Essex County, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Essex County
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Essex County Courthouse in Tappahannock
|
|||
|
|||
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
|
|||
 Virginia's location within the U.S. |
|||
| Country |  United States |
||
| State |  Virginia |
||
| Founded | 1692 | ||
| Seat | Tappahannock | ||
| Largest town | Tappahannock | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 286 sq mi (740 km2) | ||
| • Land | 257 sq mi (670 km2) | ||
| • Water | 29 sq mi (80 km2) 10.1% | ||
| Population
(2020)
|
|||
| • Total | 10,599 | ||
| • Density | 37.06/sq mi (14.309/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| Congressional district | 1st | ||
Essex County is a county located in the Middle Peninsula in the U.S. state of Virginia; the peninsula is bordered by the Rappahannock River on the north and King and Queen County on the south. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,599. Its county seat is Tappahannock.
Contents
History
Essex County was established in 1692 from the old Rappahannock County, Virginia (not to be confused with the present-day Rappahannock County, Virginia). The county is named for either the shire or county in England, or for the Earl of Essex.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 286 square miles (740 km2), of which 257 square miles (670 km2) is land and 29 square miles (75 km2) (10.1%) is water. Its main town, Tappahanock, is focused at the Rappahanock River.
Adjacent counties
- Westmoreland County – north
- Richmond County – northeast
- Middlesex County – southeast
- King and Queen County – south
- Caroline County – west
- King George County – northwest
Major highways
US 17
US 360
National protected area
- Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge (part) Hutchinson unit, Thomas unit
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 9,122 | — | |
| 1800 | 9,508 | 4.2% | |
| 1810 | 9,376 | −1.4% | |
| 1820 | 9,909 | 5.7% | |
| 1830 | 10,521 | 6.2% | |
| 1840 | 11,309 | 7.5% | |
| 1850 | 10,206 | −9.8% | |
| 1860 | 10,469 | 2.6% | |
| 1870 | 9,927 | −5.2% | |
| 1880 | 11,032 | 11.1% | |
| 1890 | 10,047 | −8.9% | |
| 1900 | 9,701 | −3.4% | |
| 1910 | 9,105 | −6.1% | |
| 1920 | 8,542 | −6.2% | |
| 1930 | 6,976 | −18.3% | |
| 1940 | 7,006 | 0.4% | |
| 1950 | 6,530 | −6.8% | |
| 1960 | 6,690 | 2.5% | |
| 1970 | 7,099 | 6.1% | |
| 1980 | 8,864 | 24.9% | |
| 1990 | 8,689 | −2.0% | |
| 2000 | 9,989 | 15.0% | |
| 2010 | 11,151 | 11.6% | |
| 2020 | 10,599 | −5.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 2020 |
|||
2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 6,239 | 5,871 | 55.95% | 55.39% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 4,224 | 3,743 | 37.88% | 35.31% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 46 | 61 | 0.41% | 0.58% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 86 | 62 | 0.77% | 0.58% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 3 | 0.02% | 0.03% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 13 | 40 | 0.12% | 0.38% |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 192 | 450 | 1.72% | 4.25% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 349 | 369 | 3.13% | 3.48% |
| Total | 11,151 | 10,599 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Education
Essex County Public Schools (ECPS) is the public schools system for Essex County, Virginia, United States. The following schools make up the Essex County Public Schools system:
Tappahannock Elementary School (Grades PK - 4th)
Essex Intermediate School (Grades 5th - 8th)
Essex High School (Grades 9th - 12th)
Other schools located in Essex County include:
St Margaret's School (Grades 8th - 12th, girls only)
Tappahannock Junior Academy (Grades K - 10th)
Aylett Country Day School (Grades PK - 8th)
Communities
Town
Unincorporated communities
|
|
|
Notable people
- David George - black American ex-slave founder of Silver Bluff Baptist Church
- Former NBA player Xavier McDaniel once lived in this county.
- U.S. Senator Paul S. Trible Jr. was Commonwealth's Attorney of Essex County.
- Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter, 1809–1887. Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and Confederate States Secretary of State.
- Grammy Award-winning R&B singer Chris Brown was born and raised in this county.
- Richard B. Garnett- Confederate States of America general who was killed while leading his brigade during Pickett's Charge.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Essex (Virginia) para niños
