King and Queen County, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
King and Queen County
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Old King and Queen County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
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 Virginia's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Virginia |
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| Founded | 1691 | ||
| Named for | William III and Mary II of England | ||
| Seat | King and Queen Court House | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 326 sq mi (840 km2) | ||
| • Land | 315 sq mi (820 km2) | ||
| • Water | 11 sq mi (30 km2) 3.4% | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,608 | ||
| • Density | 20.27/sq mi (7.826/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| Congressional district | 1st | ||
King and Queen County is a special area called a county in the state of Virginia, USA. It's located in a part of Virginia known as the Middle Peninsula, which is on the eastern side of the state. It's also near the big city area of Richmond.
In 2020, about 6,608 people lived here. The main town and government center of the county is called King and Queen Court House.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
King and Queen County was created in 1691. It was formed from a part of New Kent County. The county got its name from two famous rulers of England: King William III and Queen Mary II.
Did you know? King and Queen County is one of the few counties in the United States that had more people living there in the year 1790 than it did in 2010!
Famous People and Events
- When he was 11 years old, future President James Madison went to school here in 1762. His teacher, Donald Robertson, taught him many subjects like math, geography, and languages. Madison later said that Robertson greatly helped him love learning.
- During the American Civil War, a battle called the Battle of Walkerton happened here on March 2, 1864. The soldiers from the Confederate side won this battle.
- In the 1960s, a couple named Richard and Mildred Loving lived in a quiet part of the county. They were trying to avoid being arrested while their important legal case was being decided in court. Their case helped change laws about marriage in the United States.
For a long time, people in the county would joke that there were no traffic lights anywhere! But that's not true anymore. A traffic light has now been put in at a place called St. Stephen's Church on U.S. Route 360.
Even today, King and Queen County doesn't have any big cities or towns that are officially "incorporated." It's still one of the most spread-out counties in Virginia, with fewer people living close together.
Where is King and Queen County?
The U.S. Census Bureau says the county covers about 326 square miles. Most of this area, about 315 square miles, is land. The rest, about 11 square miles, is water.
King and Queen County is quite long, stretching about 45 miles. But it's also very narrow, being less than 10 miles wide at its widest point.
Neighboring Counties
- Caroline County – to the north
- Essex County – to the northeast
- Middlesex County – to the east
- Gloucester County – to the southeast
- James City County – to the south
- New Kent County – to the southwest
- King William County – to the west
Main Roads
US 360
SR 14
SR 33
SR 40
Who Lives Here?
The population of King and Queen County has changed over many years. Here's how many people lived there during different census counts:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 9,377 | — | |
| 1800 | 9,879 | 5.4% | |
| 1810 | 10,988 | 11.2% | |
| 1820 | 11,798 | 7.4% | |
| 1830 | 11,644 | −1.3% | |
| 1840 | 10,862 | −6.7% | |
| 1850 | 10,319 | −5.0% | |
| 1860 | 10,328 | 0.1% | |
| 1870 | 9,709 | −6.0% | |
| 1880 | 10,502 | 8.2% | |
| 1890 | 9,669 | −7.9% | |
| 1900 | 9,265 | −4.2% | |
| 1910 | 9,576 | 3.4% | |
| 1920 | 9,161 | −4.3% | |
| 1930 | 7,618 | −16.8% | |
| 1940 | 6,954 | −8.7% | |
| 1950 | 6,299 | −9.4% | |
| 1960 | 5,889 | −6.5% | |
| 1970 | 5,491 | −6.8% | |
| 1980 | 5,968 | 8.7% | |
| 1990 | 6,289 | 5.4% | |
| 2000 | 6,630 | 5.4% | |
| 2010 | 6,945 | 4.8% | |
| 2020 | 6,608 | −4.9% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 6,662 | −4.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, the county had 6,608 people. Most residents were White (about 67.5%), followed by Black or African American (about 23.6%). There were also smaller groups of Native American, Asian, and people of mixed races. About 2.75% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Local Towns and Places
King and Queen County has several small communities:
- King and Queen Court House (This is a "census-designated place," meaning it's a specific area the census tracks.)
- Newtown
- St. Stephen's Church
- Shacklefords
