Charles Town is a city in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. It is also the main city where the county government is located, known as the county seat. In 2020, about 6,534 people lived there.

The city gets its name from its founder, Charles Washington. He was the youngest brother of President George Washington. Charles Town is located on the edge of the larger Washington metropolitan area.

History of Charles Town
Geography and Climate
Population and People
- Charles Town Population in 2010
Education in Charles Town
Transportation in Charles Town
Famous People from Charles Town
Images for kids
See also

History of Charles Town

How Charles Town Began: 18th Century

Happy Retreat, Charles Washington's home

The city of "Charlestown" was officially created in January 1787. This happened thanks to a law passed by the Virginia General Assembly.

Charles Washington was born in Virginia in 1738. He was the youngest brother of the first U.S. President, George Washington. Charles moved to what is now Jefferson County around 1780. His home, called Happy Retreat, was built that same year.

In 1786, Charles planned the streets of Charles Town on 80 acres of his land. He named many streets after his brothers and one after his wife, Mildred. He gave four important lots for public buildings. These lots were at the corner of George and Washington Streets. He hoped the town would become the county seat if a new county was formed from Berkeley County.

In 1794, James Madison, who later became president, married "Dolly" Todd. Their wedding took place at Harewood, a home just outside Charles Town. Harewood belonged to George Steptoe Washington, Charles's nephew.

Growth and Change: 19th Century

As Charles Washington had hoped, Jefferson County was created in 1801. The county courthouse still stands on one of the lots he donated. The old jail was also on one of these lots until 1919.

Charles Washington passed away in 1799, not long before his brother George. Charles and his wife Mildred are buried near Evitts Run. Their graves have recently been found and marked.

In 1844, the first issue of the Spirit of Jefferson newspaper was printed in Charles Town. It was started by James W. Beller. This newspaper is still published today as the Spirit of Jefferson-Advocate. It is one of the oldest newspapers in West Virginia.

On October 16, 1859, a famous abolitionist named John Brown led a raid. He and his followers attacked the Federal arsenal at nearby Harpers Ferry. This event was stopped, and John Brown was brought to trial in Charles Town. His trial took place in the Jefferson County courthouse. On December 2, 1859, he was hanged in Charles Town at the Gibson-Todd House. This house is now a historic landmark.

During the first two years of the American Civil War, Charles Town was often caught between the two sides. The town changed hands many times between the Union and Confederate armies. By 1863, Union troops took control of the town permanently for the rest of the war.

In 1883, the Valley Telephone Company started in West Virginia. They began putting in telephone lines across Jefferson County. Their main office was in Charles Town.

Modern Times: 20th and 21st Centuries

In 1922, William Blizzard, a leader of coal miners, faced a trial in Charles Town. He was accused of fighting against state and federal troops. The trial was held at the Jefferson County courthouse, and he was found not guilty.

The Charles Town Race Track first opened in 1933. It was built on land bought from the Charles Town Horse Show Association.

In 1975, a new hospital, Jefferson Memorial Hospital, opened. It replaced the older Charles Town General Hospital. Today, it is part of the West Virginia University Hospitals system and is called Jefferson Medical Center.

In 1999, the Charles Town Race Track was updated. A large new section was added for video slot machines. It was renamed Charles Town Races & Slots. Many visitors from nearby cities like Baltimore and Washington D.C. come to visit each week.

In 2006, a group called the Friends of Happy Retreat (FOHR) bought an option to purchase Happy Retreat. This group wants to protect Happy Retreat as a national historic site. They also want to share the history of the Washington family and the area. FOHR offers special tours of Happy Retreat during the annual Charles Town Heritage Festival.

In 2011, Discover Downtown Charles Town (DDCT) was created. This volunteer group works with local leaders and businesses. They organize events, support business owners, and help improve the look of Historic Downtown Charles Town.

Geography and Climate

Charles Town is located at 39°17′3″N 77°51′22″W / 39.28417°N 77.85611°W / 39.28417; -77.85611.

The United States Census Bureau says the city covers about 5.81 square miles (15.11 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the city limits.

Charles Town is about 73 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. It is also about 75 miles west of Baltimore.

The city has a Humid subtropical climate. This means it has cool to mildly cold winters and hot, humid summers. Rain falls fairly evenly throughout the year, which helps plants grow well.

Population and People

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	1,507	—
1860	1,376	−8.7%
1870	1,593	15.8%
1880	2,016	26.6%
1890	2,287	13.4%
1900	2,392	4.6%
1910	2,662	11.3%
1920	2,527	−5.1%
1930	2,434	−3.7%
1940	2,926	20.2%
1950	3,035	3.7%
1960	3,329	9.7%
1970	3,023	−9.2%
1980	2,857	−5.5%
1990	3,122	9.3%
2000	2,907	−6.9%
2010	5,259	80.9%
2020	6,534	24.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

Charles Town Population in 2010

Based on the census from 2010, Charles Town had 5,259 people. There were 2,011 households and 1,289 families living in the city. The city had about 905 people per square mile.

The people living in Charles Town were from different backgrounds:

76.9% White
13.3% African American
0.3% Native American
2.1% Asian
0.1% Pacific Islander
3.7% from other races
3.6% from two or more races.

About 9.0% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

In terms of households, 37.2% had children under 18 living with them. About 47.3% were married couples. The average household had 2.57 people, and the average family had 3.19 people.

The average age in the city was 35.5 years old. About 26.9% of residents were under 18. And 12.4% were 65 years or older. The city's population was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.

Education in Charles Town

Charles Town is part of the Jefferson County Schools system. There are many schools for students of all ages.

Jefferson High School
Washington High School
Charles Town Middle School
Harpers Ferry Middle School
Shepherdstown Middle School
Wildwood Middle School
Blue Ridge Elementary School
Blue Ridge Primary School
C.W. Shipley Elementary School
Driswood Elementary School
North Jefferson Elementary School
Page-Jackson Elementary School
Ranson Elementary School
Shepherdstown Elementary School
T.A. Lowery Elementary School
Wright Denny Elementary School
American Public University/American Military University
Catholic International University

Transportation in Charles Town

US Route 340 near Charles Town

Charles Town is mainly served by two major highways. These are U.S. Route 340 and West Virginia Route 9. They run together for a short distance near the city.

US 340 generally goes from southwest to northeast. It connects Charles Town to places in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. To the northeast, US 340 leads directly to Harpers Ferry and Frederick.

WV 9 runs from northwest to southeast. It connects Charles Town to Martinsburg and Leesburg. Other highways that serve Charles Town include West Virginia Route 51 and West Virginia Route 115.

Famous People from Charles Town

Many notable people have connections to Charles Town:

John Peale Bishop, an author
Sylvia Rideoutt Bishop, the first African American female horse trainer
Sammi Brown, a former member of the West Virginia House of Delegates
Frank Buckles, the longest-surviving American veteran of World War I
Martin Delany, an abolitionist and physician who led the Black Nationalism movement
Warren B. English, a politician
Darryl Fitzwater, an Anglican bishop
Jack W. Germond, a political reporter and commentator
Gary Gregor, a former NBA player
Hamilton Hatter, who founded Bluefield Colored Institute
John H. Hill, a former slave and president of West Virginia State University
James Jett, an NFL player
Samuel Mason, a Revolutionary War soldier and early American outlaw
Frederick Mayer, a German-born Jewish agent during World War II
William McSherry, a Jesuit and president of Georgetown University
Alex Mooney, a U.S. Congressman
Frank R. Stockton, an author known for "The Lady, or the Tiger?"
David Hunter Strother, an artist, author, soldier, and statesman
Edward Tiffin, the first governor of Ohio
Samuel Washington, George Washington's brother, who lived at Harewood
William Lyne Wilson, a Postmaster General of the United States
Thomas Worthington, the sixth governor of Ohio