Selma Virginia Map

About Selma, Virginia

Selma is a locality in Alleghany County, Virginia, United States. It is a small community with a population of 357. The population density is 316.9 people per km². Selma is located at 37.8041°N, 79.8499°W. It observes the Eastern Time (America/New_York) timezone. ZIP codes: 24401, 24474.

Selma anchors itself to the limestone-rich earth where the Jackson River carves a deliberate, winding path through the heavy, verdant terrain. It lies 32.6 miles north of Hollins, VA (from Hollins, VA: bearing 9°T), and is situated 8.0 miles east of Covington. The air here holds a crisp, persistent clarity, often cooling rapidly as sunlight retreats behind the distant, hazy silhouettes of the Appalachian Mountains. Deep within the George Washington National Forest, the landscape rises in sharp, forested ridges and sudden, shadowed depressions like Rockbury Hollow, where the canopy thickens and light filters down in thin, vertical shafts. Travelers often note how the evening stillness settles over the valley floor, turning the river into a ribbon of dark, polished slate that mirrors the darkening timber of the surrounding woods.

Selma persists as a quiet junction of industry and memory, shaped by the iron and timber trades that once defined the rugged economy of the Allegheny highlands. The legacy of the rail lines remains visible in the town’s layout, a testament to an era when the movement of freight through these narrow passes dictated the pace of local life. Residents move with a steady, pragmatic grace, balancing the demands of modern employment against the proximity of vast, untamed wilderness. Beyond the immediate reach of the rail, the quietude is occasionally broken by the distant sound of water shifting over stone, a reminder that the Jackson River remains the primary pulse of the region. Those seeking the solitude of the high country frequently venture toward the Brushy Hollow Trail or the expansive waters of Lake Moomaw, finding in these places a reflection of the enduring, unadorned character of the land.

About This Selma Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Selma, Virginia. Coordinates: 37.80412, -79.849877. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service. Real-time local and world news feeds keep the page current.

Detailed location data for Selma includes the ZIP code (24401, 24474), telephone area code (540), county seat of Alleghany County (Covington), and school district assignment (Alleghany Highlands Public Schools).

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.