Culpeper, Virginia
Culpeper, Virginia | ||
---|---|---|
FIPS code 51-20752[3] | | |
GNIS feature ID | 1498471[4] | |
Website | www |
Culpeper (formerly Culpeper Courthouse, earlier Fairfax) is an incorporated town in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. The population was 20,062 at the 2020 census,[5] up from 16,379 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Culpeper County.[6]
Geography
Culpeper is located at 38°28′19″N 77°59′57″W / 38.47194°N 77.99917°W.[7] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 7.31 square miles (18.9 km2), of which 7.27 square miles (18.8 km2) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km2) is water.[8]
History
After establishing
The original plan of the town called for ten blocks, which form the core of Culpeper's downtown area today. The original town was surveyed by a young
During the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), the Culpeper Minutemen, a pro-Independence militia, formed in the town of Culpeper Courthouse. They organized in what was then known as "Clayton's Old Field," near today's Yowell Meadow Park.
During the
In 1974, the town had a Choral Society, an Odd Fellows Hall, and an American Legion Hall.[10]
Culpeper began to grow dramatically in the 1980s, becoming a "
In 2011, East Davis Street in downtown Culpeper was named as a 2011 America's Great Place by the American Planning Association.[11]
Downtown Culpeper was one of the communities most affected by the August 23,
In 2014, the Museum of Culpeper History moved into the town's historic train depot.[14]
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The downtown Culpeper Theater
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CulpeperPresbyterianChurch
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U.S. Post Officein Culpeper
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National Audio-Visual Conservation Center, Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Conservation in Culpeper
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1860 | 1,056 | — | |
1870 | 1,800 | 70.5% | |
1880 | 1,613 | −10.4% | |
1890 | 1,620 | 0.4% | |
1900 | 1,618 | −0.1% | |
1910 | 1,796 | 11.0% | |
1920 | 1,819 | 1.3% | |
1930 | 2,379 | 30.8% | |
1940 | 2,316 | −2.6% | |
1950 | 2,527 | 9.1% | |
1960 | 2,412 | −4.6% | |
1970 | 6,056 | 151.1% | |
1980 | 6,621 | 9.3% | |
1990 | 8,581 | 29.6% | |
2000 | 9,664 | 12.6% | |
2010 | 16,379 | 69.5% | |
2020 | 20,062 | 22.5% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[15] |
As of the 2010 census, the racial makeup of the town was 61.5%
The town's population included 25.7% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.9 males. The median income for a household in the town was at a time $35,438, and the median income for a family was $41,894 but due to the economic downturn this has changed. Males had a median income of $28,658 versus $25,252 for females. The
Climate
Culpeper has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), with very warm, humid summers and cool winters. Precipitation is abundant and well spread (although the summer months are usually wetter), with an annual average of 45.19 in (1,148 mm).
Climate data for Culpeper, Virginia | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 80 (27) |
84 (29) |
91 (33) |
95 (35) |
100 (38) |
103 (39) |
107 (42) |
102 (39) |
102 (39) |
99 (37) |
86 (30) |
79 (26) |
107 (42) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 45 (7) |
49 (9) |
60 (16) |
70 (21) |
79 (26) |
86 (30) |
90 (32) |
87 (31) |
81 (27) |
70 (21) |
59 (15) |
48 (9) |
69 (20) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 25 (−4) |
28 (−2) |
34 (1) |
43 (6) |
52 (11) |
61 (16) |
66 (19) |
64 (18) |
58 (14) |
45 (7) |
37 (3) |
29 (−2) |
45 (7) |
Record low °F (°C) | −14 (−26) |
−9 (−23) |
5 (−15) |
18 (−8) |
28 (−2) |
37 (3) |
48 (9) |
44 (7) |
31 (−1) |
18 (−8) |
6 (−14) |
−6 (−21) |
−14 (−26) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.26 (83) |
2.96 (75) |
3.55 (90) |
3.32 (84) |
4.34 (110) |
4.39 (112) |
4.23 (107) |
4.13 (105) |
4.36 (111) |
3.81 (97) |
3.71 (94) |
3.13 (80) |
45.19 (1,148) |
Source: [16] |
Transportation
Highways directly serving Culpeper include
The town of Culpeper is also serviced by Virginia Regional Transit. Virginia Regional Transit operates three buses in town—one on a northern loop, one on a southern loop, and one for disabled individuals.
Culpeper Regional Airport serves the area with a 5,000 foot runway.
Activities
Culpeper houses many local restaurants, shops and stores in its historic downtown. There are many food options ranging from bakeries, authentic cuisines, delis, and breweries. Mainstreet also houses many locally owned boutiques.[17] In recent years many improvements have been added to provide new activities and opportunities to the community such as the reopening of The Dominion Skate Park and State Climb.[18]
The historic George Washington Carver High School has since been renovated to better serve the community. In recent years it has been changed to become a community kitchen and provide the resources for locals to grow and produce to better serve the community.[19]
Public schools
- A.G. Richardson Elementary (18370 Simms Dr., Culpeper Va. 22701)
- Emerald Hill Elementary (11245 Rixeyville Road, Culpeper VA 22701)
- Farmington Elementary (500 Sunset Lane, Culpeper VA 22701)
- Pearl Sample Elementary (18480 Simms Drive, Culpeper VA 22701)
- Sycamore Park Elementary (451 Radio Lane, Culpeper, Virginia 22701)
- Yowell Elementary (701 Yowell Drive, Culpeper, VA 22701)
- Culpeper Middle School (14300 Achievement Drive, Culpeper VA 22701)
- Floyd T. Binns Middle School (205 E. Grandview Ave. Culpeper, VA 22701)
- Culpeper County High School (14240 Achievement Drive, Culpeper Va. 22701)
- Eastern View High School (16332 Cyclone Way, Culpeper, VA 22701)
- Culpeper Technical Education Center (17441 Frank Turnage Drive Culpeper, VA 22701)
Notable people
- Nell Arthur, wife of Chester A. Arthur, who became the 21st president of the United States after her death
- Kenny Alphin, of the country music group Big & Rich
- John S. Barbour Jr., U.S. congressman (1881–1887) and U.S. senator (1889-1892)
- Virginia State Senator(1945-1961)
- Cary Travers Grayson, highly decorated U.S. Navy surgeon, onetime chairman of the American Red Cross, and personal aide to U.S. President Woodrow Wilson
- A. P. Hill, Confederate general during the American Civil War, commander of "Hill's Light Division," under Stonewall Jackson
- Baseball Hall of Fame, born in nearby Buena, Virginia
- John Jameson, Colonel in the American Revolutionary War
- Ann Jarvis, for whom Mother's Day was established by her daughter Anna Jarvis
- Keith Jennings, former NBA point guard, Golden State Warriors
- William Morgan, whose 1826 disappearance in New York state sparked a powerful anti-Freemasonry movement
- Waller T. Patton, Confederate colonel during the American Civil War, great-uncle of World War II General George S. Patton
- John Pendleton, American diplomat
- Baseball Hall of Fame
- D. French Slaughter Jr., former U.S. Congressman
- Jeannette Walls, author of The Glass Castle
- J. Loren Wince, lead singer/songwriter for the band Hurt
Notable events
- Culpeper was the location of the main encampment for the Army of the Potomac during the winter of 1863-64 during the Civil War. It was from Culpeper that General Ulysses S. Grant began the Overland Campaign against General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.
- During the presidential election campaign of 1960, vice presidential nominee whistle-stop campaign of the South by giving a speech at Culpeper. As the train was pulling away from the station, Johnson yelled out a phrase that would become a battle cry of the campaign: "What did Dick Nixon ever do for Culpeper?!"[20][21]
- In 1967, it was the site of a one-day standoff between members of the American Nazi Party and police and military personnel over the group's attempt to bury their leader George Lincoln Rockwell in the local National Cemetery.
- In 1995, former "Superman" actor Christopher Reeve lost his balance during a horse competition and fell, resulting in severe spinal injury and paralysis.
- Culpeper was featured in the nineteenth episode of the Small Town News Podcast, an improv comedy podcast that takes listeners on a fun and silly virtual trip to a small town in America each week. The hosts improvise scenes inspired by local newspaper stories.[22]
References
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Culpeper town, Virginia; United States". Census.gov. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "2020 Census: QuickFacts". U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts. U.S. Census Bureau. April 1, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "Census.gov". US Census. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 97.
- ^ Wallace, Hester W (December 5, 1974). "Culpeper News". Charlottesville-Albemarle Tribune.
- ^ "Davis Street Culpeper, Virginia". Archived from the original on March 15, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
- ^ "EARTHQUAKE IN CULPEPER: The damage done". Star-Exponent; Culpeper, Virginia. August 24, 2011. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
- ^ Johnston, Donnie (August 24, 2011). "Earthquake forces Warner outside for public forum". The Free Lance-Star; Fredericksburg, Virginia. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
- ^ Museum of Culpeper History web site
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Average Weather for Culpeper, VA - Temperature and Precipitation". Weather.com. August 2011. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
- ^ "Homepage". Visit Culpeper. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
- ^ Star-Exponent, ALLISON BROPHY CHAMPION Culpeper (September 30, 2023). "'Too good an opportunity'—Culpeper man returns home, reopening skating rink". Culpeper Star-Exponent. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
- ^ Star-Exponent, Culpeper (September 4, 2023). "Carver Food Enterprise Center opens in Culpeper". Culpeper Star-Exponent. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
- ISBN 081181145X
- ^ Nelson, Zann (October 7, 2010). "Celebrating Johnson's visit to Culpeper". Star-Exponent; Culpeper, Virginia. Archived from the original on January 2, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
- ^ "Small Town News".