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C+History
History · Wise

Wise dates to 1874, and 3 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 44% of U.S. towns · #98 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it

Most of Wise was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1982. Its Register listings are the Wise County Courthouse, the Colonial Hotel and the E.M. Fulton House. Its Register listings are the Wise County Courthouse, the Colonial Hotel and the E.M. Fulton House. Below: maps from 1908 on and the census since 1880.

1874founded
3on the National Register
8%homes built before 1940
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Wise began

When was Wise founded?

1874

Wise dates its founding to 1874 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 128 in 18802020 census: 2,971152 years

How historic is Wise?

C+

More historic than 44% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1850.
History grade

What drives Wise’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Wise is more historic than 44% of U.S. towns, #98 of 253 in Virginia. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Wise’s overall grade.
Founding era1874, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19408.2% of homes (±6.1) · typical VA town 1.9% · U.S. 8.4%C+National Register3 listings, 10.3 per 10,000 residents · typical VA town 3.6 · U.S. 2.4B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 44%
NewerOlder
Virginia towns of 2,500+ (253)Ahead of 62%

Virginia towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Virginia town has 3.6 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Wise’s 10.3 sits near the middle of its state (55% of Virginia towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to B−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.1 points). Two sources give 1874.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Wise’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Wise are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Lost villages2 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Wise.Mapped building by building3 fire insurance maps, 1908 to 1923, drew every building in Wise.On the map since 19216 editions of the USGS map, 1921 to 1991. Watch Wise change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Wise’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Wise’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Places that used to be

Lost post offices and burying grounds

Wise’s post office has been open since 1893. Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Big Glades
1850–1858
Wise Courthouse
1858–1893
Wise
1893–today
18501940today
1cemetery inside Wise
Wise

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Every building

Wise, building by building, 1908–1923

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Wise fire insurance map, 1908, sheet 11908Sheet 1 of 3
Edition
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

The story so far

Wise, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Wise yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Wise is a town in Wise County, Virginia. The population was 2,970 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Wise County. It was originally incorporated as the town of Gladeville in 1874. The town's name was changed to Wise in 1924, after Henry A. Wise, the last Virginia governor before the American Civil War and the first governor to hail from the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The town is also the home of the University of Virginia's College at Wise.

Wise was established in 1874. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 3,286 to 2,971 (-10%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

Timeline

Wise, 1850 to 1985

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1850Post officeThe Big Glades post office opens
  3. 1858Post officeThe Big Glades post office closes
  4. 1858Post officeThe Wise Courthouse post office opens
  5. 1874
    FoundingWise is established
  6. 1893Post officeThe Wise Courthouse post office closes
  7. 1893Post officeThe Wise post office opens
  8. 20th century
  9. 1910BuiltColonial Hotel is built
  10. 1921On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  11. 1927Born hereGeorge C. Scott is born here
  12. 1938Born hereCarroll Dale is born here
  13. 1985Born hereLauren Barnette is born here
By decade

Wise, decade by decade

Today12 recent
Wise, VA 24293, USA2016Wise, VA 24293, USAWise, VA 24293, USA - panoramio (5)2016Wise, VA 24293, USA - panoramio (5)Wise, VA 24293, USA - panoramio (4)2016Wise, VA 24293, USA - panoramio (4)Wise, VA 24293, USA - panoramio (3)2016Wise, VA 24293, USA - panoramio (3)Wise, VA 24293, USA - panoramio (2)2016Wise, VA 24293, USA - panoramio (2)Wise, VA 24293, USA - panoramio (1)2016Wise, VA 24293, USA - panoramio (1)Wise Lumber and Supply Co2016Wise Lumber and Supply CoWise Fire Equipment and Supply Company2016Wise Fire Equipment and Supply CompanyLarge old building in2016Large old building inHouse in2016House inWiseVAUS232007WiseVAUS23VAMap-doton-Wise2005VAMap-doton-Wise
On the map

Wise on the map, 1921 to 1991

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Wise. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Wise on the 1921 USGS mapWise on the 1935 USGS mapWise on the 1957 USGS mapWise on the 1969 USGS mapWise on the 1977 USGS mapWise on the 1991 USGS map1921Wise sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Wise.

On the National Register

3 historic places in Wise

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
3
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
3
each building in a district counts
first listed
1981
Wise County Courthouse
Wise County CourthouseColonial Hotel, built 1910E.M. Fulton House
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Colonial Revival2
Renaissance Revival1
Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals1
Queen Anne1
Wise County CourthouseRenaissance Revival
Colonial HotelLate 19th and 20th Century Revivals · Built 1910
E.M. Fulton HouseQueen Anne

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Wise, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,00018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 3,894

Between 128 and 3,894 people in every census since 1880.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Wise’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Wise

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
George C. ScottAmerican actor, film director and producer · b. 1927
Carroll DaleFormer American football wide receiver · b. 1938
L
Lauren BarnetteAmerican beauty pageant contestant · b. 1985
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

The University of Virginia's College at WiseIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Wise’s history

What year was Wise founded?

In 1874, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Wise’s post office opened in 1850, and the census of 1880 counted 128 people here.

How does Wise rank for history?

Wise is more historic than 44% of U.S. towns, #98 of 253 in Virginia. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Wise?

Three places: the Wise County Courthouse (listed 1981), the Colonial Hotel (1991) and the E.M. Fulton House (2006).

How old are the homes in Wise?

8% of Wise’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.1 points), against a typical 1.9% for a Virginia town; the median home was built in 1982.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (12), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.