Culpeper County, Virginia
| Culpeper County, Virginia | ||
.jpg) Culpeper County Courthouse
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 Location in the state of Virginia |
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 Virginia's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | 1749 | |
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| Named for | Thomas Colepeper | |
| Seat | Culpeper | |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
382 sq mi (989 km²) 381 sq mi (987 km²) 1 sq mi (3 km²), 0.33% |
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| Population - (2010) - Density |
36,689 48/sq mi (18.7/km²) |
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| Website | www.culpepercounty.gov | |
Culpeper County is a county located in the central region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 36,689.[1] Its county seat and largest population center is Culpeper[2], the only town in Culpeper County. Although the Town of Culpeper has experienced explosive growth in recent years the county as a whole has remained rural. While large amounts of wealth have always been present in Culpeper County, poverty continues in most areas despite its proximity to both the federal and state capitals.
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History [edit]
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 presently 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 presently the northeast corner of Davis and Main Streets. The courthouse village was named the Town of Fairfax after Thomas, Sixth Baron Fairfax.[5][dead link]
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.
Andrew Stevenson, Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1827 to 1834, was born in Culpeper County on January 21, 1784.
Culpeper was home to baseball Hall of Famer Eppa Rixey. Culpeper also produced pro basketball player Keith "Mister" Jennings. Culpeper produced country music star Kenny Alphin of the group "Big & Rich".
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 [edit]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 382 square miles (989.4 km2), of which 381 square miles (986.8 km2) is land and 1 square mile (2.6 km2) (0.33%) is water.
Adjacent counties [edit]
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 [edit]
Demographics [edit]
As of the census[6] 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.
Schools [edit]
Culpeper County Public Schools http://www.culpeperschools.org
Elementary Schools
- A.G. Richardson Elementary
- Emerald Hill Elementary
- Farmington Elementary
- Pearl Sample Elementary
- Sycamore Park Elementary
- Yowell Elementary
Middle Schools
High Schools
Communities [edit]
Town [edit]
Unincorporated communities [edit]
- Alanthus
- Boston
- Brandy Station
- Buena
- Cardova
- Catalpa
- Edward's Shop
- Eggbornsville
- Eldorada
- Elkwood
- Griffinsburg
- Jeffersonton
- Kellys Ford
- Lagrange
- Lignum
- Mitchells
- Rapidan
- Reva
- Richardsville
- Rixeyville
- Stevensburg
- Wakefield
- Winston
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ [1]. Weldon Cooper Center 2010 Census Count Retrieved September 9, 2011
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Swanton, John R. (1952), The Indian Tribes of North America, Smithsonian Institution, pp. 61–62, ISBN 0-8063-1730-2, OCLC 52230544
- ^ Abbott, W.W., editor. The Papers of George Washington: Colonial Series, Volume 1 (University Press of Virginia: 1983) p.9
- ^ Culpeper County Comprehensive Plan, 2005[dead link]
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
External links [edit]
- Culpeper County Government
- Culpeper County Public Schools
- Culpeper Regional Hospital
- Culpeper Chamber of Commerce
- Culpeper Restaurants
- Culpeper County During the Civil War in Encyclopedia Virginia
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Rappahannock County | Fauquier County | |
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Stafford County | |||
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| Madison County | Orange County | Spotsylvania County |
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