Clarke County, Virginia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Clarke County, Virginia | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of Virginia |
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 Virginia's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1836 |
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| Seat | Berryville |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
178 sq mi (461 km²) 2 sq mi (5 km²), 0.88% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
12,652 73/sq mi (28/km²) |
| Website: www.co.clarke.va.us | |
Clarke County is a county located in the U.S. state — officially, "Commonwealth" — of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 12,652. Its county seat is Berryville[1].
This county is a part of the Washington Metropolitan Area.
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[edit] History
Clarke County was established in 1836 from Frederick County. The county is named for General George Rogers Clark, of the Revolutionary War. Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron's 5 million acre (20,000 km²) property was located in the county, what is now the village of White Post. White Post was named for the large signpost pointing the way to Lord Fairfax's home.
During the Civil War, John S. Mosby, "the Gray Ghost" of the Confederacy, raided General Sheridan's supply train in the summer of 1864, in Berryville. The Battle of Cool Spring was fought in Clarke County on July 17th and 18th, 1864.
Early in the 20th century, future Virginia politician Harry F. Byrd and his wife established their first home near Berryville, where he untertook extensive agricultural activity growing peaches and apples. Byrd became a State senator in the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly, served a term as a Governor of Virginia, and was a United States Senator for over 30 years, heading the powerful Byrd Organization which dominated state politics between the mid 1920s and 1960s.
[edit] Historic Buildings and Structures
- Clermont Estate (1751)
- Fairfield (1765)
- Soldier's Rest (1769)
- Buck Marsh Church (1772)
- Norwood (1780)
- Holy Cross Abbey (1784)
- Stone's Chapel (1785)
- Audley Estate (1794)
- Bel Voi (1803)
- Rosemont Estate (1811)
- Clay Hill (1816)
- Clifton (1833)
- Clarke County Courthouse (1837)
- Glendale Farm (1850)
- Site of Mosby's Raid (1863)
[edit] Photo Gallery
 Fairfield Estate (1765) |
 Soldier's Rest (1769) |
 Norwood Estate (1780) |
 Holy Cross Abbey (1784) |
 Stone's Chapel (1785) |
 Audley Estate (1794) |
 Bel Voi (1803) |
 Rosemont Estate (1811) |
 Clay Hill (1816) |
 Clifton (1833) |
 Clarke County Courthouse (1837) |
 Glendale Farm (1850) |
[edit] Google Earth Placemarks
- Clermont Estate
- Fairfield
- Soldier's Rest
- Norwood Estate
- Buck Marsh Church
- Holy Cross Abbey
- Stone's Chapel
- Audley Estate
- Bel Voi
- Rosemont Estate
- Clay Hill
- Clifton Estate
- Clarke County Courthouse
- Glendale Farm
- Site of Mosby's Raid in Berryville
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 178 square miles (462 km²), of which, 177 square miles (457 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (4 km²) of it (0.88%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |
|---|---|
| Census year |
Population |
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| 1840 | 6,353 |
| 1850 | 7,352 |
| 1860 | 7,146 |
| 1870 | 6,670 |
| 1880 | 7,682 |
| 1890 | 8,071 |
| 1900 | 7,927 |
| 1910 | 7,468 |
| 1920 | 7,165 |
| 1930 | 7,167 |
| 1940 | 7,159 |
| 1950 | 7,074 |
| 1960 | 7,942 |
| 1970 | 8,102 |
| 1980 | 9,965 |
| 1990 | 12,101 |
| 2000 | 12,652 |
| 2004 | 13,852 |
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 12,652 people, 4,942 households, and 3,513 families residing in the county. The population density was 72 people per square mile (28/km²). There were 5,388 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile (12/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.15% White, 6.73% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 1.46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
By 2005 90.1% of Clarke County's population was non-Hispanic whites. 6.3% were African-American. 0.2% Native American. 0.6% Asian. 2.6% were Latino.
There were 4,942 households out of which 29.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county, the population was spread out with 23.40% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 29.10% from 25 to 44, 27.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $51,601, and the median income for a family was $59,750. Males had a median income of $40,254 versus $30,165 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,844. About 4.20% of families and 6.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.10% of those under age 18 and 11.10% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Transportation
- Shenandoah Valley Commuter Bus Service offers weekday commuter bus service from Northern Shenandoah Valley including Shenandoah County and Warren County to Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. including Arlington County and Fairfax County. Origination points in Shenandoah County include Woodstock. Origination points in Warren County include Front Royal and Linden.
[edit] Towns
[edit] Incorporated towns
[edit] Unincorporated communities
[edit] References
- ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- Clarke County Official Government Website
- Clarke County Public Schools
- Clarke County Historical Association
- VAGenWeb Clarke County
- Clarke County Fair
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