Fauquier County, Virginia

Fauquier County
County
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°44′N 77°49′W
Country	United States
State	Virginia
Founded	1759
Seat	Warrenton
Area
• Total	651 sq mi (1,690 km2)
• Water	2 sq mi (5 km2)  0.26%
Population  (2000)
• Total	55,139
• Density	90/sq mi (33/km2)
Website	www.fauquiercounty.gov

Fauquier (Template:PronEng) is a county located in the United States Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2000 national census, the county's population was 55,139. Fauquier County's county seat is WarrentonTemplate:GR, and the county is a part of the Washington Metropolitan Area.

History

Fauquier County was established on May 1, 1759, from Prince William County. It is named for Francis Fauquier, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia at the time, who won the land in a poker game, according to legend.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 651 square miles (1,687 km²), of which, 650 square miles (1,683 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (4 km²) of it (0.26%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Clarke County (north)
• Loudoun County (north)
• Prince William County (east)
• Stafford County (southeast)
• Culpeper County (southwest)
• Rappahannock County (west)
• Warren County (northwest)

Major highways

• Interstate 66
• U.S. Route 15
• U.S. Route 17
• U.S. Route 29
• U.S. Route 50
• U.S. Route 211
• State Route 28
• State Route 55

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile (33/km²). There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.39% White, 8.79% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.60% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. 2.02% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

By 2005 non-Hispanic whites were 84.5% of the population of the county. African-Americans were still 8.8% of the population. Native Americans were 0.3% while the Asians population was 1.1% of the county total. The Latino population had more than doubled as a percentage of the total population of the county to 4.4%.

In 2000 there were 19,842 households out of which 36.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.80% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.70% were non-families. 18.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the county, the population was spread out with 26.80% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64, and 10.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 97.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $61,999, and the median income for a family was $69,507. Males had a median income of $45,484 versus $31,738 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,757. About 3.70% of families and 5.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.70% of those under age 18 and 8.70% of those age 65 or over.

The county is primarily rural and agricultural. There is no large "industry" in Fauquier County other than agriculture and, as such, there are no companies in the county that employ large numbers of people. Approximately 75% of county residents that work have jobs that are outside the county. Most of those jobs are east of Fauquier, often in Fairfax County. A number of Fauquier County residents commute all the way into Washington, DC on a daily basis.

Communities

Incorporated towns

• Remington
• The Plains
• Warrenton

Unincorporated communities

Airlie Bealeton Belle Meade Belvoir Bristersburg Broad Run Calverton Casanova Catlett Delaplane

Elk Run Germantown Goldvein Halfway Hume Linden Markham Marshall Midland Morrisville

New Baltimore Old Tavern Opal Orlean Paris Rectortown Somerville Sumerduck Upperville

Notable residents

• Turner Ashby, born in Fauquier County, Confederate Army general in the American Civil War
• Martin Berkofsky, classical pianist and philanthropist
• Matt Carson, author, born in Fauquier County, resides near Warrenton
• Walter Chrysler, automobile pioneer, owned North Wales Farm in Warrenton
• Susan Cummings, an heiress infamous for killing Argentine polo player Roberto Villegas
• Robert Duvall, American-born actor who maintains a farm in The Plains
• George B. Fitch, American businessman, Mayor of Warrenton, founder of Jamaican Bobsled Team
• Bertram and Diana Firestone, owners of Newstead Farm
• Rear Admiral Cary Travers Grayson, owner of historic Blue Ridge Farm
• Eppa Hunton, U.S. Representative and Senator from Virginia, born and lived in Warrenton
• Charles Marshall, born in Warrenton, assistant adjutant general, aide de camp and military secretary to Gen. Robert E. Lee. Great nephew of Chief Justice John Marshall.
• James K. Marshall, Colonel in the Confederate States Army, killed in action during Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg while leading the brigade of J. Johnston Pettigrew, grandson of Chief Justice John Marshall.
• John Marshall, born in Fauquier County, Chief Justice of the United States.
• Paul Mellon, area benefactor, an Exemplar of Racing and owner of Rokeby Farm
• John S. Mosby, lived in Warrenton, was a Confederate Partisan Ranger during the American Civil War. Buried in Warrenton cemetery.
• Willard Scott, an American media personality best known for his work on NBC's The Today Show who lives in Paris, Virginia.
• Scott Shipp, born in Warrenton, Superintendent of Virginia Military Institute from 1890-1907.
• Isabel Dodge Sloane, owner of Brookmeade Stud
• Liz Whitney Tippett, owner of the Llangollen estate

Public Schools

Elementary Schools

• C. Hunter Ritchie Elementary
• Claude Thompson Elementary
• C.M. Bradley Elementary
• Grace Miller Elementary
• Greenville Elementary
• H.M. Pearson Elementary
• J.G. Brumfield Elementary
• Mary Walter Elementary
• M.M. Pierce Elementary
• P.B. Smith Elementary
• W.G. Coleman Elementary

Middle Schools

• Auburn Middle
• Cedar Lee Middle
• Marshall Middle
• Warrenton Middle
• W.C. Taylor Middle

High Schools

• Fauquier High School
• Kettle Run High School
• Liberty High School
• Southeastern Alternative High School

References

Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.

External links

• Visit Fauquier County
• Fauquier County Government Site
• Fauquier County Public Schools
• Fauquier County Chamber of Commerce
• Fauquier Times-Democrat
• Fauquier County Fair
• Fauquier County Historical Society
• Fauquier County Businesses
• Fauquier County / Opal Weather Station