| Jul record high F = 105
| Aug record high F = 107
| Sep record high F = 105
| Oct record high F = 100
| Nov record high F = 86
| Dec record high F = 81
| year record high F = 107
| Jan high F = 48.9
| Feb high F = 52.7
| Mar high F = 61.1
| Apr high F = 71.1
| May high F = 78.0
| Jun high F = 85.2
| Jul high F = 88.8
| Aug high F = 87.2
| Sep high F = 80.9
| Oct high F = 71.3
| Nov high F = 60.7
| Dec high F = 51.7
| year high F = 69.8
| Jan mean F = 38.5
| Feb mean F = 41.5
| Mar mean F = 49.0
| Apr mean F = 58.1
| May mean F = 66.0
| Jun mean F = 73.9
| Jul mean F = 77.9
| Aug mean F = 76.5
| Sep mean F = 70.0
| Oct mean F = 58.8
| Nov mean F = 48.1
| Dec mean F = 41.0
| year mean F = 58.3
| Jan low F = 28.1
| Feb low F = 30.2
| Mar low F = 36.8
| Apr low F = 45.0
| May low F = 54.0
| Jun low F = 62.7
| Jul low F = 67.0
| Aug low F = 65.8
| Sep low F = 59.0
| Oct low F = 46.2
| Nov low F = 35.5
| Dec low F = 30.4
| year low F = 46.7
| Jan record low F = −5
| Feb record low F = 2
| Mar record low F = 9
| Apr record low F = 20
| May record low F = 29
| Jun record low F = 40
| Jul record low F = 50
| Aug record low F = 46
| Sep record low F = 35
| Oct record low F = 22
| Nov record low F = 11
| Dec record low F = −1
| year record low F = -5
|precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 3.41
| Feb precipitation inch = 2.73
| Mar precipitation inch = 3.53
| Apr precipitation inch = 3.53
| May precipitation inch = 4.13
| Jun precipitation inch = 3.98
| Jul precipitation inch = 4.88
| Aug precipitation inch = 3.47
| Sep precipitation inch = 4.25
| Oct precipitation inch = 3.30
| Nov precipitation inch = 3.46
| Dec precipitation inch = 3.06
| year precipitation inch = 43.73
| Jan snow inch = 2.5
| Feb snow inch = 2.5
| Mar snow inch = 1.5
| Apr snow inch = 0.0
| May snow inch = 0.0
| Jun snow inch = 0.0
| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = 0.0
| Nov snow inch = 0.0
| Dec snow inch = 1.1
| year snow inch = 7.6
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 9.2
| Feb precipitation days = 9.7
| Mar precipitation days = 11.1
| Apr precipitation days = 10.2
| May precipitation days = 12.0
| Jun precipitation days = 11.0
| Jul precipitation days = 12.3
| Aug precipitation days = 11.6
| Sep precipitation days = 8.8
| Oct precipitation days = 8.4
| Nov precipitation days = 8.5
| Dec precipitation days = 8.8
| year precipitation days = 121.6
| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jan snow days = 2.1
| Feb snow days = 1.2
| Mar snow days = 0.7
| Apr snow days = 0.0
| May snow days = 0.0
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.0
| Nov snow days = 0.0
| Dec snow days = 0.4
| year snow days = 3.5
| source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name= nws>
{{cite web
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=rnk
| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = July 2, 2021}}</ref><ref name=NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00013728&format=pdf
| title = Station: Danville RGNL AP, VA
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = July 2, 2021}}</ref>
}}

{{US Census population
|1850= 1514
|1870= 3463
|1880= 7426
|1890= 10305
|1900= 16520
|1910= 19020
|1920= 21539
|1930= 22247
|1940= 32749
|1950= 35066
|1960= 46577
|1970= 46391
|1980= 45642
|1990= 53056
|2000= 48411
|2010= 43055
|2020= 42590
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing from 1790|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 24, 2022}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 5, 2014|archive-date=August 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/va190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 5, 2014}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 5, 2014}}</ref> 2010–2013<
<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/51/51590.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 5, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140122021736/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/51/51590.html|archive-date=January 22, 2014}}</ref>}}

==Demographics==
===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Danville, Virginia – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2010<ref>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Danville city, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US5121344&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Danville city, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US5121344&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|20,107
|16,884
|46.70%
|39.64%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|20,725
|21,733
|48.14%
|51.03%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|66
|88
|0.15%
|0.21%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|394
|503
|0.92%
|1.18%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|11
|1
|0.03%
|0.01%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|33
|143
|0.08%
|0.34%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|474
|1,164
|1.10%
|2.73%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|1,245
|2,074
|2.89%
|4.87%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''43,055'''
|'''42,590'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2011-05-14 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2010, Danville had a population of 43,055. The racial makeup of the city was White Non-Hispanic 46.7%, African American 48.3%, Hispanic 2.9%, Asian 0.9%, Native American or Alaska Native 0.2%, and two or more races 1.3%.

25.4% of the population never married, 46.6% were married, 5.4% were separated. 11.6% were widowed and 11.0% were divorced.<ref name="city-data.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/city/Danville-Virginia.html|title=Danville, Virginia (VA 24541)|work=city-data.com|access-date=11 June 2016}}</ref>

==Economy==
===Businesses===
* [[Japan Tobacco International]]
* [[Caesars Virginia]]
* [[Sovah Health – Danville]]<ref name="discoverdanville.com">[http://www.discoverdanville.com/DocumentCenter/View/1115]{{dead link|date=July 2018}}</ref>
* [[Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company|Goodyear]]<ref name="discoverdanville.com" />
* [[Nestlé]]<ref name="discoverdanville.com" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nestleusa.com/|title=The Official website of Nestlé USA|publisher=Nestlé USA|access-date=June 10, 2023}}</ref>
* Swedwood, a subsidiary of [[IKEA]], opened its first factory in the U.S. in this city, in 2008. It employed more than 300 people but closed in December 2019.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ikea's U.S. factory churns out unhappy workers |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=April 10, 2011 |url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ikea-union-20110410,0,5341610.story?page=2 |first=Nathaniel|last=Popper|access-date=2011-08-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://wset.com/news/local/ikea-to-end-production-at-danville-plant-moving-it-to-europe |accessdate=4 December 2021 |title=IKEA to end production at Danville plant, 300 to lose job |publisher=WSET |date=July 11, 2019 |author=Elizabeth Tyree}}</ref>
*[[Morgan Olson]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Morgan Olson adding step van production facility in Virginia| date=October 28, 2019| url=https://www.trailer-bodybuilders.com/truck-bodies/article/21744409/morgan-olson-adding-step-van-production-facility-in-virginia|access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>

==Arts and culture==
===River District===
[[File:Craghead SchoolBorad.jpg|thumb|Revitalized Craghead Street in the River District, 2019]]
Prior to the recession of 2008, the City of Danville and its partners began a major project focused on the revitalization of the Historic Downtown and Tobacco Warehouse districts, now coined "The River District." The project continues with a new momentum as the public sector has joined the movement. See [[Danville River District]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2019/06/the-reinvention-of-a-downtown-danvilles-story-part-2/591778/|title=The Reinvention of a downtown: Danville's story part 2|last=Fallows|first=James|date=June 17, 2019|website=[[The Atlantic]]|access-date=November 12, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cardinalnews.org/2023/03/09/danvilles-revitalization-plan-faced-skepticism-but-now-its-a-model-for-other-communities-heres-how-the-city-did-it/|title=Danville's revitalization faced skepticism but now it's a model for other communities, here's how the city did it|last=Mamon|first=Grace|date=March 9, 2023|website=Cardinal News|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://godanriver.com/news/local/business/for-danvilles-river-district-business-momentum-surges/article_982d202a-03a3-11ed-9fbd-8b6b9ce740c5.html|title=For Danville's River District, business momentum surges|last=Crane|first=John|date=July 16, 2022|website=[[Danville Register & Bee]]|access-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref>

===Garland Street and historic districts===
[[File:Tobacco Warehouse District Danville Virginia.jpg|thumb|right|Tobacco Warehouse Historic District]]
[[File:Pemberton Penn Tobacco Danville Virginia.jpg|thumb|right|Pemberton & Penn Tobacco Co. building, built 1885–1890, Tobacco Warehouse Historic District]]
[[Danville Historic District (Danville, Virginia)|Millionaire's Row]] has many homes built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by successful tobacco planters, who gained their wealth in this commodity crop.  The mansions are in an area of many street trees and often have their own well-developed landscaping.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hycolakemagazine.com/millionaires-row-2012-04/|title=Take A Trip Down Millionaires Row in Danville|last=Barker|first=Renee|date=November 4, 2021|website=hycolakemagazine.com|access-date=July 7, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wset.com/news/local/danville-historic-neighborhood-now-has-56-markers-with-qr-codes-to-tell-history-old-west-end-millionaires-row-virginia-may-5-2022|title=Danville historic neighborhood now has 56 markers with QR codes to tell history|last=King|first=Chelsea|date=May 5, 2022|website=[[WSET-TV]]|access-date=July 7, 2022}}</ref>

The entire area of Penn's Bottom, the nickname for the part of Main Street that was developed as the first suburb of Danville during the tobacco boom of the late 19th century, has been designated as a historic district. Other recognized historic districts include The Old West End, [[Danville Tobacco Warehouse and Residential District|Tobacco Warehouse]], [[Downtown Danville Historic District|Downtown Danville]], [[Holbrook–Ross Street Historic District|Holbrook–Ross Street]], and [[North Danville Historic District|North Main]].

Also located in this district is the "[[Danville Public Library (Danville, Virginia)|Sutherlin Mansion]]", now used as the [[Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History]]. This [[Italianate architecture|Italianate]] mansion was the plantation home of Major [[William T. Sutherlin]], a major tobacco processing industrialist, banker, politician, and Confederate quartermaster.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wset.com/archive/sutherlin-mansion-draws-crowd-as-part-of-historic-home-celebration|title=Sutherlin Mansion Draws Crowd As Part of Historic Home Celebration|date=September 15, 2013|website=WSET.com|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{cite web|url=https://godanriver.com/opinion/time-to-sell-sutherlin-mansion/article_47ead04c-242d-11e5-9736-e37561c5b338.html|title=Time to sell Sutherlin Mansion?|last=Shanks|first=Fred|date=July 8, 2015|website=GoDanRiver.com|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref>

In April 1865, Sutherlin offered his mansion to President Jefferson Davis and his cabinet as the site of the last "Capitol of the Confederacy" after the fall of Richmond. The museum and its grounds occupy a block in this district.<ref name="auto2"/>
In the late 19th century, Sutherlin's surrounding plantation was subdivided and developed to create the surrounding residential neighborhood.
[[File:Old Danville Hotel.jpg|thumb|Old Danville Hotel that now works as a nursing facility for the elderly]]

===Churches===
[[File:Main Street United Methodist Church, Danville 2.jpg|thumb|Main Street United Methodist Church]]
[[File:High Street Baptist Church in Danville.jpg|thumb|High Street Baptist Church in the [[Mechanicsville Historic District]]]]
Danville is known as "the city of churches" because it has more churches per square mile than any other city in the state of Virginia.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Danville, VA|url=https://www.forbes.com/places/va/danville/|magazine=Forbes|access-date=11 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chathamstartribune.com/news/article_6e85f89e-e583-11eb-8c2f-67b4c967f4b8.html|title=Danville embraces New Age spiritualism|last=Weiss|first=Elias|date=July 15, 2021|website=Chatham Star Tribune|access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref>

===Shopping===
[[Danville Mall]], formerly Piedmont Mall, opened in 1984.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.danvillemall.com/|title=Official website of Danville Mall|website=Danville Mall.com|access-date=August 8, 2021}}</ref>

==Government==
From 1948 until 2004, Danville was a consistent Republican stronghold in presidential elections. However, John Kerry won the city by 37 votes in 2004, and since then it has swung heavily into the Democratic column by margins of usually over 20 percentage points.

{{PresHead|place=Danville, Virginia|source=<ref>{{cite web|first=David |last=Leip |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |publisher=Uselectionatlas.org |access-date=2020-12-09}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|6,894|10,615|203|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|7,428|11,710|251|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|7,303|11,059|578|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|7,763|12,218|223|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|8,361|12,352|177|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|9,399|9,436|277|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|9,427|8,221|659|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|9,254|8,168|1,097|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|9,584|8,134|1,943|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|12,221|7,353|300|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|12,141|5,846|174|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|10,665|6,138|559|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|10,235|6,425|552|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|12,463|4,148|305|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|6,796|4,495|5,583|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|7,900|4,539|285|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|4,966|2,611|217|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|4,561|2,409|756|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|4,765|3,323|58|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|1,579|2,334|1,535|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|1,231|3,121|14|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|787|3,324|30|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|549|3,266|30|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|740|2,264|80|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,360|1,196|0|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|473|1,577|191|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|551|1,888|37|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|229|1,151|115|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|93|1,066|101|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|206|963|20|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|101|836|42|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|310|1,575|88|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|1,078|1,702|92|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|710|1,234|12|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|812|1,070|3|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1884|Democratic|888|997|0|Virginia}}
{{PresFoot|1880|Democratic|575|749|0|Virginia}}

===Municipal===
{{see also|List of mayors of Danville, Virginia}}
Danville has a [[council–manager government]] in which a [[city manager]] is hired by council to supervise the city government and ensure that the ordinances and policies made by the city council are carried out in an effective manner.<ref name="danville-va.gov">{{cite web |url=http://www.danvilleva.gov/281/City-Council |title=City Council |publisher=City of Danville |access-date=March 26, 2018}}</ref>

The city council consists of nine members elected from [[single-member district]]s representing residents. The city council selects the [[mayor]] and [[vice mayor]] from among its members to serve two-year terms.<ref name="danville-va.gov" />

The city council has the power "to adopt and enforce legislative and budgetary ordinances, policies, and rules and regulations necessary to conduct the public's business and to provide for the protection of the general health, safety and welfare of the public."<ref name="danville-va.gov" />

==Sports==
The [[Danville Braves]] were a [[minor league baseball]] team in Danville from 1993 to 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-end-affiliation-with-danville-minor-league-team/YQKDG4CSDFBVFMYOWA3YDXRGLE/|title=Braves end affiliation with Danville minor league team|date=September 29, 2020|website=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|access-date=June 11, 2023}}</ref> They competed in the [[Appalachian League]] as a farm team of the [[Atlanta Braves]]. The Braves played their home games at [[American Legion Field (Danville)|American Legion Field]].

In conjunction with a contraction of Minor League Baseball beginning with the 2021 season, the Appalachian League was reorganized as a [[Collegiate summer baseball|collegiate summer baseball league]], and the Braves were replaced by the [[Danville Otterbots]] in the revamped league designed for rising college freshmen and sophomores.<ref>{{cite web|title=MLB, USA Baseball Announce New Format for Appalachian League|url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-mlb-usa-baseball-announce-new-format-for-appalachian-league|website=Major League Baseball|date=September 29, 2020|access-date=September 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.appyleague.com/danville|title=The Official website of the Danville Otterbots|website=[[Appalachian League]]|access-date=May 5, 2023}}</ref>

==Education==
=== Elementary and high schools ===
[[File:Galileo Magnet High School, Danville.jpg|thumb|[[Galileo Magnet High School]]]]
* [[Galileo Magnet High School]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://galileo.danvillepublicschools.org/|title=Galileo Magnet High School – Danville Public Schools|website=galileo.danvillepublicschools.com|access-date=November 12, 2021}}</ref>
* [[George Washington High School (Danville, Virginia)|George Washington High School]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gwhs.danvillepublicschools.org/|title=George Washington High School – Danville Public Schools|website=gwhs.danvillepublicschools.com|access-date=November 12, 2021}}</ref>
* [[Piedmont Governor's School for Mathematics, Science, and Technology]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pgsmst.com/about-us/|title=History of the Piedmont Governor's School|website=pgsmst.com|date=February 2012 |access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref>
* O.T. Bonner Middle School<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bonner.danvillepublicschools.org/|title=Bonner Middle – Danville Public Schools|website=bonner.danvillepublicschools.org|access-date=July 7, 2022|archive-date=July 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707235156/https://bonner.danvillepublicschools.org/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Westwood Middle School<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.danvillepublicschools.org/Westwood|title=Westwood Middle Homepage – Danville Public Schools|website=Danville public schools.org|access-date=May 14, 2023}}</ref>
* Woodrow Wilson Intermediate School<ref>{{cite web|url=https://danvillewoodrow.ss11.sharpschool.com/about|title=Woodrow Wilson Intermediate School Homepage|website=danvillewoodrow.ss11.sharpschool.com|access-date=May 20, 2023}}</ref>
* E.A. Gibson Elementary School<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.danvillepublicschools.org/Domain/14|title=E.A. Gibson Elementary – Danville Public Schools|website=Danvillepublicschools.org|access-date=May 20, 2023}}</ref>
* Forest Hills Elementary School<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.danvillepublicschools.org/Domain/11|title=Forrest Hills Elementary School – Danville Public Schools|website=Danville public schools.org|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref>
* G.L.H. Johnson Elementary School<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.danvillepublicschools.org/Domain/17|title=GLH Johnson Elementary Homepage – Danville Public Schools|website=Danvillepublicschools.org|access-date=June 9, 2023}}</ref>
* Park Avenue Elementary School
* [[Schoolfield Elementary School]]
* Woodberry Hills Elementary School

===Private schools===
* [[Westover Christian Academy]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.westoverministries.org/academy/about-us/school-profile|title=Westover Christian Academy: School Profile|work=www.westoverministries.org|access-date=September 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219185952/http://www.westoverministries.org/academy/about-us/school-profile|archive-date=February 19, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Sacred Heart Catholic School<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sheartschool.com/|title=Sacred Heart Catholic School – Danville, VA|work=www.sheartschool.com|access-date=September 15, 2019}}</ref> 
*Legacy Christian Academy<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacyedu.org/|title=Legacy Christian Academy Homepage|website=legacyedu.org|access-date=June 10, 2023}}</ref>
*Rivermont School Danville

===Colleges and universities===
* [[Averett University]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.averett.edu/|title=Averett University Homepage|website=Averett.edu|publisher=[[Averett University]]|access-date=July 7, 2022}}</ref>
* [[Danville Community College]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://danville.edu/about-dcc|title=About DCC|website=Danville.edu|access-date=January 24, 2022}}</ref>
* Danville Regional Medical Center School of Health Professions <ref>[https://www.nursingschools.com/schools/virginia/danville/danville-regional-medical-center Danville Regional Medical Center Nursing Program]</ref>
* Stratford College, 1930–1974<ref>{{Cite web |title=Collections - The Kennedy-Revell & Stratford College Collections |url=https://www.danvillemuseum.org/collections |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Danville Historical Society |date=2022-05-30 |title=Lost & Found: Society Recovers 'Treasure Trove' of Books |url=https://danvillehistory.org/lost-found-society-discovers-treasure-trove-of-books-cd98b2d57433 |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Medium |language=en}}</ref>

==Media==
===Newspapers===
* ''[[Chatham Star Tribune]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chathamstartribune.com/|title=Chatham Star Tribune Webpage|website=chathamstartribune.com|access-date=May 14, 2023}}</ref>
* ''[[Danville Register & Bee]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://godanriver.com/|title=The Official website of the Danville Register & Bee|website=godanriver.com|access-date=May 14, 2023}}</ref>

===Magazines===
* ''Evince''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://evincemagazine.com/|title=Evince Magazine – Danville|website=evincemagazine.com|access-date=May 14, 2023}}</ref>
* ''Showcase Magazine''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://showcasemagazine.com/about-us/|title=Showcase Magazine – About us|website=showcasemagazine.com|access-date=May 14, 2023}}</ref>

===Radio===
* [[WAKG]] (103.3 FM)
* [[WBTM]] (102.5 FM)
* [[WDVA]] (1250 AM)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wdva1250.webs.com/|title=WDVA 1250 AM|access-date=30 April 2017}}</ref>
* [[WMPW]] (105.9 FM), branded as MoreFM<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.morefm1059.com|title=WMPW-AC|access-date=30 April 2017|archive-date=February 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225041554/https://morefm1059.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[WWDN]] (104.5 FM)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1045thedan.com/|title=WWDN-FM|access-date=30 April 2017}}</ref>

===Television===
Danville is served by television stations in the Roanoke/Lynchburg television market.
* [[WSET-TV]], [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], affiliate based in Lynchburg<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wset.com/|title=WSET: Lynchburg News, Weather, Sports|website=[[WSET-TV|WSET]]|access-date=July 7, 2022}}</ref>
* [[WSLS-TV]], [[National Broadcasting Company|NBC]], affiliate based in Roanoke<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsls.com/|title=WSLS 10 News website|access-date=July 7, 2022}}</ref>
* [[WDBJ]], [[CBS]], affiliate based in Roanoke<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wdbj7.com/|title=WDBJ: Virginia Local News, Weather, and Sports|website=WDBJ7.com|access-date=May 5, 2023}}</ref>
* [[WFXR]], [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], affiliate based in Roanoke<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wfxrtv.com/|title=WFXR News Homepage|website=WFXRtv.com|access-date=May 5, 2023}}</ref>
* [[WWCW]], [[The CW|CW]] affiliate based in Lynchburg<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nexstar.tv/stations/wwcw/|title=WWCW Homepage|website=Nexstar Media Group|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref>
* [[WPXR-TV]], [[Ion Television|ION]], affiliate based in Roanoke 
* [[WMDV-LD]], an independent television station owned by the Martinsville, VA-based Star News Corporation
Danville was once the home of WDRL-TV 24, a station that was an affiliate of the WB and United Paramount Network before changing ownership from 2007 to 2014. Today, it is known as [[WZBJ]], a sister channel of [[WDBJ]] and is owned by [[Gray Television]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/WZBJ724----in-progress-490730691.html|title=WDBJ7 to launch WZBJ24 in September|work=www.wdbj7.com|access-date=September 3, 2018}}</ref>

==Infrastructure==
[[File:Danville Amtrak Station.JPG|thumb|upright=1.1|Danville Amtrak station, built in 1899]]

===Transportation===
====Railroad====
[[Amtrak]]'s [[Crescent (train)|Crescent train]] connects Danville with the cities of [[New York City|New York]], [[Philadelphia]], [[Baltimore]], [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]], [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], [[Atlanta]], [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]] and [[New Orleans]]. The [[Danville station]], built in 1899 by [[Southern Railway (U.S.)|Southern Railways]], is situated at 677 Craghead Street.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amtrak.com/stations/dan|title=Danville, VA (DAN) – Amtrak|website=Amtrak.com|access-date=July 7, 2022}}</ref>

====Highways====
[[U.S. Route 58 in Virginia|U.S. Route 58]] (Riverside Dr/River St) parallels the north bank of the Dan River traveling east–west through Danville's main commercial district while the [[US 58]] [[Bypass (road)|Bypass]] route bypasses the city's center to the south via the [[Danville Expressway]].

[[U.S. Route 29 in Virginia|U.S. Route 29]] splits into a [[U.S. Route 29 Business (Danville, Virginia)|business route]] and a bypass at the [[North Carolina]]/[[Virginia]] border. The business route enters the heart of Danville via West Main Street and Memorial Drive and exits via Central Boulevard and Piney Forest Road; US 29 Business travels relatively north–south. The bypass (future [[Interstate 785 (Virginia)|Interstate 785]]) takes the eastern segment of the [[Danville Expressway]] and rejoins the business route north of the city near [[Chatham, Virginia]].

[[U.S. Route 360 in Virginia|U.S. Route 360]], which connects Danville with Richmond, enters the city from the east concurrent with U.S. Route 58 (South Boston Road), continuing along U.S. Route 58 Business at the [[Danville Expressway]] interchange, and terminating at the North Main Street intersection just north of downtown.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.virginia.org/2020/09/wanderlove-richmond-farmville-danville/|title=Wanderlove: A Road Trip from Richmond to Danville|last=Anderson Keppel|first=Patricia|date=September 24, 2020|website=Virginia's Travel Blog|access-date=June 9, 2023}}</ref>

[[U.S. Route 311]] in 2013 was expanded from North Carolina to terminate just outside Danville's western limits at U.S. Route 58.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://godanriver.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/city-of-danville-planning-organization-applying-for-money-for-road-improvements/article_40f80dbc-0db5-11ed-978d-670da5077ab5.html|title=City of Danville, planning organization applying for money for road improvements|last=Crane|first=John|date=July 27, 2022|website=[[Danville Register & Bee]]|access-date=June 9, 2023}}</ref>

[[North Carolina Highway 86]] becomes [[State Route 86 (Virginia)|State Route 86]] once it crosses the state line into Danville as South Main Street. It continues north to its terminus at US 29 Business/Central Boulevard.

[[State Route 293 (Virginia)|State Route 293]] was created in 1998 to mark the route of old US 29 Business, which was rerouted to the west. SR 293 enters Danville's downtown historic district as West Main Street, then Main Street, and then crosses the [[Dan River (Virginia)|Dan River]] to meet [[US 29]] Business as North Main Street.

[[State Route 51 (Virginia)|State Route 51]] parallels US 58 Business as Westover Drive from its western terminus at US 58 Business at the Danville's corporate limits to its eastern terminus at US 58 Business near the Dan River.

====Airport====
The city is also served by [[Danville Regional Airport]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.danville-va.gov/507/Danville-Regional-Airport|title=Danville Regional Airport|website=Danville-va.gov|access-date=May 8, 2023}}</ref>

==Notable people==<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->
{{div col}}
* [[Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor]] (born Nancy Langhorne), elected as member, British House of Commons<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/05/03/archives/lady-astor-dies-sat-in-commons.html|title=Lady Astor Dies; SAT In Commons|date=May 3, 1964|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Barry Beggarly]], [[Short track motor racing|Short track]] race car driver<ref>{{cite web|title=Racer Meterics: Barry Beggarly|url=http://www.race-database.com/driver/career.php?driver_id=bbegg1|website=Race Database|access-date=16 February 2016}}</ref>
* [[William Lewis Cabell]], Confederate brigadier general and mayor of [[Dallas]]
* [[Buddy Curry]], [[Atlanta Falcons]] player<ref>{{cite web|url=https://goheels.com/sports/football/roster/buddy-curry/18531|title=Buddy Curry Bio|website=[[North Carolina Tar Heels]]|access-date=May 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://godanriver.com/news/local/education/former-nfl-player-buddy-curry-to-speak-at-averetts-graduation/article_27eed4d6-e942-11ed-9ccc-f7e2e95c0645.html|title=Former NFL Player Buddy Curry to speak at Averett's graduation|date=May 2, 2023|website=[[Danville Register & Bee]]|access-date=May 14, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Jon Dalton]], reality television personality (also known as Johnny Fairplay)
* [[Wendy Dascomb]], [[Miss Virginia USA]] 1969 and [[Miss USA 1969]]
* [[Terry Davis (basketball)|Terry Davis]], former [[NBA]] professional basketball player<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wtvr.com/our-rva/nba-terry-davis-author|title=From Virginia farm to the NBA, Terry Davis wants you to know anything is possible|date=May 11, 2022|website=WVTR.com|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Frederick Delius]], classical music composer, 1885–1886
* [[Ferrell Edmunds]], NFL player<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-11-15-sp-21202-story.html|title=Edmonds Is a Hands-Down Success Story|last=Sell|first=Dave|date=November 15, 1987|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=July 7, 2022}}</ref>
* [[Robert H. Edmunds Jr.]], [[North Carolina Supreme Court]] justice
* [[Tremaine Edmunds]], NFL player<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2018/04/27/brothers-tremaine-and-terrell-edmunds-make-nfl-draft-history/|title=Brothers Tremaine and Terrell Edmunds make NFL Draft History|last=Wallace|first=Ava|date=April 27, 2018|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=July 7, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://hokiesports.com/sports/football/roster/tremaine-edmunds/8199|title=Tremaine Edmunds Bio|website=[[Virginia Tech Hokies]]|access-date=June 9, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Blind Boy Fuller]], blues guitarist and vocalist, street performer in Danville
* [[Lee E. Goodman]], former Chairman, U.S. Federal Election Commission
* [[Emmet Gowin]], photographer
* [[J. Hartwell Harrison, M.D.]], instrumental in the world's first kidney transplant
* [[Richard Benjamin Harrison]], star of the reality television series ''[[Pawn Stars]]''.<ref name=TheDispatch>{{cite web |url=http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20110218/NEWS/302189971 |title='The Old Man' from 'Pawn Stars' recalls growing up in Lexington |first=Steve |last=Huffman |publisher=The-Dispatch.com |date=February 18, 2011 |access-date=June 2, 2012 |archive-date=March 31, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331230059/http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20110218/NEWS/302189971 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[John B. Henderson]], [[U.S. Senator]] from Missouri
* [[Jules James]], Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy, during [[World War II]]; awarded the French [[Legion of Honour]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://oldwestendva.com/blog/admiral-jules-james/|title=Admiral Jules James biography|date=August 29, 2021|website=Old West End National Historic District|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Richard Jewell]] (born Richard White; 1962–2007), police officer and security guard who became a hero in connection with the Centennial Olympic Park bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/1997/02/brenner199702|title=American Nightmare: The Ballard of Richard Jewell|last=Brenner|first=Marie|date=August 1, 2007|website=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.atlantamagazine.com/great-reads/presumed-guilty/|title=Presumed Guilty|last=Freeman|first=Scott|date=December 1, 1996|website=Atlanta Magazine|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref>
* [[George M. La Monte]], paper manufacturer, politician, philanthropist
* [[Teresa Lewis]], a murderer who was the first woman executed by lethal injection in Virginia<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-11401164|title=US woman Teresa Lewis executed for family murders|date=September 24, 2010|website=[[BBC News]]|access-date=June 9, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna39328896|title=Virginia executes first woman in nearly 100 years|date=September 23, 2010|website=[[NBC News]]|access-date=June 9, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Margaret Livingstone]], neurobiologist and professor at [[Harvard Medical School]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://neuro.hms.harvard.edu/faculty-staff/margaret-livingstone|title=Margaret Livingstone, PhD|website=[[Harvard Medical School]]|date=December 4, 2020 |access-date=July 7, 2022}}</ref>
* [[Henry Lumpkin Wilson]], physician in Atlanta who served as Confederate army chief physician, later known as real estate developer and investor, local politician, drug retailer
* [[Ralph Lowenstein]], journalism professor and dean of the [[University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications]]
* [[Percy Miller Jr.]], first black baseball player in the [[Carolina League]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://godanriver.com/news/local/a-city-of-prospects-danville-historical-societys-artifacts-show-river-citys-link-to-baseball-history/article_859b234a-6cd9-11ed-85af-272dffc06ebd.html|title=A city of prospects: Danville Historical Society's artifacts show River City's link to baseball history|last=Carlton|first=Brad|date=November 26, 2022|website=[[Danville Register & Bee]]|access-date=May 14, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Jim Mitchell (defensive lineman)|Jim Mitchell]], NFL player (defensive end, Detroit Lions 1970–1977), Virginia State University football player
* [[Herman Moore]], NFL player, University of Virginia football player
* [[Johnny Newman]], NBA player<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/newmajo01.html|title=Johnny Newman|publisher=Basketball-Reference.Com|access-date=August 8, 2021|archive-date=July 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714211742/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/newmajo01.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Mojo Nixon]], [[psychobilly]] musician and [[Sirius Satellite Radio]] host
* [[Eric Owens (baseball player)|Eric Owens]], former [[Major League Baseball]] player
*[[John Wardlaw Paxton|John Wardlaw Paxton, D.D.]], missionary to China and family namesake of Paxton Street in Danville
* [[Timothy Peters]], [[NASCAR]] racecar driver<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wset.com/sports/content/danvilles-timothy-peters-wins-valleystar-credit-union-300-at-martinsville-speedway|title=Danville's Timothy Peters wins ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway|last=Walls|first=Dave|date=September 24, 2017|website=WSET.com|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref> 
* [[Nate Poole]], NFL player
* [[Tony Rice]], bluegrass musician
* [[James I. Robertson Jr.]], historian, professor of history at [[Virginia Tech]]
* [[Gregory L. Robinson]], director of the [[James Webb Space Telescope]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/01/11/gregory-robinson-webb-telescope-director/|title=Gregory Robinson's universe has taken him from a Virginia farm to the stars|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] }}</ref>
* [[Wendell Scott]], first [[African-American]] [[NASCAR]] driver<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wset.com/news/local/family-of-former-nascar-driver-wendell-scott-ask-nascar-to-honor-his-historic-win|title=Family of former NASCAR driver Wendell Scott ask NASCAR to honor his historic win|last=Baylor|first=Kaicey|date=June 20, 2020|website=WSET.com|access-date=August 8, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nascarhall.com/blog/pioneer-wendell-scott|title=The Pioneering Career of Wendell Scott|last=Jensen|first=Tom|date=August 28, 2020|website=[[NASCAR Hall of Fame]]|access-date=May 10, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Peyton Sellers]], NASCAR driver<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wset.com/news/local/danville-virginia-peyton-sellers-day-march-17-2022-racing-race-car-nascar-advance-auto-parts-weekly-circuit-south-boston-speedway|title=Danville declares March 17 Peyton Sellers Day|last=Crews|first=Daniel|date=March 17, 2022|website=WSET.com|access-date=June 6, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Clarence 13X|Clarence Edward Smith]], better known by his assumed names ''[[Clarence 13X]]'' and ''Allah'',  [[The Nation of Gods and Earths]] founder<ref>{{cite book|last1=Muhammad|first1=Kathy Makeda Bennett|title=Humble Warrioress: Women in the Nation of Islam.|date=2011|page=59}}</ref>
* [[Charles Stanley (pastor)|Charles Stanley]], former president of [[Southern Baptist Convention]], senior pastor of [[First Baptist Church Atlanta]], and founder and president of [[In Touch Ministries]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.intouch.org/about-us/meet-dr-charles-stanley|title=Meet Dr. Charles Stanley|website=[[In Touch Ministries]]|access-date=July 8, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/charles-stanley-well-known-preacher-and-evangelical-broadcaster-dies-at-90/PVQWPM3WKJAADCV3KZLVUSNPG4/|title=Charles Stanley, well-known preacher and evangelical broadcaster, dies at 90|last=Poole|first=Sheila|date=April 18, 2023|website=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/04/23/dr-charles-f-stanleys-legend-began-in-southwest-virginia/|title=Dr. Charles F. Stanley's legend began in Southwest Virginia|last=Carlin|first=John|date=April 23, 2023|website=WSLS.com|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Skipp Sudduth]], actor ([[Ronin (film)|''Ronin'']] and ''[[Third Watch]]'')
* [[William T. Sutherlin]], planter, industrialist and politician; the first to apply steam power to tobacco hydraulics press, founder and president of Bank of Danville, hosted President Jefferson Davis and his cabinet for last week of the Confederacy government
* [[Don Testerman]], professional football player<ref>{{cite web | title = Don Testerman | publisher = Pro-Football Reference | url = https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TestDo00.htm | access-date = 7 August 2016}}</ref>
* [[Charles Tyner]], actor ([[Sweet Bird of Youth|''Sweet Bird of Youth'' (play)]] and ''[[Cool Hand Luke]]'')<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0879006/bio|title=Charles Tyner|work=imdb.com|access-date=11 June 2016}}</ref>
* [[Ricky Van Shelton]], country music singer
* [[Camilla Ella Williams]], opera singer, first African American contracted to sing with [[New York City Opera]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://godanriver.com/news/local/historical-marker-dedicated-for-danvilles-camilla-williams-a-trailblazer-in-the-visual-and-performing-arts/article_17953500-3041-11ec-a51e-cbace8794999.html|title=Historical marker dedicated for Danville's Camilla Williams, a trailblazer in the visual and performing arts|last=Elzey|first=Susan|date=October 18, 2021|website=GoDanRiver.com|access-date=June 6, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/03/arts/music/camilla-williams-opera-singer-dies-at-92.html|title=Camilla Williams, Barrier-Breaking Opera Star Dies at 92|last=Fox|first=Margalit|date=February 2, 2012|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 6, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Andra Willis]], singer on ''[[The Lawrence Welk Show]]''
* [[David Wilson (American football, born 1991)|David Wilson]], football player for the [[New York Giants]]
* [[Robert E. Withers]], former Lieutenant Governor and U.S. Senator
* [[Tony Womack]], [[Major League Baseball]] player<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/womacto01.shtml|title=Tony Womack |publisher= Baseball-Reference.Com|access-date= October 14, 2012}}</ref>
{{div col end}}

==In popular culture==
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; font-size: 85%; background:#7FFFD4; color:black; width:26em; max-width: 26%;" cellspacing="8"
| style="text-align: left;" |[[File:Cquote1.svg|20px]] Virgil Caine is the name and I served on the Danville train, 'till Stoneman's cavalry came and tore up the tracks again. In the winter of '65, we were hungry, just barely alive...[[File:Cquote2.svg|20px]]
|-
| style="text-align: left;" |
:- [[Robbie Robertson]], ''[[The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down]]''
|}
"It's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville" are lyrics in "[[Wreck of the Old 97]]" a song memorializing the September 27, 1903, event that became arguably the most famous train wreck in U.S. history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ncdcr.gov/blog/2016/09/27/scalded-death-steam-wreck-old-97|title=Scalded to Death by the Steam: The Wreck of the Old 97|date=September 27, 2016|website=ncdcr.gov|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref>

The [[Richmond and Danville Railroad]], referenced as "the Danville train", is also mentioned in the popular folk-style song "[[The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down]]."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.civilwarprofiles.com/the-band-sings-about-the-night-they-drove-old-dixie-down/|title=The Band Sings About The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down|last=Lively|first=Mathew W.|date=April 3, 2015|website=civilwarprofiles.com|access-date=July 15, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/wickeddanvilleli0000bail/page/102/mode/2up|title=Danville Past, Present and Future|last=Bailey|first=Frankie Y.|date=2011|work=Wicked Danville: liquor and lawlessness in a Southside Virginia City|editor=History Press, Charleston SC|pages= 103|access-date=July 15, 2024}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Fred Siegel]] ''The roots of southern distinctiveness : tobacco and society in Danville, Virginia, 1780–1865''.
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Danville, Virginia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Calhoun, Walter T. "The Danville Riot and Its Repercussions on the Virginia Election of 1883." In ''Studies in the History of the South, 1875–1922'', edited by Joseph F. Steelman et al., 25–51. Greenville, North Carolina: East Carolina College, 1966.
* Dailey, Jane. "Deference and Violence in the Postbellum Urban South: Manners and Massacres in Danville, Virginia." ''Journal of Southern History'' 63, no. 3 (August, 1997): 553–590.

==External links==
{{commons category|Danville, Virginia}}
{{wikivoyage|Danville (Virginia)}}
* [http://www.danville-va.gov/ City of Danville official website]

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Danville, Virginia
|North     = [[Pittsylvania County, Virginia|Pittsylvania County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Pittsylvania County, Virginia|Pittsylvania County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Caswell County, North Carolina]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Pittsylvania County, Virginia|Pittsylvania County]]
|Northwest =
}}
{{Virginia}}
{{Virginia county seats and independent cities}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Danville, Virginia| ]]
[[Category:Capitals of former nations]]
[[Category:Cities in Virginia]]
[[Category:Danville, Virginia micropolitan area]]
[[Category:Southwest Virginia]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1792]]