Urbanna, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Urbanna is a town in Middlesex County
, Virginia
, United States
. Urbanna means “City of Anne” and was named in honor of England’s Queen Anne
. The population was 543 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), of which, 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (17.65%) is water.
of 2000, there were 543 people, 266 households, and 160 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,286.5 people per square mile (499.2/km²). There were 354 housing units at an average density of 838.7 per square mile (325.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.58% White, 3.50% African American, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.55% of the population.
There were 266 households out of which 20.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples
living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.61.
In the town the population was spread out with 18.6% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 25.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females there were 70.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $42,054, and the median income for a family was $49,583. Males had a median income of $33,214 versus $28,375 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $32,944. About 4.6% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.
Festival. Began in 1958, the festival is held the first weekend of November each year, beginning on Friday morning and ending on Saturday night. Live music, arts and crafts, two parades (the Fireman Parade on Friday night, and the Festival Parade on Saturday afternoon), the renowned oyster shucking contest, and children's activities are all major attractions, and all kinds of food are available from numerous vendors. Annual attendance over the two days is in between 50,000-75,000, during which time the town is closed to traffic in the afternoon on Friday and for most of the day Saturday. Admission to the event is free of charge, although there is a fee for parking within the vicinity of the festival.
A much newer and growing tradition is an outdoor art and craft show, Art on the Half Shell. Started in 2001, the juried, one-day event has become quite popular and, like the Oyster Festival, is also open to the public at no charge. Local and out of town artists are featured, with a great variety of artistic mediums presented.
Middlesex County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,932 people, 4,253 households, and 2,913 families residing in the county. The population density was 76 people per square mile . There were 6,362 housing units at an average density of 49 per square mile...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Urbanna means “City of Anne” and was named in honor of England’s Queen Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
. The population was 543 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Urbanna is located at 37°38′16"N 76°34′23"W (37.637796, -76.573149).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 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), of which, 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (17.65%) is water.
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 543 people, 266 households, and 160 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 1,286.5 people per square mile (499.2/km²). There were 354 housing units at an average density of 838.7 per square mile (325.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.58% White, 3.50% African American, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.55% of the population.
There were 266 households out of which 20.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% 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, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.61.
In the town the population was spread out with 18.6% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 25.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females there were 70.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $42,054, and the median income for a family was $49,583. Males had a median income of $33,214 versus $28,375 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 $32,944. About 4.6% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.
Events
For more than 50 years, Urbanna has hosted the Urbanna OysterOyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
Festival. Began in 1958, the festival is held the first weekend of November each year, beginning on Friday morning and ending on Saturday night. Live music, arts and crafts, two parades (the Fireman Parade on Friday night, and the Festival Parade on Saturday afternoon), the renowned oyster shucking contest, and children's activities are all major attractions, and all kinds of food are available from numerous vendors. Annual attendance over the two days is in between 50,000-75,000, during which time the town is closed to traffic in the afternoon on Friday and for most of the day Saturday. Admission to the event is free of charge, although there is a fee for parking within the vicinity of the festival.
A much newer and growing tradition is an outdoor art and craft show, Art on the Half Shell. Started in 2001, the juried, one-day event has become quite popular and, like the Oyster Festival, is also open to the public at no charge. Local and out of town artists are featured, with a great variety of artistic mediums presented.
Notable residents, past and present
- William Overton CallisWilliam Overton CallisWilliam O. Callis was the son of William Harry Callis and Mary Jane Cosby. He was a childhood friend of Presidents James Madison and James Monroe, was with Washington at Yorktown, and was known to Lafayette, Thomas Jefferson, and Benedict Arnold.-Early life:William Overton Callis was born March...
- Arthur LeeArthur Lee (diplomat)Dr. Arthur Lee was an American diplomat during the American Revolutionary War. He was the son of Hon. Thomas Lee and Hannah Harrison Ludwell...