Powhatan County, Virginia

Infobox U.S. County
county = Powhatan County
state = Virginia




map size = 225
founded = 1777
seat = Powhatan | area_total_sq_mi =262
area_water_sq_mi =1
area percentage = 0.43%
census yr = 2000
pop = 22377
density_km2 =33
web = www.powhatanva.gov
|

Powhatan County is a county located in the U.S. state — officially, "Commonwealth" — of Virginia. The county is named for the most prominent local leader of the Native Americans at the time the British Colony of Virginia was established at Jamestown in 1607. Chief Powhatan was also the father of Pocahontas.

Powhatan County, which combines rural and suburban settings in the early 21st century, is located southwest of Richmond along U.S. Route 60 in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2000 census, the population was 22,377. Its county seat is PowhatanGR|6.

History

Before the arrival of Europeans in the 17th century, the area was populated by Native Americans. Among these were the Monacan tribe, of a Siouan heritage. They were often in conflict with the members of the Powhatan Confederacy of Virginia Algonquins, generally located to the east in the Tidewater area.

Around the turn of the 18th century, a group of French Huguenot refugees fleeing religious persecution arrived. As the tobacco plantations were dependent upon shipping, the area above the head of navigation at the fall line of the James River had not yet been settled. They settled in the area west of what became Richmond, choosing Manakintown, a former Monacan village located near present-day State Route 288 and State Route 711.

In May 1777, the Virginia General Assembly created Powhatan County out of land from the eastern portion of Cumberland County between the Appomattox and James Rivers. The County was named in honor of Chief Powhatan, father of Pocahontas. It is an irony that the county was named after the former enemies of the area's Native Americans, although by then, it was at a time when both the Monacans and the Powhatan were no longer major forces, each decimated by European settlers.

The original courthouse was constructed in 1778 and the immediate area was named "Scottville" after General Charles Scott, a revolutionary war hero, who was later a governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky after it was formed in 1792 as a separate state from land ceded by Virginia. The courthouse area later became known as Powhatan, Virginia. [http://www.powhatanva.gov/]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 262 square miles (680 km²), of which, 261 square miles (677 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (3 km²) of it (0.43%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 22,377 people, 7,258 households, and 5,900 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile (33/km²). There were 7,509 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile (11/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.50% White, 16.91% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.33% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,258 households out of which 37.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.70% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.70% were non-families. 14.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.00% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 34.70% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 8.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 122.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 126.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $53,992, and the median income for a family was $58,142. Males had a median income of $37,948 versus $28,204 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,104. 5.70% of the population and 4.80% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 7.90% are under the age of 18 and 8.60% are 65 or older.

Government

As of 2008 the current supervisors of Powhatan county are Joseph B. Walton, Charles D. Green, Robert R. Cosby, C. Scott Daniel, and Carson L. Tucker. Robert R. Cosby and C. Scott Daniel were elected to Chairman and Vice Chairman in January, 2008.

References

External links

* [http://www.powhatanva.gov/ The County of Powhatan Official Website]
* [http://www.powhatanva.com/ Powhatan's Community Website]
* [http://www.powhatan.k12.va.us/ Powhatan County Schools]
* [http://www.powhatantoday.com/ Powhatan Today]
* [http://www.joewalton.com/ Supervisor Joseph B. Walton's Website]
* [http://www.charliegreen.com/ Supervisor Charles D. Green's Website]
* [http://www.bobcosby.com/ Supervisor Robert R. Cosby's Website]
* [http://www.cscottdaniel.com/ Supervisor C. Scott Daniel's Website]
* [http://www.carsontucker.com/ Supervisor Carson L. Tucker's Website]