King George County, Virginia

King George County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 23,584.[2] Its county seat is the town of King George.[3]

Not to be confused with Prince George's County, Maryland or Prince George County, Virginia.
King George County
U.S. county
King George County Courthouse
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°16′N 77°09′W
Country United States
State Virginia
Founded1720
Named forGeorge I
SeatKing George
Largest CDPKing George
Area
 • Total188 sq mi (490 km2)
 • Land180 sq mi (500 km2)
 • Water21 sq mi (50 km2)  4.3%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total23,584
 • Estimate 
(2018)[1]
26,575
 • Density130/sq mi (48/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.kinggeorgecountyva.gov

The county's largest employer is the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division. It is adjacent to the two-lane, 2-mile-long (3.2 km) Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge carrying U.S. Highway 301 over the Potomac River. It contains the ZIP codes 22448 (Dahlgren) and 22485 (all other areas within King George). It is within the area code 540 and contains the exchanges: 775, 644, 663, and 653.

History

Indigenous peoples of varying cultures lived along the waterways for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. Among the historic Native American tribes who came into conflict with the English were the Algonquian-speaking Nanzatico. In 1704 colonists retaliated for the tribe's attacking the farm of John Rowley, "known for his disputes" with them. The colonists captured and shipped 40 Nanzatico to Antigua in the Caribbean, where they were sold into slavery; this number included children older than 12.[4]

King George County was established in 1720 when land was split from Richmond County, Virginia. The county is named for King George I of Great Britain.[5] It was substantially reorganized in 1776 and 1777, with land swapped with both Stafford and Westmoreland counties to form the modern boundaries.

In the early decades, planters cultivated tobacco, a labor-intensive commodity crop, depending on the labor of both indentured servants from Britain and enslaved Africans. Gradually slaves became the primary laborers, as fewer indentured servants arrived. Later mixed crops were introduced, as the land had gotten exhausted from tobacco cultivation. The county and state were dominated by slavery.

On March 16, 1751, James Madison, the fourth President of the United States, was born at Belle Grove plantation, the childhood home of his mother, Eleanor Rose "Nellie" Conway. Like other women, she returned home to her mother for assistance when bearing her child. The plantation is located in Port Conway in southern King George County. Nellie Conway was the daughter of its owner, Francis Conway, for whom the town of Port Conway was named. William "Extra Billy" Smith, twice elected governor of Virginia, was born at Marengo, Virginia in 1797.

On May 1, 1861 during the American Civil War, Confederates installed artillery at Mathias Point in order to blockade the Potomac River. On June 27, the steamer Thomas Freeborn bombarded Mathias Point in an effort to drive away the soldiers who were manning the weapons. Confederate soldiers fired back from Mathias Point, striking and mortally wounding Commander James H. Ward of the Freeborn. He was the first Union naval officer to die in the Civil War.

Landscape in King George County

After assassinating US President Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth and David Herold tried to elude Union cavalry, and crossed into the Virginia county by boat from Maryland on April 21, 1865. Booth and Herold landed at the mouth of Gambo Creek, before meeting with Confederate agents, who guided their passage to Port Conway. From there they crossed into Port Royal, in Caroline County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 188 square miles (490 km2), of which 180 square miles (470 km2) is land and 8 square miles (21 km2) (4.3%) is water.[6]

King George County is located on the Northern Neck and is bounded on the north by the Potomac River, which lies in Charles County, Maryland. It is bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River, across which lie Caroline and Essex counties; on the east by Westmoreland County and on the west by Stafford County, all in Virginia.

National protected area

Major highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
17907,366—
18006,749−8.4%
18106,454−4.4%
18206,116−5.2%
18306,3974.6%
18405,927−7.3%
18505,9710.7%
18606,57110.0%
18705,742−12.6%
18806,39711.4%
18906,6413.8%
19006,9184.2%
19106,378−7.8%
19205,762−9.7%
19305,297−8.1%
19405,4312.5%
19506,71023.5%
19607,2437.9%
19708,03911.0%
198010,54331.1%
199013,52728.3%
200016,80324.2%
201023,58440.4%
2018 (est.)26,575[1]12.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]

As of the census[8] of 2010, there were 23,584 people, 9,411 households, and 4,525 families residing in the county. The population density was 93 people per square mile (36/km2). There were 6,820 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile (15/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 76.7% White, 17.9% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. 3.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,091 households, out of which 38.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% were married couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.70% were non-families. 20.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.80% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 31.70% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 9.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $49,882, and the median income for a family was $55,160. Males had a median income of $38,600 versus $26,350 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,562. About 4.40% of families and 5.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.10% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Board of Supervisors
  • County Administrator: Neiman C. Young, PhD
  • Member/Vice-Chair (At Large): Ann C Cupka
  • Member/Chairperson (Shiloh): Cathy Binder
  • Member (Madison): Richard Granger
  • Member (Monroe): Jeffery L. Bueche
  • Member (Dahlgren): Jeff Stonehill

Constitutional officers
  • Clerk of the Circuit Court: Charles V. "Vic" Mason (I)
  • Commissioner of the Revenue: Jo Ann Hall Ando (I)
  • Commonwealth's Attorney: Keri A. Gusmann (I)
  • Sheriff: Christopher A Giles(I)
  • Treasurer: Alice L. Moore (I)

King George is represented by Republicans Ryan T. McDougle and Richard H. Stuart in the Virginia Senate, Republican Margaret Ransone in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Republican Rob Wittman in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[9]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 59.4% 8,446 38.0% 5,404 2.6% 374
2016 60.9% 7,341 33.3% 4,007 5.8% 702
2012 58.3% 6,604 39.5% 4,477 2.2% 244
2008 56.2% 5,888 42.7% 4,473 1.1% 113
2004 64.7% 5,124 34.6% 2,739 0.7% 58
2000 61.4% 3,590 35.4% 2,070 3.3% 192
1996 53.6% 2,597 38.7% 1,875 7.7% 371
1992 48.3% 2,570 34.0% 1,811 17.7% 943
1988 62.4% 2,587 36.6% 1,519 1.0% 40
1984 61.3% 2,356 37.8% 1,450 0.9% 35
1980 53.5% 1,784 39.6% 1,318 6.9% 230
1976 46.8% 1,383 51.2% 1,513 2.1% 62
1972 70.1% 1,675 27.5% 658 2.4% 58
1968 37.8% 829 33.3% 730 29.0% 636
1964 37.3% 644 62.8% 1,085
1960 48.6% 685 50.9% 717 0.6% 8
1956 51.7% 655 44.4% 563 3.9% 49
1952 52.9% 577 46.2% 503 0.9% 10
1948 43.9% 316 34.4% 248 21.7% 156
1944 49.3% 340 50.4% 348 0.3% 2
1940 24.5% 167 75.4% 515 0.2% 1
1936 38.5% 295 61.2% 469 0.3% 2
1932 29.8% 203 69.7% 475 0.6% 4
1928 57.2% 413 42.8% 309
1924 41.0% 206 55.7% 280 3.4% 17
1920 50.3% 253 49.5% 249 0.2% 1
1916 49.0% 217 50.3% 223 0.7% 3
1912 11.8% 48 62.9% 256 25.3% 103

Festivals

The King George Fall Festival is held the second weekend of October in King George. All proceeds from this event go to support the Volunteer King George Fire & Rescue.

The Fall Festival also includes a parade through town, a carnival, a craft fair, a car show, a dance, a 5-K run, and the Fall Festival Queens Pageant. The King George Fall Festival began in October 1959.[10]

Communities

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Notable residents
  • James Madison, fourth President of the United States
  • Mark Warner, US Senator, maintains a residence and farm
  • Krystal Ball, political talk show co-host and one-time Congressional candidate, grew up in King George
  • Collette Wolfe, actress, grew up in King George, Virginia[11]
  • Jermon Bushrod, guard for the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League (NFL), grew up in King George, Virginia[12]
  • Al Bumbry, Major League Baseball Player
  • Nell Zink, American novelist, grew up in King George County[13]
  • Dorthia Cottrell, Musician, grew up in King George County

See also

References
  1. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. "Eleven New State Historical Highway Markers Approved" Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine, Appomattox County History, 23 January 2010, accessed 19 April 2010
  5. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 175.
  6. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  7. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  8. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  9. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  10. "King George Fall Festival". King George Fall Festival. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  11. "Colette Wolfe". IMDB.
  12. Jermon Bushrod
  13. Schulz, Kathryn (May 18, 2015). "Outside In". New Yorker.

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