Charles City County, Virginia
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| Charles City County, Virginia | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of Virginia |
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| Statistics | |
| Formed | 1619 |
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| Seat | Charles City |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
529 km² (204 mi²) sq mi ( km²) 56 km² (21 mi²), 10.51% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
6,926 215/km² |
| Website: www.co.charles-city.va.us | |
Charles City County is a county located in the U.S. state — officially, "Commonwealth" — of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 6,926. Its county seat is Charles City.6 It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).
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[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 529 km² (204 mi²). 473 km² (183 mi²) of it is land and 56 km² (21 mi²) of it (10.51%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 6,926 people, 2,670 households, and 1,975 families residing in the county. The population density was 15/km² (38/mi²). There were 2,895 housing units at an average density of 6/km² (16/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 35.66% White, 54.85% Black or African American, 7.84% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. 0.65% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 2,670 households out of which 27.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.60% were married couples living together, 15.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.00% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.10% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 28.80% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,745, and the median income for a family was $49,361. Males had a median income of $32,402 versus $26,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,182. 10.60% of the population and 8.00% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 13.00% are under the age of 18 and 18.50% are 65 or older.
[edit] History
Charles City was one of four "boroughs" or "incorporations" created by the Virginia Company in 1619. The incorporation took its name from King Charles I of England.
The first Charles City County courthouses were located along the James River at Westover and City Point. The Virginia Company lost its charter in 1624, and Virginia became a royal colony.
Charles City was formed some time before 1634 in the Virginia Colony by order of King Charles I. It became Charles City County in 1643, and is considered one the five shires in Virginia still extant in essentially the same political entity (county) as they were originally formed in 1634.
The original central city of the county was Charles City Point, which was in an area south of the James River at the confluence of the Appomattox River. The name was later shortened to City Point, and the area was annexed by the City of Hopewell in 1923.
All of the original area of Charles City County south of the James River was severed to form Prince George and several other counties in the 18th century.
In modern times, there is actually no "Charles City", or any centralized city or town, in the county. Charles City Court House, which uses the postal address Charles City, Virginia, is the focal point of government. The building which serves as the courthouse was constructed in the 1750's and is one of only five courthouses in America that have been in continuous use for judicial purposes since before the Revolutionary War. [1]
[edit] Native Americans
The Chickahominy River (pronounced chick-a-hom-a-nee) which forms much of the county's eastern and northern borders, is named after the Native American people who still inhabit the region. Chickahominy means "coarse pounded corn people". At the time of the earliest English settlement, the Chickahominy people existed surrounded by the powerful Powhatan Confederacy of which they were not a part. [2]
A substantial number of Native Americans of the Chickahominy and the Eastern Chickahominy tribes (both groups recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia) still live in the county. The Chickahominy tribe is the second largest Native American tribe in Virginia with just under a thousand members.[3] The Eastern Chickahominy tribe is much smaller, with about 130 members.
[edit] African Americans
During the late 17th century, African slave labor quickly replaced white indentured servitude as the major source of agricultural labor in the Virginia Colony. Twenty-three black slaves were known to have been brought to Charles City County before 1660. [4]
The earliest record of a free-black living in Charles City County is on September 16, 1677 when Susannah petitioned the court for her freedom. The Lott Cary House in the county has long been recognized as the birth site of Lott Cary. Lott Cary bought his freedom and ultimately became a founding father of the new country of Liberia in Africa. After the American Revolutionary War, during the following three decades, the large Quaker community in Charles City freed their slaves and greatly added to the free-black population of the County. [5]
The unincorporated town of Ruthville was the central point of the county's free African American population for many years, even before the American Civil War (1861-1865). Following emancipation, the crossroads community included the Mercantile Cooperative Company and Ruthville Training School. The United Sorgham Growers Club also met here. Earlier known by several other names, the name "Ruthville" recalls local resident Ruth Brown. Her name was selected when the Post Office was established there in 1880.
During Reconstruction, various societies, such as the Odd Fellows Lodge, Knights of Gideon, Order of St. Lukes and the Benevolent Society, were active in solving common problems. In 1971, James Bradby became the first black Virginian to win the office of County Sheriff in Charles City County. [6]
[edit] Transportation
Only Henrico County to the west is accessible without a river crossing. State Route 156 crosses the James River on the Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge providing the only direct access to areas south of the river and to Hopewell, the closest city. Three bridges across the Chickahominy River link the county with neighboring James City County and Providence Forge in New Kent County.
The major east-west thoroughfare through the county is State Route 5, which is a National Scenic Byway. North-south thoroughfares include State Route 156, State Route 106, and State Route 155.
Although there is no Interstate Highway mileage or exits within the county, several exits on Interstate 64 and one on Interstate 295 (at SR 5), are located not far away, in New Kent and Henrico counties, respectively.[7]
[edit] James River plantations
Charles City County features some of the larger and older of the extant James River plantations along State Route 5. All are non-government-owned, and many of the houses and/or grounds are open daily to visitors with various admission fees applicable.[8]
Some of the better-known James River Plantations in the county, listed from west to east, are Shirley Plantation, Berkeley Plantation, Westover Plantation, Sherwood Forest Plantation, and Greenway Plantation.
[edit] Agriculture
Some Charles City farms along the James River have been under continuous crop production for more than 400 years, but they remain highly productive land. Local farmers have won national contests in bushel per acre grain production. A Charles City farmer has been the National Corn Grower in three years, producing 300+ bushels of corn per acre (18.8 t/ha) in the no-till non-irrigated category. Two Charles City farmers have won the National Wheat Growers First Place, producing 140+ bushels per acre (9.4 t/ha) of soft red winter wheat.
Charles City farmers have also helped to develop the leading technology for controlling runoff from grain cultivation. Fully 90 % of crop land in Charles City is in a never-till cropping system. When Hurricane Floyd in 1999 dropped approximately 19 inches (480 mm) of rain in 24 hours on some long-term never-till fields, visual observation showed virtually no erosion. A scientific study conducted in 2000 on one long term never-till field demonstrated a 99.9% reduction in sediment runoff compared to conventional tillage and a 95% reduction of runoff of nitrogen and phosphorus. This new technology could become a primary strategy to achieve a healthy Chesapeake Bay.
[edit] External links
- Charles City County History & Visitor Information
- County Historical Markers Commemorating Local Communities
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The Greater Richmond Region |
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|---|---|---|
| Regional Divisions |
The West End | The Fan | Downtown | Southside | North Side | Mechanicsville | The East End | Tri-Cities / Petersburg | Varina-Enon |
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| Surrounding Counties: |
Chesterfield | Hanover | Henrico | Goochland |
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| Other Counties: |
Amelia | Caroline | Charles City | Cumberland | Dinwiddie | King and Queen | King William | Louisa | New Kent | Powhatan | Prince George | Sussex |
