Northumberland County, Virginia
37°52′N 76°23′W / 37.86°N 76.38°W
Northumberland County | |
---|---|
UTC−4 (EDT) | |
Congressional district | 1st |
Website | www |
Northumberland County is a
History
The area was occupied at the time of
The colonial court ordered the Wicocomico and Chickacoan tribes to merge and by 1655, assigned them a reservation of 4,400 acres (18 km2) near Dividing Creek, south of the Great Wicomico River.[4] The Patawomeck Tribe was hunted nearly to extinction in 1666, and survived only by intermarriage.[5] By the early 1700s, the Wicocomico tribe was greatly reduced, and English colonists took control of their lands. They were believed to be extinct as a tribe as, landless, they disappeared from the historical record. Descendants of the last weroance are working to regain recognition as a tribe, the Wicocomico Indian Nation.[6] Descendants of the Patawomeck achieved tribal recognition from the state of Virginia in February 2010. The size of the county was drastically reduced in 1651 and 1653 when the colonial government organized Lancaster and Westmoreland counties from it.
Of the 172 counties that have ever existed in Virginia's history, Northumberland ended up being an "ancestor" to 116 of these—more than the current 95 counties (several were lost to other states, such as West Virginia).[7]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 286 square miles (740 km2), of which 191 square miles (490 km2) is land and 94 square miles (240 km2) (33.0%) is water.[8] The county is located between the Rappahannock River to the south and Potomac River to the north. Chesapeake Bay is immediately east of the county.
Adjacent counties
- Lancaster County – south
- Richmond County – west
- Westmoreland County – northwest
- St. Mary's County, Maryland – north
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1790 | 9,163 | — | |
1800 | 7,803 | −14.8% | |
1810 | 8,308 | 6.5% | |
1820 | 8,016 | −3.5% | |
1830 | 7,953 | −0.8% | |
1840 | 7,924 | −0.4% | |
1850 | 7,346 | −7.3% | |
1860 | 7,531 | 2.5% | |
1870 | 6,863 | −8.9% | |
1880 | 7,929 | 15.5% | |
1890 | 7,885 | −0.6% | |
1900 | 9,486 | 20.3% | |
1910 | 10,777 | 13.6% | |
1920 | 11,518 | 6.9% | |
1930 | 11,081 | −3.8% | |
1940 | 10,463 | −5.6% | |
1950 | 10,012 | −4.3% | |
1960 | 10,185 | 1.7% | |
1970 | 9,239 | −9.3% | |
1980 | 9,828 | 6.4% | |
1990 | 10,524 | 7.1% | |
2000 | 12,259 | 16.5% | |
2010 | 12,330 | 0.6% | |
2020 | 11,839 | −4.0% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11] 1990-2000[12] 2010[13] 2020[14] |
2020 census
Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010[13] | Pop 2020[14] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|
White alone (NH)
|
8,638 | 8,310 | 70.06% | 70.19% |
Black or African American alone (NH)
|
3,106 | 2,673 | 25.19% | 22.58% |
Alaska Native alone (NH)
|
20 | 14 | 0.16% | 0.12% |
Asian alone (NH) | 36 | 67 | 0.29% | 0.57% |
Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 0 | 0.02% | 0.00% |
Some Other Race alone (NH) | 7 | 59 | 0.06% | 0.50% |
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 139 | 365 | 1.13% | 3.08% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 382 | 351 | 3.10% | 2.96% |
Total | 12,330 | 11,839 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
2000 Census
As of the
There were 5,470 households, out of which 20.11% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.30% were married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.80% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.70.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 18.60% under the age of 18, 4.80% from 18 to 24, 20.20% from 25 to 44, 30.10% from 45 to 64, and 26.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.20 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 88.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,129, and the median income for a family was $49,047. Males had a median income of $30,151 versus $24,116 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,917. 12.30% of the population and 8.10% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 17.00% are under the age of 18 and 10.70% are 65 or older.
Government
Supervisors of Northumberland county are:[16]
- James W. Brann (District 1)
- Richard F. Haynie (District 2, chair)
- James M. Long (District 3)
- Thomas H. Tomlin (District 4)
- Ronald L. Jett (District 5, Vice Chair)
The County Administrator is Luttrell Tadlock.[17]
Emergency Services
There is no police department in the county. Instead, law enforcement is the responsibility of the county
Northumberland County has two courthouses: an
The county is served by two fire departments, Callao Volunteer Fire Department in Callao and Fairfield Volunteer Fire Department with buildings in Reedville and Burgess. There are four rescue squads that serve the county: Northumberland Emergency Services, Callao Volunteer Rescue Squad in Callao, Mid-County Volunteer Rescue Squad in Heathsville, and Northumberland County Rescue Squad in Reedville and Burgess. The county also has a water rescue service, Smith Point Sea Rescue.
Education
Northumberland County Public Schools instructs about 1200 students in the county.[18] Northumberland Elementary, Middle, and High School all share the same campus. The Middle and High school students share the High School building while the Elementary students have their own dedicated building on campus.[19] The Superintendent is Dr. Holly Wargo.[20]
Politics
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 4,485 | 57.39% | 3,252 | 41.61% | 78 | 1.00% |
2016 | 4,302 | 58.16% | 2,852 | 38.56% | 243 | 3.29% |
2012 | 4,310 | 57.03% | 3,191 | 42.22% | 57 | 0.75% |
2008 | 4,041 | 54.56% | 3,312 | 44.72% | 53 | 0.72% |
2004 | 3,832 | 59.79% | 2,548 | 39.76% | 29 | 0.45% |
2000 | 3,362 | 59.98% | 2,118 | 37.79% | 125 | 2.23% |
1996 | 2,605 | 51.81% | 1,957 | 38.92% | 466 | 9.27% |
1992 | 2,667 | 50.00% | 1,862 | 34.91% | 805 | 15.09% |
1988 | 2,984 | 65.14% | 1,506 | 32.87% | 91 | 1.99% |
1984 | 3,166 | 68.41% | 1,407 | 30.40% | 55 | 1.19% |
1980 | 2,598 | 60.00% | 1,551 | 35.82% | 181 | 4.18% |
1976 | 2,167 | 52.52% | 1,814 | 43.97% | 145 | 3.51% |
1972 | 2,332 | 71.58% | 884 | 27.13% | 42 | 1.29% |
1968 | 1,438 | 41.18% | 1,077 | 30.84% | 977 | 27.98% |
1964 | 1,423 | 58.85% | 988 | 40.86% | 7 | 0.29% |
1960 | 1,340 | 60.61% | 858 | 38.81% | 13 | 0.59% |
1956 | 1,191 | 62.68% | 428 | 22.53% | 281 | 14.79% |
1952 | 1,230 | 68.11% | 573 | 31.73% | 3 | 0.17% |
1948 | 535 | 46.68% | 429 | 37.43% | 182 | 15.88% |
1944 | 525 | 43.00% | 695 | 56.92% | 1 | 0.08% |
1940 | 386 | 35.03% | 712 | 64.61% | 4 | 0.36% |
1936 | 260 | 29.61% | 618 | 70.39% | 0 | 0.00% |
1932 | 245 | 27.71% | 630 | 71.27% | 9 | 1.02% |
1928 | 744 | 72.23% | 286 | 27.77% | 0 | 0.00% |
1924 | 130 | 17.83% | 589 | 80.80% | 10 | 1.37% |
1920 | 221 | 28.96% | 536 | 70.25% | 6 | 0.79% |
1916 | 111 | 17.99% | 503 | 81.52% | 3 | 0.49% |
1912 | 102 | 16.35% | 470 | 75.32% | 52 | 8.33% |
Reedville, menhaden fishing industry
Reedville is a small village in eastern Northumberland County on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Reedville is home to the Atlantic menhaden fishing industry. It is named for Captain Elijah W. Reed (1827-1888), who is credited with bringing the menhaden fishing industry, and the tremendous wealth that resulted from it, to Reedville—and to Northumberland County in general.
Dozens of fish-processing factories, most recently Omega Protein Corporation (successor to Zapata Haynie, Reedville Oil and Guano Company and Haynie Products Company) and Standard Products Company, have dotted the Northumberland coastline near Reedville and adjacent fishing communities.
Today, Omega Protein remains the largest industrial organization in the area. Omega, with a fleet of large oceangoing fish-harvesting vessels, supported by a number of spotter aircraft, is a major industry in the area and on the Eastern seaboard. Menhaden, once caught, are cooked in large mass and processed for further use in various applications, including as a protein additive for poultry feed.
Located at the eastern terminus of
Communities
Town
- Kilmarnock in Lancaster County extends into southeastern Northumberland County.
Census-designated place
Other unincorporated communities
See also
References
- ^ "Northumberland County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Mason, George Carrington. “The Colonial Churches of Westmoreland and King George Counties, Virginia: Part I.” The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 56, no. 2, 1948, pp. 154–72. JSTOR website Retrieved 26 Aug. 2023.
- ISBN 9780806128498.
- ^ "VDOE :: Virginia's First People Past & Present - Patawomeck".
- ^ Wicocomico History Archived April 23, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Wicocomico Indian Nation
- ^ A Hornbook of Virginia History, p. 9.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Northumberland County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Northumberland County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ "Board of Supervisors Members". Northumberland Virginia. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ "County Administration". Northumberland Virginia. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ "Explore Northumberland County Public Schools". Niche. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ "Home". www.nucps.net. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ "Division Superintendent". www.nucps.net. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 9, 2020.