Culpeper County, Virginia

Culpeper County, Virginia

Culpeper County Courthouse

Flag
Seal
Map of Virginia highlighting Culpeper County
Location in the state of Virginia
Map of the United States highlighting Virginia
Virginia's location in the U.S.
Founded 1749
Named for Thomas Colepeper
Seat Culpeper
Largest town Culpeper
Area
 • Total 383 sq mi (992 km2)
 • Land 379 sq mi (982 km2)
 • Water 3.3 sq mi (9 km2), 0.9%
Population
 • (2010) 46,689
 • Density 48/sq mi (18.7/km²)
Congressional district 7th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.culpepercounty.gov

Culpeper County is a county located in the central region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 46,689.[1] Its county seat and only incorporated community is Culpeper.[2]

Home to many of Virginia's antebellum plantation homes and thousands of acres of farmland, the rolling hills of the Piedmont region and the westernmost flats of the Northern Neck collide in rural Culpeper County.

Culpeper County is included in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

At the time of European encounter, the inhabitants of the area that became Culpeper County were a Siouan-speaking sub-group of the Manahoac tribe called the Tegninateo.[3] Culpeper County was established in 1749 from Orange County. The county is named for Thomas Culpeper. During the Civil War the Battle of Cedar Mountain took place on August 9, 1862 and the Battle of Brandy Station on June 9, 1863, in Culpeper County.

In May 1749, the first Culpeper Court convened in the home of Robert Coleman, not far from where the Town of Culpeper is now located. In July 1749, 17-year-old George Washington was commissioned as the first County surveyor.[4] One of his first duties was to lay out the County's courthouse complex, which included the courthouse, jail, stocks, gallows and accessory buildings. By 1752 the complex stood at what is now the northeast corner of Davis and Main Streets. The courthouse village was named the Town of Fairfax after Thomas, Sixth Baron Fairfax.[5]

During the Virginia convention held in May 1775, the colony was divided into sixteen districts. Each district had instructions to raise a battalion of men "to march at a minute's notice." Culpeper, Orange and Fauquier, forming one district, raised 350 men in "Clayton's old field" on the Catalpa estate, who came to be called the Culpeper Minute Men. The Minute Men, marching under their flag depicting a rattlesnake and inscribed with the words "Liberty or Death" and "Don't Tread on Me", took part in the Battle of Great Bridge, the first Revolutionary battle on Virginia soil. The Culpeper Minute Men reorganized in 1860 in response to the impending Civil War and became part of 13th Infantry's Company B. The Culpeper Minutemen were again organized for World War I, and joined the 116th Infantry.

Culpeper County is in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are quickly accessed beginning with Old Rag Mountain and the Skyline Drive just up Route 522.

Culpeper County is home to Commonwealth Park, site for many world-class equestrian events. It was here that actor Christopher Reeve suffered his accident during a competition.

Culpeper is home to famous battlefield at Brandy Station and the boyhood home to Civil War General A. P. Hill.

The town of Culpeper was rated #10 by Norman Crampton, author of "The 100 Best Small Towns in America," in February, 1993.

Culpeper was the last County in Virginia to integrate schools.

Geography

Cornfields east of Culpeper

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 383 square miles (990 km2), of which 379 square miles (980 km2) is land and 3.3 square miles (8.5 km2) (0.9%) is water.[6]

Adjacent counties

Stafford County, Virginia - East Orange County, Virginia - South Madison County, Virginia - Southwest Rappahannock County, Virginia - Northwest Spotsylvania County, Virginia - Southeast Fauquier County, Virginia - Northeast

Major highways

Government

Board of Supervisors

Catalpa District: Sue D. Hansohn (R)

Ceder Mountain District: Jack Frazier (I)

East Fairfax District: Steven L. Walker (Chairman) (R)

Jefferson District: Brad C. Rosenberger (R)

Salem District: Alexa V. Fritz (R)

Stevensburg District: William C. Chase, Jr. (I)

West Fairfax District: Steven E. Nixon (Vice Chairman) (R)

Constitutional officers

Culpeper County is represented by Republicans Bryce E. Reeves, Emmett W. Hanger, Jr., and Jill Holtzman Vogel in the Virginia Senate, Republicans Michael J. Webert and Edward T. Scott in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Republican Dave Brat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Procurement

Recent media investigations regarding law enforcement procurement of military equipment through the "1033" program offered by the Defense Logistics Agency identified Culpeper County as having purchased a "Mine Resistant Vehicle" in 2013 for $412,000 and twenty night vision optics for an additional $136,000.00.[7]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
179022,105—
180018,100−18.1%
181018,9674.8%
182020,94410.4%
183024,02714.7%
184011,393−52.6%
185012,2827.8%
186012,063−1.8%
187012,2271.4%
188013,4089.7%
189013,233−1.3%
190014,1236.7%
191013,472−4.6%
192013,292−1.3%
193013,3060.1%
194013,3650.4%
195013,242−0.9%
196015,08813.9%
197018,21820.7%
198022,62024.2%
199027,79122.9%
200034,26223.3%
201046,68936.3%
Est. 201449,166[8]5.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010-2012[1]

As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 34,262 people, 12,141 households, and 9,045 families residing in the county. The population density was 40 people per square mile (18/km²). There were 12,871 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.27% White, 28.15% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.15% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. 2.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 12,141 households out of which 35.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.50% were married couples living together, 11.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.50% were non-families. 20.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the county, the population was spread out with 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 31.10% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 103.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,290, and the median income for a family was $51,475. Males had a median income of $36,621 versus $25,985 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,162. About 27.00% of families and 29.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.30% of those under age 18 and 28.60% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Culpeper County Public Schools http://www.culpeperschools.org

Elementary schools

Middle schools

High schools

Communities

U.S. Route 211 as it passes through Culpeper County

Town

Unincorporated communities

Notable people

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Swanton, John R. (1952), The Indian Tribes of North America, Smithsonian Institution, pp. 61–62, ISBN 0-8063-1730-2, OCLC 52230544
  4. ↑ Abbott, W.W., editor. The Papers of George Washington: Colonial Series, Volume 1 (University Press of Virginia: 1983) p.9
  5. ↑ Culpeper County Comprehensive Plan, 2005 Archived October 24, 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  7. ↑ DHS 1033 Program Database http://www.freep.com/article/20140817/NEWS06/140726001
  8. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  9. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  13. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.

External links

 Rappahannock County Fauquier County
Stafford County
   Culpeper County, Virginia  
Madison County Orange County Spotsylvania County

Coordinates: 38°29′N 77°58′W / 38.49°N 77.96°W / 38.49; -77.96

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