Occoquan, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Occoquan is a town in Prince William County
in the U.S. state
of Virginia
. The population was 759 at the 2000 census, but as of the census of 2010, there were 934 people residing in the town of Occoquan. The town is a suburb of Washington, D.C.
and is adjacent to Woodbridge
. The current mayor is Earnest "Earnie" Porta, who was first elected in 2006, and won re-election in 2008.
Doeg
Indian
word, meaning "at the end of the water". Located on the Occoquan River
, Occoquan was long a site of indigenous peoples
' habitation. Like the British
colonists after them, they relied on the river for transportation and trade, as well as fish.
By 1765, Anglo-American colonists had established an industrial settlement at Occoquan, with grist mills and tobacco
warehouses. The Merchant's Mill was the first automated grist mill in the nation. It operated for 175 years until destroyed by fire.
During the Civil War
, the post office passed letters and packages between North and South. River silting reduced ship traffic to Occoquan and ended its days as a port, as did the shift in traffic to railroads.
The town has survived and thrived. Today, it is a restored artists' community, with shops, outdoor dining, ghost
walks, a town boat dock
and more. A number of structures in town, including many in the downtown commercial area, are part of the Occoquan Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places
(NRHP). Rockledge, the former house of the town's founder, is also listed as a significant structure on the NRHP.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.2 square mile (0.5 km²) of which, 0.2 square mile (0.4 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km²) (15.79%) is water.
Occoquan lies on the south bank of the Occoquan River at the fall line
.
of 2000, there were 759 people, 418 households, and 186 families residing in the town. The population density
was 4,868.7 people per square mile (1,831.6/km²). There were 443 housing units at an average density of 2,841.7 per square mile (1,069.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.51% White, 8.17% Black, 0.53% Native American, 1.58% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 1.58% from other races
, and 2.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.46% of the population.
There were 418 households out of which 11.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were married couples
living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 55.3% were non-families. 45.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.82 and the average family size was 2.54.
In the town the population was spread out with 11.1% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 36.2% from 25 to 44, 33.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $48,750, and the median income for a family was $77,420. Males had a median income of $50,938 versus $30,833 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $33,007. None of the families and 5.7% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 14.9% of those over 64.
As of the census of 2010, there were 934 people residing in the town of Occoquan.
Prince William County, Virginia
-National protected areas:* Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge* Manassas National Battlefield Park* Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge* Prince William Forest Park-Government and politics:...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The population was 759 at the 2000 census, but as of the census of 2010, there were 934 people residing in the town of Occoquan. The town is a suburb of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and is adjacent to Woodbridge
Woodbridge, Virginia
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 31,941 people, 10,687 households, and 7,769 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,047.8 people per square mile . There were 11,026 housing units at an average density of 1,052.1/sq mi...
. The current mayor is Earnest "Earnie" Porta, who was first elected in 2006, and won re-election in 2008.
History
Occoquan is derived from an AlgonquianAlgonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
Doeg
Doeg (tribe)
The Doeg were a Native American tribe who lived in northern Virginia. They spoke an Algonquian language and may have been a branch of the Nanticoke tribe, historically based on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The Nanticoke considered the Algonquian Lenape as "grandfathers"...
Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
word, meaning "at the end of the water". Located on the Occoquan River
Occoquan River
The Occoquan River is a tributary of the Potomac River in northern Virginia, in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The river is long, and its watershed covers about . It is formed by the confluence of Broad Run and Cedar Run in Prince William County; Bull Run enters it east-southeast of...
, Occoquan was long a site of indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
' habitation. Like the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonists after them, they relied on the river for transportation and trade, as well as fish.
By 1765, Anglo-American colonists had established an industrial settlement at Occoquan, with grist mills and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
warehouses. The Merchant's Mill was the first automated grist mill in the nation. It operated for 175 years until destroyed by fire.
During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the post office passed letters and packages between North and South. River silting reduced ship traffic to Occoquan and ended its days as a port, as did the shift in traffic to railroads.
The town has survived and thrived. Today, it is a restored artists' community, with shops, outdoor dining, ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
walks, a town boat dock
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
and more. A number of structures in town, including many in the downtown commercial area, are part of the Occoquan Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
(NRHP). Rockledge, the former house of the town's founder, is also listed as a significant structure on the NRHP.
Geography
Occoquan is located at 38°40′58"N 77°15′39"W (38.682916, -77.260830).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 0.2 square mile (0.5 km²) of which, 0.2 square mile (0.4 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km²) (15.79%) is water.
Occoquan lies on the south bank of the Occoquan River at the fall line
Fall line
A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 759 people, 418 households, and 186 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,868.7 people per square mile (1,831.6/km²). There were 443 housing units at an average density of 2,841.7 per square mile (1,069.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.51% White, 8.17% Black, 0.53% Native American, 1.58% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 1.58% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.46% of the population.
There were 418 households out of which 11.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 55.3% were non-families. 45.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.82 and the average family size was 2.54.
In the town the population was spread out with 11.1% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 36.2% from 25 to 44, 33.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $48,750, and the median income for a family was $77,420. Males had a median income of $50,938 versus $30,833 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $33,007. None of the families and 5.7% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 14.9% of those over 64.
As of the census of 2010, there were 934 people residing in the town of Occoquan.