Culpeper County, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Culpeper County
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg)
Culpeper County Courthouse
|
|||
|
|||
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
|
|||
 Virginia's location within the U.S. |
|||
| Country |  United States |
||
| State |  Virginia |
||
| Founded | 1749 | ||
| Named for | Thomas Colepeper | ||
| Seat | Culpeper | ||
| Largest town | Culpeper | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 383 sq mi (990 km2) | ||
| • Land | 379 sq mi (980 km2) | ||
| • Water | 3.3 sq mi (9 km2) 0.9% | ||
| Population
(2020)
|
|||
| • Total | 52,552 | ||
| • Density | 137.21/sq mi (52.98/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| Congressional district | 7th | ||
Culpeper County is a county located in the central part of Virginia. In 2020, about 52,552 people lived here. The main town and county seat is Culpeper.
Culpeper County is part of the larger Washington–Baltimore–Arlington Combined Statistical Area. This means it's connected to the big cities of Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.
Contents
History of Culpeper County
When Europeans first arrived, the area that is now Culpeper County was home to the Tegninateo people. They were a group of the Manahoac tribe and spoke a Siouan language.
Culpeper County was created in 1749 from Orange County. It was named after Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper. He was the colonial governor of Virginia from 1677 to 1683.
Revolutionary War and the Minute Men
In May 1775, during the lead-up to the American Revolutionary War, Virginia was divided into districts. Each district had to form a group of soldiers ready to fight quickly. This group was called a "battalion."
Culpeper, Orange, and Fauquier counties formed one district. They raised 350 men who became known as the Culpeper Minute Men. These soldiers were ready to march at a moment's notice.
In December 1775, the Minute Men fought in the Battle of Great Bridge. This was the first Revolutionary War battle on Virginia soil. Their flag showed a rattlesnake with the famous words "Liberty or Death" and "Don't Tread on Me."
Civil War Battles
Culpeper County was also important during the American Civil War. Two major battles happened here:
- The Battle of Cedar Mountain on August 9, 1862.
- The Battle of Brandy Station on June 9, 1863.
The Culpeper Minute Men were even reorganized in 1860 for the Civil War. They later became part of the 13th Infantry's Company B. They were also active in World War I.
Early Development
In May 1749, the first Culpeper Court met at Robert Coleman's home. In July 1749, 17-year-old George Washington became the county's first surveyor. One of his first jobs was to plan the county's courthouse area. This included the courthouse, jail, and other buildings. By 1752, these buildings were ready. The courthouse village was named the Town of Fairfax. It was named after Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron.
Modern Times
Culpeper County is located near the Blue Ridge Mountains. You can easily reach places like Old Rag Mountain and the Skyline Drive from here.
The county is home to Commonwealth Park. This is a famous place for many world-class horse riding events.
Culpeper was the last county in Virginia to integrate its schools. This means it was the last to allow students of all races to attend the same schools.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Culpeper County covers a total area of 383 square miles. About 379 square miles of this is land, and 3.3 square miles (less than 1%) is water.
Neighboring Counties
Culpeper County shares borders with several other counties:
- Stafford County, Virginia – East
- Orange County, Virginia – South
- Madison County, Virginia – Southwest
- Rappahannock County, Virginia – Northwest
- Spotsylvania County, Virginia – Southeast
- Fauquier County, Virginia – Northeast
Main Roads
Several important highways pass through Culpeper County:
US 15
US 29
US 211
US 522
SR 3
SR 229
SR 299
Population Data
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 22,105 | — | |
| 1800 | 18,100 | −18.1% | |
| 1810 | 18,967 | 4.8% | |
| 1820 | 20,944 | 10.4% | |
| 1830 | 24,027 | 14.7% | |
| 1840 | 11,393 | −52.6% | |
| 1850 | 12,282 | 7.8% | |
| 1860 | 12,063 | −1.8% | |
| 1870 | 12,227 | 1.4% | |
| 1880 | 13,408 | 9.7% | |
| 1890 | 13,233 | −1.3% | |
| 1900 | 14,123 | 6.7% | |
| 1910 | 13,472 | −4.6% | |
| 1920 | 13,292 | −1.3% | |
| 1930 | 13,306 | 0.1% | |
| 1940 | 13,365 | 0.4% | |
| 1950 | 13,242 | −0.9% | |
| 1960 | 15,088 | 13.9% | |
| 1970 | 18,218 | 20.7% | |
| 1980 | 22,620 | 24.2% | |
| 1990 | 27,791 | 22.9% | |
| 2000 | 34,262 | 23.3% | |
| 2010 | 46,689 | 36.3% | |
| 2020 | 52,552 | 12.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
|||
2020 Census Information
Here's a look at the different groups of people living in Culpeper County in 2020:
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 33,482 | 34,840 | 71.71% | 66.30% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 7,212 | 6,453 | 15.45% | 12.28% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 129 | 110 | 0.28% | 0.21% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 593 | 767 | 1.27% | 1.46% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 12 | 20 | 0.03% | 0.04% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 100 | 233 | 0.21% | 0.44% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 1,004 | 2,620 | 2.15% | 4.99% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4,157 | 7,509 | 8.90% | 14.29% |
| Total | 46,689 | 52,552 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: The U.S. Census counts Hispanic/Latino people as an ethnic group. This table separates them from the racial categories. Hispanic/Latino people can be of any race.
Communities
Town
- Culpeper is the only incorporated town in the county.
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially towns or cities:
|
|
|
Economy
Culpeper County has a workforce of over 24,000 people. About 30% of the people who live in Culpeper County also work there. The other 70% travel to jobs outside the county. Many of them commute to Fairfax or Fauquier counties.
About 45% of the workers in Culpeper County come from other places. Most of these workers come from Orange County.
Top Employers
As of March 2021, these are the top 10 non-government employers in Culpeper County:
- Culpeper Memorial Hospital
- Walmart
- S.W.I.F.T. (a global financial messaging service)
- Merillat Industries
- Cintas Corporation
- Continental Automotive
- Culpeper Health and Rehabilitation Center
- Virginia Baptist Homes
- Bingham and Taylor Corporation
- Childhelp
Education
Culpeper County Public Schools manages the public schools in the county.
Elementary Schools
- A.G. Richardson Elementary
- Culpeper Christian
- Emerald Hill Elementary
- Epiphany Catholic School
- Farmington Elementary
- Pearl Sample Elementary
- Sycamore Park Elementary
- Yowell Elementary
Middle Schools
- Culpeper Christian
- Culpeper Middle
- Floyd T. Binns Middle
High Schools
- Culpeper County High School
- Eastern View High School
- Culpeper Technical Education Center
Notable People
Many interesting people have connections to Culpeper County:
- Kenny Alphin (born 1963) – A country music singer.
- Thomas Colepeper – Governor of the Virginia Colony from 1677 to 1683.
- Pete Hill (1882–1951) – A professional baseball player who is in the Hall of Fame.
- Dangerfield Newby (around 1820–1859) – One of John Brown's men who was killed during the raid on the federal armory at Harper's Ferry, Virginia.
- Eppa Rixey (1891–1963) – A professional baseball player who is in the Hall of Fame.
- D. French Slaughter, Jr. – A U.S. Congressman from 1985 to 1991.
- Andrew Stevenson – A former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
- French Strother (1730–1800) – An important political figure in early American history.
Images for kids
-
US 15/US 29 near Culpeper in Culpeper County
_from_the_overpass_for_U.S._Route_522_and_Virginia_State_Route_3_(Germanna_Highway)_just_southeast_of_Culpeper_in_Culpeper_County,_Virginia.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Culpeper para niños
