Spotsylvania County, Virginia
Encyclopedia
As of the census
of 2000, there were 90,395 people, 31,308 households, and 24,639 families residing in the county. The population density
was 226 people per square mile (87/km²). There were 33,329 housing units at an average density of 83 per square mile (32/km²). The racial makeup of the county was:
2.81% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 31,308 households out of which 42.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.80% were married couples
living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.30% were non-families. 16.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the county, the population was spread out with 30.00% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 32.20% from 25 to 44, 22.20% from 45 to 64, and 8.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.00 males.
The 2006 median income for a household in the county was $72,453, and the median income for a family was $75,507. Males had a median income of $49,166 versus $38,076 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,458. About 3.90% of families and 5.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.70% of those under age 18 and 5.20% of those age 65 or over.
The following is the current list of supervisors and districts which they represent:
(R-7th District) or Rob Wittman
(R-1st District) in the House of Representatives. The current U.S. Senators from the Commonwealth of Virginia are Mark Warner
(D) and Jim Webb
(D).
, Fredericksburg Christian School, Odyssey Montessori School, and Faith Baptist Christian School are private schools that serve the area.
located in nearby Fredericksburg, Virginia, is a four-year university that also serves the area.
Census
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 90,395 people, 31,308 households, and 24,639 families residing in the county. 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 226 people per square mile (87/km²). There were 33,329 housing units at an average density of 83 per square mile (32/km²). The racial makeup of the county was:
- 82.89% WhiteRace (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...
- 12.45% BlackRace (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...
or African AmericanRace (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... - 0.32% Native AmericanRace (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...
- 1.38% AsianRace (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...
- 0.05% Pacific IslanderRace (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...
- 1.04% from other racesRace (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 - 1.88% from two or more races.
2.81% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race.
There were 31,308 households out of which 42.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.80% 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, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.30% were non-families. 16.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the county, the population was spread out with 30.00% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 32.20% from 25 to 44, 22.20% from 45 to 64, and 8.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.00 males.
The 2006 median income for a household in the county was $72,453, and the median income for a family was $75,507. Males had a median income of $49,166 versus $38,076 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,458. About 3.90% of families and 5.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.70% of those under age 18 and 5.20% of those age 65 or over.
County government
Spotsylvania County's highest level of management is that of County Administrator. C. Douglas Barnes is the Interim County Administrator. He oversees all county departments and agencies and serves as the Spotsylvania County's Board of Supervisors' liaison to state and regional agencies.Board of Supervisors
Spotsylvania is governed by a Board of Supervisors. The board consists of seven members (one from each district within the county). The Board of Supervisors sets county policies, adopts ordinances, appropriates funds, approves land rezoning and special exceptions to the zoning ordinance, and carries out other responsibilities set forth by the county code.The following is the current list of supervisors and districts which they represent:
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Gary F. Skinner | Independent | Lee Hill | |
| Vice Chairman | Benjamin T. Pitts | Independent | Battlefield | |
| Member | Emmitt B. Marshall | Independent | Berkeley | |
| Member | Henry "Hap" Connors, Jr. | Independent | Chancellor | |
| Member | Jerry I. Logan | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
Courtland | |
| Member | T.C. Waddy | Independent | Livingston | |
| Member | Gary Jackson | Independent | Salem | |
State representation
| Office | Name | Party | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delegate | Robert D. "Bobby" Orrock | Republican Party Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
54 | |
| Delegate | Mark L. Cole | Republican Party Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
88 | |
| Delegate | Christopher S. Peace | Republican Party Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
97 | |
| Office | Name | Party | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senator | Ryan T. McDougal | Republican Party Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
4 | |
| Senator | Edd Houck Edd Houck R. Edward "Edd" Houck is a Democratic member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 17th District since 1984. He was defeated by a margin of 222 votes in his attempt to be re-elected on November 8, 2011.-State Senate:... |
Democratic Party Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
17 | |
Federal representation
Spotsylvania residents are represented by either Eric CantorEric Cantor
Eric Ivan Cantor is the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 7th congressional district, serving since 2001. A member of the Republican Party, he became House Majority Leader when the 112th Congress convened on January 3, 2011...
(R-7th District) or Rob Wittman
Rob Wittman
Robert J. Wittman is the U.S. Representative for , serving since a special election in 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from the fringes of the Washington suburbs to the Hampton Roads area...
(R-1st District) in the House of Representatives. The current U.S. Senators from the Commonwealth of Virginia are Mark Warner
Mark Warner
Mark Robert Warner is an American politician and businessman, currently serving in the United States Senate as the junior senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and is the honorary chairman of...
(D) and Jim Webb
Jim Webb
James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
(D).
Public schools
Private schools
Fredericksburg AcademyFredericksburg Academy
Fredericksburg Academy, or FA, is a co-educational independent school in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Created in 1992, FA enrolls 550 students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.-Curriculum:Fredericksburg Academy is divided into three divisions:...
, Fredericksburg Christian School, Odyssey Montessori School, and Faith Baptist Christian School are private schools that serve the area.
Colleges and universities
The University of Mary WashingtonUniversity of Mary Washington
The University of Mary Washington is a public, coeducational liberal arts college located in the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA. Founded in 1908 by the Commonwealth of Virginia as a normal school, during much of the twentieth century it was part of the University of Virginia, until...
located in nearby Fredericksburg, Virginia, is a four-year university that also serves the area.
Emergency services
Fire and rescue services in Spotsylvania County are provided by a combination of career and volunteer organizations. These organizations work together to provide quality service to the citizens of Spotsylvania County. The career staff of the Department of Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Management provide fire and rescue services from 04:40 AM till 6:00 PM Monday through Friday. The volunteer organizations include: Chancellor Volunteer Fire & Rescue, The Spotsylvania Volunteer Fire Department, and The Spotsylvania Volunteer Rescue Squad. Each organization is supplemented by Spotsylvania County Fire and Rescue during daytime hours.Localities
|
Brokenburg, Virginia Brokenburg is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... Carters Store, Virginia Carters Store is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... Chancellor, Virginia Chancellor is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.... Chancellorsville, Virginia Chancellorsville is a historic site and unincorporated community in Virginia, about ten miles west of Fredericksburg. It is located in Spotsylvania County. The name of the locale derives from the mid-19th century inn operated by the family of George Chancellor at the intersection of the Orange... Chewnings Corner, Virginia Chewnings Corner is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... Cookstown, Virginia Cookstown is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... Dunavant, Virginia Dunavant is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County north of Chancellorsville, running along the Rapidan River and bordering Culpeper County in the state of Virginia. There are roughly 1,000 people in this community as of 2010, however plans for a new mega neighborhood will up the count... |
Five Mile Fork, Virginia Five Mile Fork is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... Four Mile Fork, Virginia Four Mile Fork is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, Virginia south of the city limits of Fredericksburg. Its name derives from the junction of Virginia Route 208, U.S. Route 1, and U.S... Granite Springs, Virginia Granite Springs is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... Lanes Corner, Virginia Lanes Corner is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... Leavells, Virginia Leavells is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County in the U.S. state of Virginia. Leavells was originally a small agrarian community located at the crossroads of Leavells Road and Courthouse Road... Lewiston, Virginia Lewiston is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... Margo, Virginia Margo is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... |
Marye, Virginia Marye is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... Massaponax, Virginia Massaponax is an unincorporated community of Spotsylvania County, Virginia USA, just east of Spotsylvania Courthouse and just about 4.5 miles south of the Four Mile Fork area. During the mid-1990s the big pull to this area was the Massaponax Outlet Center, home to a number of retail outlet chains... McHenry, Virginia McHenry is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... Old Trap, Virginia Old Trap is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... Olivers Corner, Virginia Olivers Corner is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... Partlow, Virginia Partlow is an unincorporated community–populated place in Spotsylvania County in the U.S. state of Virginia. Partlow is a small rural community located between Jefferson Davis Highway and Lake Anna. It sits at an elevation of 400 feet, and appears on the Lake Anna East U.S. Geological Survey Map... Paytes, Virginia Paytes is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... |
Post Oak, Virginia Post Oak is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County in the U.S. state of Virginia. Post Oak is located near the intersection of Courthouse Road and Post Oak Road. Post Oak Middle School, Virginia and Spotsylvania High School are less than have a mile away... Shady Grove Corner, Virginia Shady Grove Corner is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... Snell, Virginia Snell is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia Spotsylvania Courthouse is an unincorporated community and the county seat of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, located ten miles southwest of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U.S... Stubbs, Virginia Stubbs is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County in the U.S. state of Virginia. Stubbs Bridge is named after it.-External links:*... Thornburg, Virginia Thornburg is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County in the U.S. state of Virginia. Thornburg is centered around the intersection of the Jefferson Davis Highway with Morris, Mudd Tavern, and South Roxbury Mill Roads... Todds Tavern, Virginia Todds Tavern, Virginia is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County and was the sight of the Battle of Todds Tavern, Virginia. It was the focal point of a cavalry battle on May 7–8, 1864, between the battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House during the American Civil War... |
Points of interest
- Lake Anna State ParkLake Anna State ParkLake Anna State Park is a state park located in Spotsylvania County in Virginia. Initially the site of the Goodwin Gold Mine - gold was first discovered at the site in 1829 - the land later played host to Lake Anna, a reservoir created to serve as a coolant for Dominion Power's nearby nuclear...
- Spotsylvania County Public SchoolsSpotsylvania County Public SchoolsSpotsylvania County Public Schools is a public school district serving Spotsylvania County, Virginia. It consists of 17 Elementary, 7 Middle, and 5 High Schools and has a total enrollment of over 24,000 students. The Spotsylvania County School division also has a Career and Technical Center and...
- Spotsylvania Courthouse
- Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military ParkFredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military ParkFredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park is a unit of the National Park Service in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and elsewhere in Spotsylvania County, commemorating four major battles in the American Civil War.-Park:...
- Spotsylvania Towne CentreSpotsylvania Towne CentreThe Spotsylvania Towne Centre is a mall located in Spotsylvania, Virginia, on Virginia State Route 3, less than a mile west of Interstate 95, and directly across from the Central Park shopping and dining complex. The mall is owned and developed by Cafaro Company...
- Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s OfficeSpotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia)The Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency servicing 122,397 people within of jurisdiction within Spotsylvania County, VA.-Organization:The agency is currently headed by Sheriff Howard D...
Notable people
- Thomas Dickens ArnoldThomas Dickens ArnoldThomas Dickens Arnold was an American politician that represented Tennessee's second and first districts in the United States House of Representatives. He was born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia on May 3, 1798. He moved with his parents to Knox County, Tennessee in 1808. At the age of fourteen,...
, United States Congressman from Virginia - Francis AsburyFrancis AsburyBishop Francis Asbury was one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now The United Methodist Church in the United States...
(1745–1816), one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal ChurchMethodist Episcopal ChurchThe Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
, now the United Methodist Church in the United States. Asbury died near the Partlow Road, south of Blades Corner. - Caressa CameronCaressa CameronCaressa Cameron is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Fredericksburg, Virginia, who won the title of Miss America 2010.Cameron graduated from Massaponax High School and currently attends Virginia Commonwealth University located in Richmond, Virginia.She won the Miss Virginia title on...
, Miss Virginia, Miss America for the year of 2010 - Joe GibbsJoe GibbsJoe Jackson Gibbs is a former American football coach, NASCAR Championship team owner, and two time NHRA Pro Stock team owner. He was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of the Washington Redskins...
, former Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
coach - Rahman "Rock" Harper, chef, television personality, and restaurateurRestaurateurA restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of the restaurant business.-Etymology:The word...
- Alexander HolladayAlexander HolladayAlexander Richmond Holladay was a 19th century politician and lawyer from Virginia.-Early life and background:...
(1811–1877), a U. S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, grew up at Prospect Hill, now the Littlepage Inn, in MineralMineral, VirginiaMineral is a town in Louisa County, Virginia, United States. The population was 424 at the 2000 census.-History:Mineral was originally known as Tolersville, but adopted its current name when it incorporated in 1902 due to the mining industry that supported the community... - Kunta KinteKunta KinteKunta Kinte is the central character of the novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family by American author Alex Haley, and of the television miniseries Roots, based on the book. Haley described his book as faction - a mixture of fact and fiction...
, a.k.a. Toby Reynolds, the central character of the novel, Roots: The Saga of an American FamilyRoots: The Saga of an American FamilyRoots: The Saga of an American Family is a novel written by Alex Haley and first published in 1976. It tells the story of Kunta Kinte, an 18th-century African, captured as an adolescent and sold into slavery in the United States, and follows his life and the lives of his descendants in the U.S....
by Alex HaleyAlex HaleyAlexander Murray Palmer Haley was an African-American writer. He is best known as the author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family and the coauthor of The Autobiography of Malcolm X.-Early life:...
, and of the television miniseries RootsRoots (TV miniseries)Roots is a 1977 American television miniseries based on Alex Haley's fictional novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family. Roots received 36 Emmy Award nominations, winning nine. It also won a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award. It received unprecedented Nielsen ratings with the finale still...
, based on the book. Kinte, a Muslim of the Mandinka peopleMandinka peopleThe Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
, was captured and brought as a slave to Annapolis, MarylandAnnapolis, MarylandAnnapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, and later sold to a plantation owner in Spotsylvania County near the present-day rural community of Partlow. - John MaineJohn MaineJohn Kevin Maine is an American professional baseball pitcher. He has played for the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets. He bats and throws right-handed.-Early life and college:Maine was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia...
, pitcher for the New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League... - Danny McBride, actor
- Phil ShortPhil ShortPhilip Granville Short, known as Phil Short , is a retired military officer formerly of Covington, Louisiana, USA, who served in the Louisiana State Senate from District 12 from 1996 to 1999...
, former member of the Louisiana State SenateLouisiana State LegislatureThe Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
and United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
officer