Charles City County, Virginia
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 Location in the state of Virginia |
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| Formed | 1619 | ||
| Seat | Charles City | ||
| Area - Total - Water |
529 km² (204 mi²) 56 km² (21 mi²) 10.51% |
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| Population - (2000) - Density |
6,926 215/km² |
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| Official Website www.co.charles-city.va.us |
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Charles City County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of 2000, the population is 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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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 is water. The total area is 10.51% water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 6,926 people, 2,670 households, and 1,975 families residing in the county. The population density is 15/km² (38/mi²). There are 2,895 housing units at an average density of 6/km² (16/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 35.66% White, 54.85% Black or African American, 7.84% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. 0.65% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 2,670 households out of which 27.50% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.60% are married couples living together, 15.20% have a female householder with no husband present, and 26.00% are non-families. 22.50% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.40% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.59 and the average family size is 3.02.
In the county, the population is 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 are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 94.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $42,745, and the median income for a family is $49,361. Males have a median income of $32,402 versus $26,000 for females. The per capita income for the county is $19,182. 10.60% of the population and 8.00% of families are 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.
History
Charles City was one of four "boroughs" or "incorporations" created by the Virginia Company in 1619. 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 Shire was formed some time before 1634 in the Virginia Colony by order of Charles I, King of England. 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]
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.
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.
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 Liberia. 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.
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. [4]
Transportation
The county's lack of urban and business development may partially be due to its geography. Only Henrico County to the west is accessible without a river crossing. State Highway 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 Virginia State Highway 5, which is a National Scenic Byway. North-south thoroughfares include Virginia State Highway 156, Virginia State Highway 106, and Virginia State Highway 155.
Although there is no Interstate Highway mileage or exits within the county, several exits on Interstate 64 and one on Interstate 295 (at Virginia State Highway 5), are located not far away, in New Kent and Henrico counties, respectively.[5]
James River plantations
Charles City County features some of the larger and older of the extant James River plantations along Virginia State Highway 5. All are non-government-owned, and many of the houses and/or grounds are open daily to visitors with various admission fees applicable.[6]
This is not an all-inclusive listing. However, some of the better-known James River Plantations in the county, listed from west to east, are:
- Shirley Plantation, settled in 1613, is the oldest plantation in Virginia and the oldest family-owned business in North America, dating back to 1638. Occupied by the Hill family and their descendant's since 1738, the mother of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, Anne Hill Carter, was born at Shirley and in 1793 married Light Horse Harry Lee in the mansion’s parlor. Shirley Plantation has been designated a National Historic Landmark. It is normally open for tours 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.
- Berkeley Plantation is the birthplace of a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a U.S. President. Benjamin Harrison, son of the builder of Berkeley and the plantation's second owner, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and three-time Governor of Virginia. William Henry Harrison, Benjamin's third son, born at Berkeley, was the famous Indian fighter known as "Tippecanoe," who later became the ninth President of the United States, in 1841. His grandson, Benjamin Harrison, was the 23rd President. On December 4, 1619, early settlers from England came ashore at Berkeley and observed the first official Thanksgiving in America. It is normally open for tours 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.
- Westover Plantation was built circa 1730 by William Byrd II, the founder of Richmond. It is noteworthy for its secret passages, magnificent gardens, and architectural details. The grounds and garden are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, but the house is open only by appointment.
- Sherwood Forest Plantation is the home of President John Tyler, the first Vice President to ascend to the presidency. Tyler was twice Governor of Virginia, a U.S. Senator, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, a Virginia state senator and member of the Virginia House of Delegates. A graduate of The College of William and Mary, he later became Chancellor of that institution. As a supporter of state's rights, he re-entered public service in 1861 as an elected member of the Confederate Congress. He died in 1862. The house and its 1600 acres (6.5 km²) have been continuously owned by his direct descendants. In the mid-1970s, the residence was restored by President Tyler's grandson and his wife, the current owners.
- The House, circa 1730, is Virginia Tidewater in architectural design, and is the longest frame dwelling in America. It was expanded to its present length, 300 feet (90 m), by President Tyler in 1845, when he added the 68 foot (21 m) ballroom designed for dancing the Virginia Reel. Sherwood Forest is a National Historic Landmark, Virginia Historic Landmark, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The grounds of Sherwood Forest are open to the public seven days a week, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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 in the NO-TILL non-irrigated category. Two Charles City farmers have won the National Wheat Growers First Place, producing 140+ bushels per acre of soft red winter wheat.
Charles City farmers have also helped to develope the leading technology for controlling runoff from grain cultivation. Fully ninety percent of crop acreage in Charles City is in a never-till cropping system. When Hurricane Floyd dropped approximately 19 inches 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 phosphorous. This new technology could become a primary strategy to achieve a healthy Chesapeake Bay.
External links
- Charles City County History & Visitor Information
- Charles City County's Historical Markers
- County Historical Markers Commemorating Local Communities
