Port Royal, Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Port Royal, Virginia
Town
St. Peter's Episcopal Church
Location of Port Royal, Virginia
Country	United States
State	Virginia
County	Caroline
Area
• Total	0.65 sq mi (1.69 km2)
• Land	0.65 sq mi (1.68 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation	30 ft (9 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	126
• Estimate  (2019)	206
• Density	317.90/sq mi (122.72/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code	22535
Area code(s)	804
FIPS code	51-63928
GNIS feature ID	1499899

Port Royal is a small town in Caroline County, Virginia, United States. In 2010, the town had a population of 126 people.

Port Royal was started in the mid-1600s in the Colony of Virginia. It was an important port on the Rappahannock River. Ships used to carry tobacco, which was Virginia's main cash crop (a crop grown to sell for money), from here. The town grew along an old stagecoach road. This road brought people and goods to the river for shipping. Today, Port Royal is near the busy highways U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 301.

History of Port Royal

Port Royal is a very old town in the area. It was first set up in 1652. At that time, waterways were the easiest way to travel and move goods in the British colony of Virginia. Port Royal became a key port for shipping tobacco.

Local stories say that the town was named after the Roy family. Dorothy Roy and her husband, John, owned a warehouse and a ferry service. Their ferry crossed the Rappahannock River to King George County. They also ran a tavern. Today, the chimneys of the Roy house are still standing in the town.

Port Royal officially became a town in 1744. A special area called the "town green" was set aside. This area was meant for public use forever. The Town Hall and firehouse are there today.

Shipping from the port started to slow down after railroads were built in Virginia in the 1830s. The last regular passenger ship service ended in 1932. Highways then took over as the main way to travel. However, Port Royal was still important because the new highways, U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 301, crossed paths right in Port Royal.

One of the most famous events connected to Port Royal involves John Wilkes Booth. He was the person who shot President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Booth was found about two miles outside Port Royal on April 26, 1865. He was hiding in a tobacco barn on the Garrett farm. Federal troops found him there. Booth died on the porch of the Garrett house. One of his helpers, David Herold, was caught with him. Herold was later tried and punished for his part in the crime.

Geography and Location

Port Royal is located in the northern part of Caroline County. It sits on the south bank of the Rappahannock River. Its exact location is 38°10′11″N 77°11′27″W / 38.16972°N 77.19083°W / 38.16972; -77.19083.

Two major roads, U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 301, meet just outside the town. US 17 goes northwest about 21 miles to Fredericksburg. It goes southeast about 27 miles to Tappahannock. US 301 goes northeast about 17 miles to the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River. It goes southwest about 12 miles to Bowling Green, which is the main town of Caroline County.

The town's area was about 0.27 square kilometers (0.10 square miles) of land. But in July 2014, the town grew much larger. Its size increased to 481 acres (0.75 square miles).

Population Information

According to the census in 2000, Port Royal had 170 people living there. There were 72 households and 43 families. The population density was about 1,468 people per square mile.

The average household had 2.36 people. The average family had 2.89 people. About 27% of the population was under 18 years old. About 19% of the population was 65 years or older. The median age in the town was 37 years.

See also

In Spanish: Port Royal (Virginia) para niños