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York County, Virginia

York County (formerly Charles River County) is a county in the eastern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia, located in the Tidewater. As of the 2020 census, the population was 70,045.[1] The county seat is the unincorporated town of Yorktown.[2]

York County
York County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°13′N 76°26′W / 37.22°N 76.44°W / 37.22; -76.44
Country United States
State Virginia
Founded1634
Named forYork
SeatYorktown
Largest communityGrafton
Area
 • Total215 sq mi (560 km2)
 • Land105 sq mi (270 km2)
 • Water110 sq mi (300 km2)  51.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total70,045
 • Density330/sq mi (130/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.yorkcounty.gov

Located on the north side of the Virginia Peninsula, with the York River as its northern border, York County is included in the Virginia BeachNorfolkNewport News, VA–NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

York County contains many tributaries of the York River. It shares land borders with the independent cities of Williamsburg, Newport News, Hampton, and Poquoson, as well as James City County, and shares a border along the York River with Gloucester County.

Formed in 1634 as Charles River Shire, one of the eight original shires (counties) of the Virginia Colony,[3] and renamed York County in 1643,[4] York County is one of the oldest counties in the United States. Yorktown is one of the three points of the Historic Triangle of Colonial Virginia. It is the site of the last battle and surrender of British forces in 1781 at the conclusion of the American Revolutionary War, when the patriots gained independence from Great Britain.

In modern times, several important U.S. military installations have been developed in the county. It also has miles of waterfront residential and recreational areas. York County adjoins the Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park and includes within its borders the affiliated Water Country USA water park, the Yorktown Riverfront area, Yorktown Battlefield and Visitor Center and American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. Yorktown is linked by the National Park Service's bucolic Colonial Parkway with Colonial Williamsburg and historic attractions at Jamestown, Virginia. Heritage tourism to the Historic Triangle draws international visitors and is a major economic activity for the county.

History

Native American Indians

The area which is now York County was long inhabited by succeeding cultures of Native Americans. These were hunter-gatherer groups during the late Woodland Period (1000 BC to AD 1000) and earlier.

By the late 16th century, much of the coastal plain draining to the Chesapeake Bay of the current Commonwealth of Virginia was called Tenakomakah in Algonquian, meaning "densely inhabited land".[5] The historic tribes of the Tidewater area spoke related Algonquian languages. Other Algonquian-speaking peoples occupied coastal areas north and into present-day Canada, as well as to the south.

In the Virginia region, a weroance (or chief) named Wahunsunacock (1547–1618) of the Powhatan people created a powerful empire of eastern-Algonquian language-speaking peoples known as the Powhatan Confederacy; he conquered or allied by agreement with approximately 30 tribes. Known as the Powhatan, meaning the paramount chief, he was from a village also known as "Powhatan", near the fall line of the James River. (The Powhatan Hill neighborhood of the current city of Richmond was developed near this former site.) Chief Powhatan later established a second capital village, known as Werowocomoco, in a centrally located position in Tenakomakah. Rediscovered in the early 21st century by archeological work, it was located along the north bank of the York River in present-day Gloucester County.[6]

The Chiskiack tribe of the Powhatan Confederacy lived in York County along the York River until the 1630s. Escalating conflicts with the expanding English colony based at Jamestown caused them to move to the west. The English developed a village settlement near the village of Chiskiack and adopted its name. (It is sometimes spelled "Kiskiack"). This became part of the developments included within the present-day Naval Weapons Station Yorktown near Yorktown and are included in the military base. Cheesecake Road and Cheesecake Cemetery are also within the base; their names are thought to derive from the early Chiskiack people.

After the Powhatan moved his capital from this area in 1609, the site believed to have been Werowocomoco near Purtan Bay was lost to history. It was rediscovered in the early 21st century, and has been under continuing archaeological study projects. The discoveries and ongoing research led by the College of William and Mary hold great promise in expanding understanding of the lives of the Native Americans in the area during that era of York County's history.

Ajacán Mission

In 1570, Spanish Jesuit priests founded the Ajacán Mission in this area. They were guided by interpreter Don Luis, a Native American from this area who had been taken captive by an earlier expedition. He was taken to Spain and later to Mexico, where he was baptized as Don Luis and educated in the Jesuit system. Ten years later after returning to Virginia, he soon abandoned the Spanish group. In February 1571 he led an attack on the Jesuits; all of the party except a young boy were killed. The following year, a Spanish force returned to the region for punishment and reclaimed the youth Alonso. The Spanish did not attempt another mission in this part of North America.

Virginia Colony

About 30 years later, English colonists arrived and established Jamestown in 1607 on the southern shore of the Virginia Peninsula in the Colony of Virginia. In 1619, the area which is now York County was included in two of the four incorporations (or "citties") of the proprietary Virginia Company of London which were known as Elizabeth Cittie and James Cittie.

In 1634, what is now York County was formed as Charles River Shire, one of the eight original shires of Virginia[3] and named for King Charles I. Charles River Shire took its name from the younger son of King James I. In the 21st century, it was one of the five original shires considered extant in essentially its same political form, making it one of the oldest counties in the United States.

In 1643 Charles River County and the Charles River (also named for the king) were changed to York County[4] and York River, respectively. The river, county, and town of Yorktown are believed by some to have been named for York, a city in Yorkshire, but Charles was formerly Duke of York and his own son James II followed him as Duke of York.

Yorktown

 
York Hall

The first courthouse and jail were located near what is now Yorktown although the community, founded as a port for shipping tobacco to Europe, as variously called Port of York, Borough of York, York, Town of York, until Yorktown was established in 1691, when the House of Burgesses required each county to designate a port of entry and build warehousing. Although never formally incorporated as a town, Yorktown is the county seat of York County. The only town ever incorporated within the county's boundaries was Poquoson, which was incorporated in 1952 and became an independent city in 1975.

Porto Bello, the hunting lodge of Lord Dunmore, last royal governor of Virginia, still stands on the grounds of Camp Peary. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It is most famous as the site of the surrender of General Cornwallis to General George Washington in 1781, ending the American Revolutionary War. Yorktown also figured prominently in the American Civil War during the Peninsula Campaign in 1862.

Other communities, boundary changes

The small unincorporated town of Lackey and a nearby area known as "the Reservation" were taken over by the U.S. Navy during World War I. This is now part of the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown. Many of the displaced African American landowners were eventually relocated to Grove, along the border between York and James counties.

During World War II, the sites of three other small York County towns were absorbed into U.S. government reservations. Penniman was the site of a World War I munitions facility operated by the DuPont company, and was made a part of Cheatham Annex) in 1943. To the west of Penniman, which is reported to have had a peak population of 15,000, on land which is now part of Camp Peary, the smaller towns of Magruder and Bigler's Mill were located. Much of Magruder's population and at least one church were relocated to Grove, increasing its population.

In 1949, the county grew by 4 square miles (10 km2), as land in that amount was ceded to York County by neighboring Warwick County. At the time, the move was part of a successful attempt by Warwick County to block an annexation suit brought by the City of Newport News. Warwick eventually consolidated with the city in 1958 by mutual agreement. (The reduction in size allowed Warwick County to claim an exemption from the proposed annexation at the time).

In 1975, the county lost 15.5 square miles (40.1 km2) of land as the incorporated town of Poquoson, which had been within York County, became an independent city, although ties between the county and the new city remained close. Over 40 years later, they continue to share courts, sheriff's office, a jail, and some constitutional services.

York County also adjoins another small independent city, Williamsburg, which was long located within James City County. In the 20th century, some areas of York County adjacent to Williamsburg were lost to the growing small city through annexation.

York County in the late 20th and early 21st centuries

From the 1980s to modern times, York County experienced a rapid transition from a rural county to a bedroom community for the neighboring core cities of Hampton and Newport News.

In modern times, York County and Yorktown in particular are part of an important historical area of attractions known as the Historic Triangle of Colonial Virginia, which includes Yorktown, Jamestown and Williamsburg. Yorktown is the northern terminus of the scenic Colonial Parkway operated by the U.S. National Park Service which links the three. In 2005, the county completed Riverwalk Landing, a successful pseudo-colonial waterfront development at Yorktown to revitalize the previously deteriorating beach and town district and complement the 2007 celebration of Jamestown.

Geography

 
The Coleman Bridge connects York County and neighboring Gloucester County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 215 square miles (560 km2), of which 105 square miles (270 km2) is land and 110 square miles (280 km2) (51.3%) is water.[7] It is the third-smallest county in Virginia by land area. It is near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.

Also, in terms of population clusters, the county is divided by a vast expanse of federal land in the midsection of the county, much of which is densely wooded park land, and military training areas. The southern portion of the county is dense with suburban developments and contains the majority of the county's population. There is little room for additional growth in the southern portion of York County because it is a relatively small area, and was essentially fully developed by the early 2000s. A small industrial area along the York River just east of Yorktown contains a power plant owned by Dominion Virginia Power, and a petroleum terminal on the former site of an oil refinery that ceased operation in 2010.

The northern portion is more connected with the Williamsburg community than Yorktown and, although less populous than the south, is also fairly dense. Having not seen a significant amount of growth until recently, the northern portion is now seeing the development of new residential communities and shopping areas.

Adjacent counties and cities

National protected area

Climate

Yorktown, VA[8]
Climate chart (explanation)
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
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Metric conversion
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Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
17905,233
18003,231−38.3%
18105,18760.5%
18204,384−15.5%
18305,35422.1%
18404,720−11.8%
18504,460−5.5%
18604,94911.0%
18707,19845.4%
18807,3492.1%
18907,5963.4%
19007,482−1.5%
19107,7573.7%
19208,0463.7%
19307,615−5.4%
19408,85716.3%
195011,75032.7%
196021,58383.7%
197033,20353.8%
198035,4636.8%
199042,42219.6%
200056,29732.7%
201065,46416.3%
202070,0457.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11]
1990–2000[12] 2010–2020[13]

2020 census

York County, Virginia - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
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 may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[14] Pop 2020[13] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 48,470 46,932 74.04% 67.00%
Black or African American alone (NH) 8,599 8,633 13.14% 12.32%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 225 168 0.34% 0.24%
Asian alone (NH) 3,169 4,251 4.84% 6.07%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 92 127 0.14% 0.18%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 136 416 0.21% 0.59%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 1,881 4,382 2.87% 6.26%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2,892 5,136 4.42% 7.33%
Total 65,464 70,045 100.00% 100.00%

2010 Census

As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 56,297 people, 20,000 households, and 15,880 families residing in the county. The population density was 533 inhabitants per square mile (206/km2). There were 20,701 housing units at an average density of 196 units per square mile (76 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 76.4% White, 13.4% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 4.9% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 1.4% from other races, and 3.4% from two or more races. 4.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 20,000 households, out of which 42.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.30% were married couples living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.60% were non-families. 16.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.10% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 9.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.50 males.

As of the 2010 Census, the population had grown to 65,464[16] and the median household income was $84,167,[17] the highest in the Hampton Roads region. Males had a median income of $42,948 versus $28,713 for females. The per capita income for the county was $36,755. About 2.70% of families and 3.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.90% of those under age 18 and 3.80% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Public Transportation

York County is served by Williamsburg Area Transit Authority (WATA) as well as Hampton Roads Transit (HRT). WATA's buses stop at different communities in the northwestern part of the county adjacent to Williamsburg, while HRT operates several routes that run close to the county's populated southeast (but not entering the county). In addition, Yorktown offers a complimentary sightseeing trolley bus around the town on a daily basis.

There is no train station in York County. The closest Amtrak stations are in Williamsburg and Newport News, respectively. Greyhound also have services in these two cities.

A section of Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport, the only regional airport on the southern tip of the peninsula, is located in York County. Other major airport in the region are Norfolk International Airport and Richmond International Airport.

Highways

The only interstate highway in the county is Interstate 64. U.S. Route 17 crosses the York River from Gloucester Point via the Coleman Memorial Bridge. State Route 199, which circumvents Williamsburg, joins Interstate 64 close to the Water Country USA in the county. Two sections of U.S. Routes 60 passes York County to the north of Williamsburg and west of Water Country USA. Virginia State Route 134 connects York County to Langley Air Force Base and Hampton, Virginia, bypassing the more developed portion of US-17 between Tabb and I-64. Victory Boulevard connects Newport News and York County to Poquoson.

Communities

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Government

The county is traditionally organized per Virginia Law. It is governed by a Board of Supervisors, who are elected for four-year terms by voters from each of the county's five districts. The Board appoints a County Administrator to act as the administrative head of the county. The current county administrator is Neil Morgan.[18][19]

York County Board of Supervisors

  • District 1: Walter C. Zaremba
  • District 2: Sheila S. Noll (chairman)
  • District 3: W. Chad Green
  • District 4: G. Stephen Roane Jr.
  • District 5: Thomas G. Shepperd Jr. (Vice Chairman)

[20]

York County School Board

  • District 1: Mark J. Shafer
  • District 2: Brett Higginbotham
  • District 3: Laurel M. Garrelts (chair)
  • District 4: James E. Richardson
  • District 5: Sean P. Myatt (Vice Chair)

[21]

Other elected officials

  • Sheriff: J.D. "Danny" Diggs[22]
  • Commonwealth's Attorney: Krystyn Reid[23]
  • Circuit Court Clerk: Kristen N. Nelson[24]
  • Commissioner of the Revenue: Ann H. Thomas[25]
  • Treasurer: Candice Kelley[26]

Politics

York County consistently votes for Republican candidates in statewide elections. Since 1968, only 2 Democratic candidates have won more than 45% of the vote: Jimmy Carter in 1976, and Joe Biden in 2020. Mark Warner is the last Democrat to win York in any statewide election, during his election to the US Senate in 2008.

United States presidential election results for York County, Virginia[27]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 20,241 52.19% 17,683 45.59% 863 2.22%
2016 18,837 55.22% 12,999 38.11% 2,277 6.67%
2012 20,204 59.51% 13,183 38.83% 566 1.67%
2008 19,833 58.51% 13,700 40.42% 364 1.07%
2004 19,396 64.91% 10,276 34.39% 208 0.70%
2000 15,312 62.29% 8,622 35.07% 649 2.64%
1996 11,396 54.95% 7,731 37.28% 1,611 7.77%
1992 10,197 51.07% 6,218 31.14% 3,551 17.79%
1988 11,103 69.96% 4,639 29.23% 129 0.81%
1984 10,214 71.24% 4,063 28.34% 60 0.42%
1980 6,744 55.58% 4,532 37.35% 857 7.06%
1976 5,603 53.61% 4,736 45.32% 112 1.07%
1972 7,745 74.90% 2,302 22.26% 294 2.84%
1968 3,356 36.93% 2,370 26.08% 3,362 36.99%
1964 2,992 46.83% 3,385 52.98% 12 0.19%
1960 2,085 54.94% 1,691 44.56% 19 0.50%
1956 1,759 60.10% 1,064 36.35% 104 3.55%
1952 1,335 50.53% 1,287 48.71% 20 0.76%
1948 418 30.38% 826 60.03% 132 9.59%
1944 318 29.01% 760 69.34% 18 1.64%
1940 177 18.06% 787 80.31% 16 1.63%
1936 228 23.08% 729 73.79% 31 3.14%
1932 309 38.43% 457 56.84% 38 4.73%
1928 642 76.79% 194 23.21% 0 0.00%
1924 75 18.99% 305 77.22% 15 3.80%
1920 92 24.40% 281 74.54% 4 1.06%
1916 51 17.11% 247 82.89% 0 0.00%
1912 34 12.27% 211 76.17% 32 11.55%

Education

Elementary schools

  • Bethel Manor ES
  • Coventry ES
  • Dare ES
  • Grafton Bethel ES
  • Magruder ES
  • Mt. Vernon ES
  • Seaford ES
  • Tabb ES
  • Waller Mill ES
  • Yorktown ES
  • Extend Center (Dare Elementary)

Middle schools

  • Grafton MS (connected to Grafton High School)
  • Queens Lake MS
  • Tabb MS
  • Yorktown MS

High schools

  • Bruton HS
  • Grafton HS (connected to Grafton Middle School)
  • Tabb HS
  • York HS
  • York River Academy
  • Virtual High School

Military bases

York County is home to several large and important military facilities of the United States. Located along the York River, small portions of each base extend into adjacent James City County as well.

The Naval Weapons Station Yorktown was originally established during World War I by order of President Woodrow Wilson, and now includes the formerly separate Cheatham Annex Supply Complex. Camp Peary was established during World War II as a Seabee Training Base. As the war progressed, it became valuable to the Allied Forces to house sensitive prisoners-of-war from captured German naval vessels; it was important for Nazi authorities to be unaware of their capture, since that also meant secret code books thought lost-at sea may also have been compromised. Many of these POWs made Virginia and the United States their new homeland after the War. Separating these two large military reservations is Queen's Creek, which originates in the western reaches of the county and drains to the York River.

York County contains some former towns including Yorke, and a large number when the military reservations were created in the first half of the 20th century. These include the original Lackey (known locally as "the Reservation"), Halstead's Point, Penniman, Bigler's Mill, and Magruder. Many relocated residents and their descendants, many of whom were farmers and watermen, now live in such places as Yorktown, Gloucester, Lee Hall, Grove, and Lightfoot.

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ "York County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  2. ^ . National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ a b William Waller Hening, editor, The Statutes at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia, from the First Session of the Legislature in the year 1619, 13 vols. (Richmond: Samuel Pleasants, Junior, 1809), vol. 1, page 224, in 1634 Charles River Shire created as one of the original 8 shires, digital images, Internet Archive (https://archive.org : 2 April 2019).
  4. ^ a b William Waller Hening, editor, The Statutes at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia, from the First Session of the Legislature in the year 1619, 13 vols. (Richmond: Samuel Pleasants, Junior, 1809), vol. 1, page 249, "Act XIII," 2 March 1642/3, "Charles River county shall be distinguished by this name (the County of York)", digital images, Internet Archive (https://archive.org : 2 April 2019).
  5. ^ Capossela, Julie Ann (February 2, 2006). . wm.edu. Archived from the original on October 22, 2008. c.f. Anishinaabe language: danakamigaa: "activity-grounds", i.e. "land of much events [for the People]"
  6. ^ Powhatan: "Powhatan: Werowocomoco", College of William and Mary
  7. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  8. ^ "Yorktown, VA Weather - USA.com™". www.usa.com.
  9. ^ "Census of Population and Housing from 1790". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  10. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  11. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  12. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  13. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - York County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - York County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
  15. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  16. ^ . Archived from the original on November 1, 2007. Retrieved January 28, 2011.. Weldon Cooper Center 2010 Census Count Retrieved January 26, 2011
  17. ^ . census.gov. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  18. ^ "York County, Virginia > County Government > Administration, County". yorkcounty.gov. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  19. ^ Press, Daily. "Former Newport News city manager hired as York County administrator". dailypress.com. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  20. ^ "Board of Supervisors | York County, VA". yorkcounty.gov. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  21. ^ York County School Division. "York County School Board". Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  22. ^ "York County, Virginia > County Government > York-Poquoson Sheriff". yorkcounty.gov. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  23. ^ "Commonwealth Attorney | York County, VA". www.yorkcounty.gov. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  24. ^ "York County Poquoson Circuit Court". state.va.us. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  25. ^ "Commissioner of the Revenue | York County, VA". www.yorkcounty.gov. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  26. ^ "York County, Virginia > County Government > Treasurer". yorkcounty.gov. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  27. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 9, 2020.

Sources

Publications

  • McCartney, Martha W. (1977) James City County: Keystone of the Commonwealth; James City County, Virginia; Donning and Company; ISBN 0-89865-999-X

External links

  • An Ethnohistorical Study of the African-American Community on the Lands of the Yorktown Naval Weapons Station 1865–1918
  • York County website
  • Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance - serving York County

37°13′N 76°26′W / 37.22°N 76.44°W / 37.22; -76.44

york, county, virginia, york, county, formerly, charles, river, county, county, eastern, part, commonwealth, virginia, located, tidewater, 2020, census, population, county, seat, unincorporated, town, yorktown, york, countycountyyork, county, courthousesealloc. York County formerly Charles River County is a county in the eastern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia located in the Tidewater As of the 2020 census the population was 70 045 1 The county seat is the unincorporated town of Yorktown 2 York CountyCountyYork County CourthouseSealLocation within the U S state of VirginiaVirginia s location within the U S Coordinates 37 13 N 76 26 W 37 22 N 76 44 W 37 22 76 44Country United StatesState VirginiaFounded1634Named forYorkSeatYorktownLargest communityGraftonArea Total215 sq mi 560 km2 Land105 sq mi 270 km2 Water110 sq mi 300 km2 51 3 Population 2020 Total70 045 Density330 sq mi 130 km2 Time zoneUTC 5 Eastern Summer DST UTC 4 EDT Congressional district1stWebsitewww wbr yorkcounty wbr govLocated on the north side of the Virginia Peninsula with the York River as its northern border York County is included in the Virginia Beach Norfolk Newport News VA NC Metropolitan Statistical Area York County contains many tributaries of the York River It shares land borders with the independent cities of Williamsburg Newport News Hampton and Poquoson as well as James City County and shares a border along the York River with Gloucester County Formed in 1634 as Charles River Shire one of the eight original shires counties of the Virginia Colony 3 and renamed York County in 1643 4 York County is one of the oldest counties in the United States Yorktown is one of the three points of the Historic Triangle of Colonial Virginia It is the site of the last battle and surrender of British forces in 1781 at the conclusion of the American Revolutionary War when the patriots gained independence from Great Britain In modern times several important U S military installations have been developed in the county It also has miles of waterfront residential and recreational areas York County adjoins the Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park and includes within its borders the affiliated Water Country USA water park the Yorktown Riverfront area Yorktown Battlefield and Visitor Center and American Revolution Museum at Yorktown Yorktown is linked by the National Park Service s bucolic Colonial Parkway with Colonial Williamsburg and historic attractions at Jamestown Virginia Heritage tourism to the Historic Triangle draws international visitors and is a major economic activity for the county Contents 1 History 1 1 Native American Indians 1 2 Ajacan Mission 1 3 Virginia Colony 1 4 Yorktown 1 5 Other communities boundary changes 1 6 York County in the late 20th and early 21st centuries 2 Geography 2 1 Adjacent counties and cities 2 2 National protected area 2 3 Climate 3 Demographics 3 1 2020 census 3 2 2010 Census 4 Transportation 4 1 Public Transportation 4 2 Highways 5 Communities 5 1 Census designated places 5 2 Other unincorporated communities 6 Government 6 1 York County Board of Supervisors 6 2 York County School Board 6 3 Other elected officials 6 4 Politics 7 Education 7 1 Elementary schools 7 2 Middle schools 7 3 High schools 8 Military bases 9 See also 10 Notes 11 References 12 Sources 12 1 Publications 13 External linksHistory EditNative American Indians Edit The area which is now York County was long inhabited by succeeding cultures of Native Americans These were hunter gatherer groups during the late Woodland Period 1000 BC to AD 1000 and earlier By the late 16th century much of the coastal plain draining to the Chesapeake Bay of the current Commonwealth of Virginia was called Tenakomakah in Algonquian meaning densely inhabited land 5 The historic tribes of the Tidewater area spoke related Algonquian languages Other Algonquian speaking peoples occupied coastal areas north and into present day Canada as well as to the south In the Virginia region a weroance or chief named Wahunsunacock 1547 1618 of the Powhatan people created a powerful empire of eastern Algonquian language speaking peoples known as the Powhatan Confederacy he conquered or allied by agreement with approximately 30 tribes Known as the Powhatan meaning the paramount chief he was from a village also known as Powhatan near the fall line of the James River The Powhatan Hill neighborhood of the current city of Richmond was developed near this former site Chief Powhatan later established a second capital village known as Werowocomoco in a centrally located position in Tenakomakah Rediscovered in the early 21st century by archeological work it was located along the north bank of the York River in present day Gloucester County 6 The Chiskiack tribe of the Powhatan Confederacy lived in York County along the York River until the 1630s Escalating conflicts with the expanding English colony based at Jamestown caused them to move to the west The English developed a village settlement near the village of Chiskiack and adopted its name It is sometimes spelled Kiskiack This became part of the developments included within the present day Naval Weapons Station Yorktown near Yorktown and are included in the military base Cheesecake Road and Cheesecake Cemetery are also within the base their names are thought to derive from the early Chiskiack people After the Powhatan moved his capital from this area in 1609 the site believed to have been Werowocomoco near Purtan Bay was lost to history It was rediscovered in the early 21st century and has been under continuing archaeological study projects The discoveries and ongoing research led by the College of William and Mary hold great promise in expanding understanding of the lives of the Native Americans in the area during that era of York County s history Further information Powhatan Confederacy Ajacan Mission Edit In 1570 Spanish Jesuit priests founded the Ajacan Mission in this area They were guided by interpreter Don Luis a Native American from this area who had been taken captive by an earlier expedition He was taken to Spain and later to Mexico where he was baptized as Don Luis and educated in the Jesuit system Ten years later after returning to Virginia he soon abandoned the Spanish group In February 1571 he led an attack on the Jesuits all of the party except a young boy were killed The following year a Spanish force returned to the region for punishment and reclaimed the youth Alonso The Spanish did not attempt another mission in this part of North America Virginia Colony Edit About 30 years later English colonists arrived and established Jamestown in 1607 on the southern shore of the Virginia Peninsula in the Colony of Virginia In 1619 the area which is now York County was included in two of the four incorporations or citties of the proprietary Virginia Company of London which were known as Elizabeth Cittie and James Cittie In 1634 what is now York County was formed as Charles River Shire one of the eight original shires of Virginia 3 and named for King Charles I Charles River Shire took its name from the younger son of King James I In the 21st century it was one of the five original shires considered extant in essentially its same political form making it one of the oldest counties in the United States In 1643 Charles River County and the Charles River also named for the king were changed to York County 4 and York River respectively The river county and town of Yorktown are believed by some to have been named for York a city in Yorkshire but Charles was formerly Duke of York and his own son James II followed him as Duke of York Yorktown Edit York HallThe first courthouse and jail were located near what is now Yorktown although the community founded as a port for shipping tobacco to Europe as variously called Port of York Borough of York York Town of York until Yorktown was established in 1691 when the House of Burgesses required each county to designate a port of entry and build warehousing Although never formally incorporated as a town Yorktown is the county seat of York County The only town ever incorporated within the county s boundaries was Poquoson which was incorporated in 1952 and became an independent city in 1975 Porto Bello the hunting lodge of Lord Dunmore last royal governor of Virginia still stands on the grounds of Camp Peary It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places It is most famous as the site of the surrender of General Cornwallis to General George Washington in 1781 ending the American Revolutionary War Yorktown also figured prominently in the American Civil War during the Peninsula Campaign in 1862 Other communities boundary changes Edit The small unincorporated town of Lackey and a nearby area known as the Reservation were taken over by the U S Navy during World War I This is now part of the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown Many of the displaced African American landowners were eventually relocated to Grove along the border between York and James counties During World War II the sites of three other small York County towns were absorbed into U S government reservations Penniman was the site of a World War I munitions facility operated by the DuPont company and was made a part of Cheatham Annex in 1943 To the west of Penniman which is reported to have had a peak population of 15 000 on land which is now part of Camp Peary the smaller towns of Magruder and Bigler s Mill were located Much of Magruder s population and at least one church were relocated to Grove increasing its population In 1949 the county grew by 4 square miles 10 km2 as land in that amount was ceded to York County by neighboring Warwick County At the time the move was part of a successful attempt by Warwick County to block an annexation suit brought by the City of Newport News Warwick eventually consolidated with the city in 1958 by mutual agreement The reduction in size allowed Warwick County to claim an exemption from the proposed annexation at the time In 1975 the county lost 15 5 square miles 40 1 km2 of land as the incorporated town of Poquoson which had been within York County became an independent city although ties between the county and the new city remained close Over 40 years later they continue to share courts sheriff s office a jail and some constitutional services York County also adjoins another small independent city Williamsburg which was long located within James City County In the 20th century some areas of York County adjacent to Williamsburg were lost to the growing small city through annexation York County in the late 20th and early 21st centuries Edit From the 1980s to modern times York County experienced a rapid transition from a rural county to a bedroom community for the neighboring core cities of Hampton and Newport News In modern times York County and Yorktown in particular are part of an important historical area of attractions known as the Historic Triangle of Colonial Virginia which includes Yorktown Jamestown and Williamsburg Yorktown is the northern terminus of the scenic Colonial Parkway operated by the U S National Park Service which links the three In 2005 the county completed Riverwalk Landing a successful pseudo colonial waterfront development at Yorktown to revitalize the previously deteriorating beach and town district and complement the 2007 celebration of Jamestown Geography Edit The Coleman Bridge connects York County and neighboring Gloucester CountyAccording to the U S Census Bureau the county has a total area of 215 square miles 560 km2 of which 105 square miles 270 km2 is land and 110 square miles 280 km2 51 3 is water 7 It is the third smallest county in Virginia by land area It is near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay Also in terms of population clusters the county is divided by a vast expanse of federal land in the midsection of the county much of which is densely wooded park land and military training areas The southern portion of the county is dense with suburban developments and contains the majority of the county s population There is little room for additional growth in the southern portion of York County because it is a relatively small area and was essentially fully developed by the early 2000s A small industrial area along the York River just east of Yorktown contains a power plant owned by Dominion Virginia Power and a petroleum terminal on the former site of an oil refinery that ceased operation in 2010 The northern portion is more connected with the Williamsburg community than Yorktown and although less populous than the south is also fairly dense Having not seen a significant amount of growth until recently the northern portion is now seeing the development of new residential communities and shopping areas Adjacent counties and cities Edit Gloucester County Virginia north Mathews County Virginia northeast Northampton County Virginia east Poquoson Virginia southeast Hampton Virginia south Newport News Virginia southwest James City County Virginia west Williamsburg Virginia west National protected area Edit Colonial National Historical Park part Climate Edit Yorktown VA 8 Climate chart explanation J F M A M J J A S O N D 3 6 48 28 3 2 52 31 4 3 60 37 3 3 70 45 3 9 77 55 3 5 85 64 4 6 89 68 4 7 87 66 4 2 81 60 3 4 71 48 3 3 62 40 3 4 52 32 Average max and min temperatures in F Precipitation totals in inchesMetric conversionJ F M A M J J A S O N D 91 9 2 81 11 1 109 16 3 84 21 7 99 25 13 89 30 18 117 32 20 119 30 19 107 27 15 86 22 9 84 16 4 86 11 0 Average max and min temperatures in C Precipitation totals in mmDemographics EditHistorical population CensusPop Note 17905 233 18003 231 38 3 18105 18760 5 18204 384 15 5 18305 35422 1 18404 720 11 8 18504 460 5 5 18604 94911 0 18707 19845 4 18807 3492 1 18907 5963 4 19007 482 1 5 19107 7573 7 19208 0463 7 19307 615 5 4 19408 85716 3 195011 75032 7 196021 58383 7 197033 20353 8 198035 4636 8 199042 42219 6 200056 29732 7 201065 46416 3 202070 0457 0 U S Decennial Census 9 1790 1960 10 1900 1990 11 1990 2000 12 2010 2020 13 2020 census Edit York County Virginia Demographic Profile NH Non Hispanic 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 may be of any race Race Ethnicity Pop 2010 14 Pop 2020 13 2010 2020White alone NH 48 470 46 932 74 04 67 00 Black or African American alone NH 8 599 8 633 13 14 12 32 Native American or Alaska Native alone NH 225 168 0 34 0 24 Asian alone NH 3 169 4 251 4 84 6 07 Pacific Islander alone NH 92 127 0 14 0 18 Some Other Race alone NH 136 416 0 21 0 59 Mixed Race Multi Racial NH 1 881 4 382 2 87 6 26 Hispanic or Latino any race 2 892 5 136 4 42 7 33 Total 65 464 70 045 100 00 100 00 2010 Census Edit As of the census 15 of 2000 there were 56 297 people 20 000 households and 15 880 families residing in the county The population density was 533 inhabitants per square mile 206 km2 There were 20 701 housing units at an average density of 196 units per square mile 76 units km2 The racial makeup of the county was 76 4 White 13 4 Black or African American 0 4 Native American 4 9 Asian 0 2 Pacific Islander 1 4 from other races and 3 4 from two or more races 4 4 of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race There were 20 000 households out of which 42 20 had children under the age of 18 living with them 67 30 were married couples living together 9 40 had a female householder with no husband present and 20 60 were non families 16 70 of all households were made up of individuals and 5 40 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 78 and the average family size was 3 15 In the county the population was spread out with 29 10 under the age of 18 6 60 from 18 to 24 30 70 from 25 to 44 24 40 from 45 to 64 and 9 10 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 36 years For every 100 females there were 96 50 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93 50 males As of the 2010 Census the population had grown to 65 464 16 and the median household income was 84 167 17 the highest in the Hampton Roads region Males had a median income of 42 948 versus 28 713 for females The per capita income for the county was 36 755 About 2 70 of families and 3 50 of the population were below the poverty line including 3 90 of those under age 18 and 3 80 of those age 65 or over Transportation EditPublic Transportation Edit York County is served by Williamsburg Area Transit Authority WATA as well as Hampton Roads Transit HRT WATA s buses stop at different communities in the northwestern part of the county adjacent to Williamsburg while HRT operates several routes that run close to the county s populated southeast but not entering the county In addition Yorktown offers a complimentary sightseeing trolley bus around the town on a daily basis There is no train station in York County The closest Amtrak stations are in Williamsburg and Newport News respectively Greyhound also have services in these two cities A section of Newport News Williamsburg International Airport the only regional airport on the southern tip of the peninsula is located in York County Other major airport in the region are Norfolk International Airport and Richmond International Airport Highways Edit The only interstate highway in the county is Interstate 64 U S Route 17 crosses the York River from Gloucester Point via the Coleman Memorial Bridge State Route 199 which circumvents Williamsburg joins Interstate 64 close to the Water Country USA in the county Two sections of U S Routes 60 passes York County to the north of Williamsburg and west of Water Country USA Virginia State Route 134 connects York County to Langley Air Force Base and Hampton Virginia bypassing the more developed portion of US 17 between Tabb and I 64 Victory Boulevard connects Newport News and York County to Poquoson Communities EditCensus designated places Edit Bethel Manor YorktownOther unincorporated communities Edit Dare Grafton Lackey Lightfoot Seaford TabbGovernment EditThe county is traditionally organized per Virginia Law It is governed by a Board of Supervisors who are elected for four year terms by voters from each of the county s five districts The Board appoints a County Administrator to act as the administrative head of the county The current county administrator is Neil Morgan 18 19 York County Board of Supervisors Edit District 1 Walter C Zaremba District 2 Sheila S Noll chairman District 3 W Chad Green District 4 G Stephen Roane Jr District 5 Thomas G Shepperd Jr Vice Chairman 20 York County School Board Edit District 1 Mark J Shafer District 2 Brett Higginbotham District 3 Laurel M Garrelts chair District 4 James E Richardson District 5 Sean P Myatt Vice Chair 21 Other elected officials Edit Sheriff J D Danny Diggs 22 Commonwealth s Attorney Krystyn Reid 23 Circuit Court Clerk Kristen N Nelson 24 Commissioner of the Revenue Ann H Thomas 25 Treasurer Candice Kelley 26 Politics Edit York County consistently votes for Republican candidates in statewide elections Since 1968 only 2 Democratic candidates have won more than 45 of the vote Jimmy Carter in 1976 and Joe Biden in 2020 Mark Warner is the last Democrat to win York in any statewide election during his election to the US Senate in 2008 United States presidential election results for York County Virginia 27 Year Republican Democratic Third partyNo No No 2020 20 241 52 19 17 683 45 59 863 2 22 2016 18 837 55 22 12 999 38 11 2 277 6 67 2012 20 204 59 51 13 183 38 83 566 1 67 2008 19 833 58 51 13 700 40 42 364 1 07 2004 19 396 64 91 10 276 34 39 208 0 70 2000 15 312 62 29 8 622 35 07 649 2 64 1996 11 396 54 95 7 731 37 28 1 611 7 77 1992 10 197 51 07 6 218 31 14 3 551 17 79 1988 11 103 69 96 4 639 29 23 129 0 81 1984 10 214 71 24 4 063 28 34 60 0 42 1980 6 744 55 58 4 532 37 35 857 7 06 1976 5 603 53 61 4 736 45 32 112 1 07 1972 7 745 74 90 2 302 22 26 294 2 84 1968 3 356 36 93 2 370 26 08 3 362 36 99 1964 2 992 46 83 3 385 52 98 12 0 19 1960 2 085 54 94 1 691 44 56 19 0 50 1956 1 759 60 10 1 064 36 35 104 3 55 1952 1 335 50 53 1 287 48 71 20 0 76 1948 418 30 38 826 60 03 132 9 59 1944 318 29 01 760 69 34 18 1 64 1940 177 18 06 787 80 31 16 1 63 1936 228 23 08 729 73 79 31 3 14 1932 309 38 43 457 56 84 38 4 73 1928 642 76 79 194 23 21 0 0 00 1924 75 18 99 305 77 22 15 3 80 1920 92 24 40 281 74 54 4 1 06 1916 51 17 11 247 82 89 0 0 00 1912 34 12 27 211 76 17 32 11 55 Education EditElementary schools Edit Bethel Manor ES Coventry ES Dare ES Grafton Bethel ES Magruder ES Mt Vernon ES Seaford ES Tabb ES Waller Mill ES Yorktown ES Extend Center Dare Elementary Middle schools Edit Grafton MS connected to Grafton High School Queens Lake MS Tabb MS Yorktown MSHigh schools Edit Bruton HS Grafton HS connected to Grafton Middle School Tabb HS York HS York River Academy Virtual High SchoolMilitary bases EditYork County is home to several large and important military facilities of the United States Located along the York River small portions of each base extend into adjacent James City County as well The Naval Weapons Station Yorktown was originally established during World War I by order of President Woodrow Wilson and now includes the formerly separate Cheatham Annex Supply Complex Camp Peary was established during World War II as a Seabee Training Base As the war progressed it became valuable to the Allied Forces to house sensitive prisoners of war from captured German naval vessels it was important for Nazi authorities to be unaware of their capture since that also meant secret code books thought lost at sea may also have been compromised Many of these POWs made Virginia and the United States their new homeland after the War Separating these two large military reservations is Queen s Creek which originates in the western reaches of the county and drains to the York River York County contains some former towns including Yorke and a large number when the military reservations were created in the first half of the 20th century These include the original Lackey known locally as the Reservation Halstead s Point Penniman Bigler s Mill and Magruder Many relocated residents and their descendants many of whom were farmers and watermen now live in such places as Yorktown Gloucester Lee Hall Grove and Lightfoot See also EditNational Register of Historic Places listings in York County VirginiaNotes EditReferences Edit York County Virginia United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 30 2022 Find a County National Association of Counties Archived from the original on May 31 2011 Retrieved June 7 2011 a b William Waller Hening editor The Statutes at Large Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia from the First Session of the Legislature in the year 1619 13 vols Richmond Samuel Pleasants Junior 1809 vol 1 page 224 in 1634 Charles River Shire created as one of the original 8 shires digital images Internet Archive https archive org 2 April 2019 a b William Waller Hening editor The Statutes at Large Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia from the First Session of the Legislature in the year 1619 13 vols Richmond Samuel Pleasants Junior 1809 vol 1 page 249 Act XIII 2 March 1642 3 Charles River county shall be distinguished by this name the County of York digital images Internet Archive https archive org 2 April 2019 Capossela Julie Ann February 2 2006 Jamestown from a Non Western Perspective wm edu Archived from the original on October 22 2008 c f Anishinaabe language danakamigaa activity grounds i e land of much events for the People Powhatan Powhatan Werowocomoco College of William and Mary US Gazetteer files 2010 2000 and 1990 United States Census Bureau February 12 2011 Retrieved April 23 2011 Yorktown VA Weather USA com www usa com Census of Population and Housing from 1790 US Census Bureau Retrieved January 24 2022 Historical Census Browser University of Virginia Library Retrieved January 5 2014 Population of Counties by Decennial Census 1900 to 1990 United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 5 2014 Census 2000 PHC T 4 Ranking Tables for Counties 1990 and 2000 PDF United States Census Bureau Archived PDF from the original on October 9 2022 Retrieved January 5 2014 a b P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE 2020 DEC Redistricting Data PL 94 171 York County Virginia United States Census Bureau P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE 2010 DEC Redistricting Data PL 94 171 York County Virginia United States Census Bureau U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved May 14 2011 Demographics amp Workforce Data and Research for Virginia Archived from the original on November 1 2007 Retrieved January 28 2011 Weldon Cooper Center 2010 Census Count Retrieved January 26 2011 Population estimates July 1 2015 V2015 census gov Archived from the original on June 6 2011 Retrieved July 19 2016 York County Virginia gt County Government gt Administration County yorkcounty gov Retrieved July 19 2016 Press Daily Former Newport News city manager hired as York County administrator dailypress com Retrieved July 19 2016 Board of Supervisors York County VA yorkcounty gov Retrieved September 12 2022 York County School Division York County School Board Retrieved September 11 2022 York County Virginia gt County Government gt York Poquoson Sheriff yorkcounty gov Retrieved July 19 2016 Commonwealth Attorney York County VA www yorkcounty gov Retrieved September 12 2022 York County Poquoson Circuit Court state va us Retrieved July 19 2016 Commissioner of the Revenue York County VA www yorkcounty gov Retrieved September 12 2022 York County Virginia gt County Government gt Treasurer yorkcounty gov Retrieved July 19 2016 Leip David Dave Leip s Atlas of U S Presidential Elections uselectionatlas org Retrieved December 9 2020 Sources EditPublications Edit McCartney Martha W 1977 James City County Keystone of the Commonwealth James City County Virginia Donning and Company ISBN 0 89865 999 XExternal links Edit Cast Down Your Buckets Where You Are An Ethnohistorical Study of the African American Community on the Lands of the Yorktown Naval Weapons Station 1865 1918 York County website Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance serving York County 37 13 N 76 26 W 37 22 N 76 44 W 37 22 76 44 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title York County Virginia amp oldid 1162762223, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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