Culpeper County, Virginia

Native American presence

At the time of European encounter, the inhabitants of future Culpeper County were a Siouan-speaking sub-group of the Manahoac tribe called the Tegninateo,^[3] allies to the Monacans and other central Virginian tribes further west.^[4][5][6] Captain John Smith mapped the area between the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers in 1608, locating 4 Sioux villages therein.^[7]

The Manahoac were known to clear large tracts of forest to attract big game to their territory, and built impressive burial mounds.^[8][9] Though the tribe was initially sheltered from European encroachment by their position west of the fall line, they were steadily wiped out by disease and gradually increased conflict with settlers. The remnants of the tribe were first driven south towards the upper Mattaponi, then westwards into the Blue Ridge; they had largely disappeared from the Piedmont region by the time that Culpeper was intensively settled by the colonists.^[4][9]

Colonial settlement

In May 1749, the first Culpeper Court convened in the home of Robert Tureman, near the present location of the Town of Culpeper. In July 1749, Tureman commissioned 17-year-old George Washington as the first County surveyor.^[13] One of his first duties was to lay out the county's courthouse complex, which included the courthouse, jail, stocks, gallows and accessory buildings. By 1752 the complex stood at the present northeast corner of Davis and Main Streets. The courthouse village was named Town of Fairfax for Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1693–1781).^[14]

Revolution and post-colonial era

During the Virginia convention held in May 1775, the colony was divided into sixteen districts. Each district had instructions to raise a battalion of men "to march at a minute's notice." Culpeper, Orange and Fauquier, forming one district, raised 350 men in "Clayton's old field" on the Catalpa estate; they were called the Culpeper Minute Men.^[15] In December, the Minute Men, marching under their flag depicting a rattlesnake and inscribed with the words "Liberty or Death" and "Don't Tread on Me", took part in the Battle of Great Bridge, the first Revolutionary battle on Virginia soil. The Culpeper Minute Men reorganized in 1860 in response to the impending Civil War and became part of 13th Infantry's Company B, fighting against the US Government forces. The Culpeper Minutemen were again organized for World War I, and joined the 116th Infantry.

Antebellum and the Civil War

In 1833, based on the county's growing population and the need of those in the northwestern area for easier access to a county seat, the upper 267 square miles (690 km²) of Culpeper County was partitioned off to create Rappahannock County, Virginia, which was founded by an act of the Virginia General Assembly.

The Battle of Cedar Mountain took place during the Civil War on August 9, 1862, and the Battle of Brandy Station occurred on June 9, 1863, in Culpeper County. Culpeper was the boyhood home of General A. P. Hill, who fought against Union forces.^{[citation needed]}

20th century

The negative impact of the Massive Resistance campaign against school integration led to the statewide election of a pro-desegregation governor. By the middle of the 1970s,^[16] Culpeper was the last county in Virginia to desegregate its public schools. In 2018 Culpeper County Public Schools^[17] has six elementary, two middle schools and two high schools. In 1935 the Rotary Club of Culpeper began a college loan fund, which in 1966 became a four-year scholarship based on academic achievement. The group also provides a Technical School scholarship based on academic achievement.^[18]

Culpeper County is home to Commonwealth Park, site for many world-class equestrian events. It was here that actor Christopher Reeve suffered his 1995 accident during a competition.

The town of Culpeper was rated #10 by Norman Crampton, author of "The 100 Best Small Towns in America," in February 1993.

21st century

In April 2016, the county Board of Supervisors denied a routine request from the Islamic Center of Culpeper for a pump and haul permit to serve their envisioned mosque. This resulted in a lawsuit by the US Department of Justice in December.^[19]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

• Fauquier County - north
• Stafford County – east
• Spotsylvania County - southeast
• Orange County – south
• Madison County – southwest
• Rappahannock County – northwest

Protected areas

• Brandy Station Battlefield Park
• Mountain Run Lake Park

Lakes

• Balds Run Reservoir
• Brandy Rock Farm Lake
• Caynor Lake
• Lake Culpeper
• Merrimac/Mountain Run Lake^[22]

Board of Supervisors

• Catalpa District: Paul W. Bates, Vice Chairman (I)^[25]
• Cedar Mountain District: David E. Durr (I)^[26]
• East Fairfax District: David C. Lee (I)^[27]
• Jefferson District: Brad C. Rosenberger (R)^[28]
• Salem District: Tom Underwood (R)^[29]
• Stevensburg District: Susan L. Gugino (R)^[30]
• West Fairfax District: Gary M. Deal, Chairman (I)^[31]

Constitutional Offices

• Clerk of the Circuit Court: Carson Beard (I)^[32]
• Commissioner of the Revenue: Terry L. Yowell (I)^[33]
• Commonwealth's Attorney: Russ Rabb (R)^[34]
• Sheriff: Timothy W. Chilton (I)^[35]
• Treasurer: Missy N. White (R)^[36]

State representatives

Culpeper County is represented by Republicans Bryce E. Reeves, Emmett W. Hanger Jr., and Jill Holtzman Vogel in the Virginia Senate, Republicans Michael J. Webert and Nicholas J. (Nick) Freitas in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Democrat Eugene Vindman in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Culpeper County has been a Republican stronghold for several decades. The last time a Democratic presidential candidate carried the county was 1964.

Procurement

Recent media investigations regarding law enforcement procurement of military equipment through the 1033 Program offered by the Defense Logistics Agency identified Culpeper County as having received, as donations, a "Mine Resistant Vehicle" in 2013 worth $412,000 and 20 night-vision optics worth an additional $136,000.^[38]

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 52,552. The median age was 39.8 years. 24.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.1 males age 18 and over.^[53][54]

The racial makeup of the county was 68.7% White, 12.5% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 7.7% from some other race, and 8.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 14.3% of the population.^[54]

42.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 57.1% lived in rural areas.^[55]

There were 18,181 households in the county, of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[53]

There were 19,185 housing units, of which 5.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.8% were owner-occupied and 27.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.7%.^[53]

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census, there were 34,262 people, 12,141 households, and 9,045 families in the county. The population density was 90.4 people per square mile (34.9 people/km²). There were 12,871 housing units at an average density of 34.0 units per square mile (13.1 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.27% White, 28.15% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.15% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. 2.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 12,141 households, out of which 35.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.50% were married couples living together, 11.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.50% were non-families. 20.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.08.

The county population contained 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 31.10% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,290, and the median income for a family was $51,475. Males had a median income of $36,621 versus $25,985 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,162. About 27.00% of families and 29.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.30% of those under age 18 and 28.60% of those age 65 or over.

Elementary schools

• A.G. Richardson Elementary
• Banner Christian
• Culpeper Christian
• Emerald Hill Elementary
• Epiphany Catholic School
• Farmington Elementary
• Pearl Sample Elementary
• Sycamore Park Elementary
• Yowell Elementary

Middle schools

• Banner Christian
• Culpeper Christian
• Culpeper Middle
• Floyd T. Binns Middle

High schools

• Culpeper County High School
• Eastern View High School
• Culpeper Technical Education Center

Towns

• Boston
• Culpeper (County seat)
• Elkwood
• Reva

Census-designated places

• Brandy Station

Unincorporated communities