Spotsylvania County, Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spotsylvania County
County
Historic home listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Spotsylvania County
Flag Seal Logo
Motto(s):  Patior Ut Potiar (Latin for 'I suffer to obtain')
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Virginia
Founded	1721
Named for	Alexander Spotswood
Seat	Spotsylvania Courthouse
Largest community	Spotsylvania
Area
• Total	414 sq mi (1,070 km2)
• Land	401 sq mi (1,040 km2)
• Water	13 sq mi (30 km2)  3.1%
Population  (2020)
• Total	140,092
• Estimate  (July 2023)	149,588
• Density	338.4/sq mi (130.65/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	22407, 22408, 22551, 22553, 22534, 22508, 22580, 23024
Congressional district	7th

Spotsylvania County is a county located in the state of Virginia. It is like a large neighborhood about 60 miles (90 km) south of Washington, D.C. This county is part of the wider Northern Virginia area and the D.C. region. As of 2024, Spotsylvania County is the 14th most populated county in Virginia. It has about 149,588 residents. The main government center, called the county seat, is Spotsylvania Courthouse.

Spotsylvania County is located along the Rappahannock River. It borders the city of Fredericksburg and Stafford County. It is also part of the larger Washington metropolitan area. Since 2010, the number of people living here has grown by 19.3%. This is much faster than Virginia's overall population growth of 7.7% in the same time. Spotsylvania County is also known for being one of the wealthiest counties in America.

History of Spotsylvania County

When Europeans first arrived, the land that became Spotsylvania County was home to a Native American tribe. These people spoke a Siouan language and were called the Manahoac.

How Spotsylvania County Was Formed

As more European settlers moved into the area, Spotsylvania County was officially created in 1721. It was formed from parts of three other counties: Essex, King and Queen, and King William counties. The county was named after Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Alexander Spotswood. He was an important leader in Virginia's early history. Interestingly, he was also the great-great-grandfather of the famous Civil War general, Robert E. Lee.

Spotsylvania During the Civil War

Many big battles of the Civil War happened in Spotsylvania County. These included the Battle of Chancellorsville, the Battle of the Wilderness, the Battle of Fredericksburg, and the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. The war caused huge changes. About 10,000 African-American enslaved people in the area escaped. They crossed the Rappahannock River to reach the Union army lines and gain their freedom. Historical markers now show where this important event happened on both sides of the river.

A famous Confederate general, Stonewall Jackson, was seriously hurt in Spotsylvania County. This happened during the Battle of Chancellorsville. He was accidentally shot by his own soldiers, which is called friendly fire. A group of Confederate soldiers from North Carolina were in the woods. They heard General Jackson's group returning from checking on the Union lines. They thought it was an enemy patrol and fired, hitting Jackson in both arms. His left arm had to be removed. General Jackson passed away a few days later from pneumonia. He was at a place called Guinea Station, where wounded soldiers were being gathered to be moved to hospitals further away from the fighting.

Geography of Spotsylvania County

Spotsylvania County has natural borders like the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers to the north. It also borders the independent city of Fredericksburg and the counties of Stafford and Culpeper. To the south, it is bordered by the North Anna River and Lake Anna. The counties of Hanover and Louisa are also to the south. To the west, you'll find Orange County and Culpeper County. Finally, to the east, it borders Caroline County.

Neighboring Areas

Spotsylvania County is surrounded by several other counties and one independent city:

• Culpeper County, Virginia – to the north
• Stafford County, Virginia – to the northeast
• City of Fredericksburg, Virginia – to the northeast
• Caroline County, Virginia – to the southeast
• Hanover County, Virginia – to the south
• Louisa County, Virginia – to the southwest
• Orange County, Virginia – to the west and northwest

Special Protected Areas

• Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park (part of it is in the county)

Fun Places to Visit

• Lake Anna State Park
• Spotsylvania County Public Schools
• Spotsylvania Courthouse
• Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park
• Spotsylvania Towne Centre
• Central Rappahannock Regional Library
• Dominion Raceway

Local Communities

Spotsylvania County does not have any official towns or cities within its borders. Instead, it has many smaller, unincorporated communities.

Main Communities

These are areas that the government has defined for census purposes:

• Lake Wilderness
• Spotsylvania Courthouse

Other Communities

Spotsylvania Towne Centre, a popular shopping mall.

Many places in the county use Fredericksburg addresses for mail.

Main Roads and Highways

Interstate 95 going north in Spotsylvania County.

Major roads that help people travel through Spotsylvania County include:

• I-95
• US 1
• US 17
• US 522
• SR 2
• SR 3
• SR 208

How Spotsylvania County is Governed

Spotsylvania County has several important elected officials who help run the county.

County-Wide Leaders

Virginia State Government Representatives

Spotsylvania County is represented by several people in the Virginia state government.

Virginia House of Delegates

Virginia State Senate

Federal Government Representatives

People in Spotsylvania County are represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Eugene Vindman. He is from the 7th District and is a Democrat. Virginia's current U.S. Senators are Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both Democrats.

Population and People

Population Facts from 2020

Note: The U.S. Census counts Hispanic/Latino people as an ethnic group. This table separates them from racial categories. Hispanic/Latino people can be of any race.

As of the 2010 census, there were 122,397 people living in the county. There were 31,308 households and 24,639 families. The county had about 226 people per square mile. There were 33,329 homes, with about 83 homes per square mile.

The racial makeup of the county in 2010 was:

• 78.4% White
• 15.8% Black or African American
• 0.4% Native American
• 2.4% Asian
• 0.05% Pacific Islander
• 2.8% from other races
• 1.88% from two or more races

About 7.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

In 2010, 42.40% of households had children under 18 living with them. About 64.80% were married couples living together. About 9.90% were female householders with no husband present. And 21.30% were not families. About 16.40% of all households were single individuals. About 5.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The average household had 2.87 people, and the average family had 3.22 people.

The population was spread out by age:

• 30.00% were under 18 years old.
• 7.30% were from 18 to 24 years old.
• 32.20% were from 25 to 44 years old.
• 22.20% were from 45 to 64 years old.
• 8.30% were 65 years or older.

The average age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were about 97.10 males.

In 2021, the average income for a household in the county was $98,973. This is higher than the national average of $69,021. The average income for a family was $87,922. Men earned about $49,166, while women earned about $38,076. The income per person in the county was $37,212. About 6.6% of the people live below the poverty line. This includes 6.70% of those under 18 and 5.20% of those 65 or older.

Important Services

Emergency Services

Fire and rescue services in Spotsylvania County are provided by both paid staff and volunteers. The Department of Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Management has full-time staff. They provide fire and rescue services every day, all year round, at all 11 stations. These stations are located at Courthouse, Brokenburg, Partlow, Four Mile Fork, Chancellor, Salem Church, Wilderness, Thornburg, Belmont, Salem Fields, and Crossroads. Volunteers also help out during nights and weekends at Stations 1, 2, 4, and 8. The volunteer groups include The Spotsylvania Volunteer Fire Department and The Spotsylvania Volunteer Rescue Squad.

Education in Spotsylvania County

Public Schools

The public schools in Spotsylvania County are managed by the Spotsylvania County Public Schools system.

Private Schools

There are also several private schools in the county:

• Fredericksburg Academy
• Fredericksburg Christian School
• The Summit Academy
• Odyssey Montessori School
• Saint Patrick School
• Saint Michael the Archangel High School
• Faith Baptist Christian School
• Mount Hope Academy

Colleges and Universities

Germanna Community College is a local college that serves students from Fredericksburg and the surrounding counties. These counties include Stafford, Spotsylvania, Orange, Culpeper, and King George. It is part of the Virginia Community College System.

The University of Mary Washington is a four-year university and graduate school. It is located in nearby Fredericksburg, Virginia, and also serves students from the Spotsylvania area.

Famous People from Spotsylvania County

Many notable individuals have connections to Spotsylvania County:

• John Day Andrews (1795–1882), who became the Mayor of Houston.
• Thomas Dickens Arnold, a United States Congressman from Virginia.
• Francis Asbury (1745–1816), one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
• Caressa Cameron, who was crowned Miss Virginia in 2009 and then Miss America 2010.
• Elijah Craig, a Baptist minister who was arrested for preaching without a license before the American Revolution.
• Evelyn Magruder DeJarnette (1842–1914), an author.
• Joe Gibbs, a famous former coach for the Washington Redskins football team.
• Rahman "Rock" Harper, a chef, TV personality, and restaurateur.
• Alexander Holladay (1811–1877), a U. S. Representative.
• Danny McBride, an actor.
• Phil Short, a former member of the Louisiana State Senate and a United States Marine Corps officer.
• Matthew Fontaine Maury, often called the "father of modern oceanography."

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Spotsylvania para niños