Ettrick, Virginia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ettrick is a census-designated place (CDP) in Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. The population was 5,627 at the 2000 census. The town is home to Virginia State University and the Petersburg Amtrak train station.

1 History
2 Ettrick Today
3 Geography
4 Demographics
5 Famous Residents
6 External links

[edit] History

Ettrick was named around 1765 by foreign merchant Neil Buchanan, who dubbed the

eventual village Ettrick Banks for its similarities to the Ettrick area of Selkirk County, Scotland, according to Jeffrey M. O'Dell's published history of Chesterfield County.

Ettrick, Scotland even has its own tartan, the distinctive plaid materials used in clothing such as kilts.

 The area has seen its share of historical events through the years, including the

journeys of Capt. Christopher Newport, prosperous cotton mills, a large Confederate hospital, and Virginia's first state supported black collage, founded in 1882 as Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute (now VSU), according to O'Dell.

 One of the longstanding landmarks is Campbell's Bridge, first built around 1810, which has been reconstructed

several times but retains its name and status as the only direct thoroughfare from the village into Petersburg.

[edit] Ettrick Today

Currently there is an active Historical Society, Gathering for many annual events including a "Burns Night", which celebrates the life's works of the Scottish Poet Robert Burns. The Evening is complete with traditional dinner of Haggis. Also a Heritage Day every second Saturday in April, complete with pipe and drums , food , clans , Native American , civil war , and Pirate reinactors.

[edit] Geography

Ettrick is located at 37°14′34″N, 77°25′32″W (37.242750, -77.425418)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 7.8 km² (3.0 mi²). 7.7 km² (3.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (1.32%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 5,627 people, 1,517 households, and 989 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 726.6/km² (1,884.0/mi²). There were 1,673 housing units at an average density of 216.0/km² (560.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 21.49% White, 75.14% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.00% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.22% of the population.

There were 1,517 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% were married couples living together, 20.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.03.

The age distribution, heavily influenced by the presence of Virginia State, is: 17.6% under the age of 18, 40.1% from 18 to 24, 20.6% from 25 to 44, 13.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 78.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $38,470, and the median income for a family was $43,357. Males had a median income of $33,241 versus $28,134 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $13,251. About 6.7% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.