Appomattox County, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Appomattox County is a county
located in the Commonwealth
of Virginia
. As of 2010, the population was 14,973. Its county seat
is Appomattox
. For a long time, Appomattox was a prohibition or dry county
. However, a law has recently been passed to permit the sale of alcohol.
Appomattox County is part of the Lynchburg
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
, Campbell
and Charlotte
Counties. In 1848, another part of Campbell County was added. It was named for the Appomattox River
. On April 9, 1865, Confederate
General
Robert E. Lee
met with Union
General Ulysses S. Grant
at the village of Appomattox Court House
. The surrender of Lee took place at the McLean House, home of Wilmer McLean
.
, the county has a total area of 335 square miles (867.6 km²), of which 334 square miles (865.1 km²) is land and 1 square miles (2.6 km²) is water. The total area is 0.31% water.
of 2000, there are 13,705 people, 5,322 households, and 4,012 families residing in the county. The population density
is 41 people per square mile (16/km²). There are 5,828 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county is 75.94% White, 22.91% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.47% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 5,322 households out of which 32.20% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.70% are married couples
living together, 11.50% have a female householder with no husband present, and 24.60% are non-families. 21.30% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.00% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.55 and the average family size is 2.94.
In the county, the population is spread out with 24.70% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $36,507, and the median income for a family is $41,563. Males have a median income of $31,428 versus $21,367 for females. The per capita income
for the county is $18,086. 11.40% of the population and 8.70% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 14.10% of those under the age of 18 and 21.50% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
located in the Commonwealth
Commonwealth (United States)
Four of the constituent states of the United States officially designate themselves Commonwealths: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia....
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. As of 2010, the population was 14,973. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Appomattox
Appomattox, Virginia
Appomattox is a town in Appomattox County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,761 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Appomattox County.Appomattox is part of the Lynchburg Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. For a long time, Appomattox was a prohibition or dry county
Dry county
A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...
. However, a law has recently been passed to permit the sale of alcohol.
Appomattox County is part of the Lynchburg
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Appomattox County was formed in 1845 from Buckingham, Prince EdwardPrince Edward County, Virginia
Prince Edward County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,368. Its county seat is Farmville.-Formation and County Seats:...
, Campbell
Campbell County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 51,078 people, 20,639 households, and 14,694 families residing in the county. The population density was 101 people per square mile . There were 22,088 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile...
and Charlotte
Charlotte County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,472 people, 4,951 households, and 3,435 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 5,734 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
Counties. In 1848, another part of Campbell County was added. It was named for the Appomattox River
Appomattox River
The Appomattox River is a tributary of the James River, approximately long, in central and eastern Virginia in the United States, named for the Appomattocs Indian tribe who lived along its lower banks in the 17th century...
. On April 9, 1865, Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
met with Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
General Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
at the village of Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
The Appomattox Court House National Historical Park is a National Historical Park of original and reconstructed nineteenth century buildings. It was signed into law August 3, 1935. The village was made a national monument in 1940 and a national historical park in 1954...
. The surrender of Lee took place at the McLean House, home of Wilmer McLean
Wilmer McLean
Wilmer McLean was a wholesale grocer from Virginia. It is said that the American Civil War started in his front yard and ended in his front parlor....
.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 335 square miles (867.6 km²), of which 334 square miles (865.1 km²) is land and 1 square miles (2.6 km²) is water. The total area is 0.31% water.
Adjacent counties
- Nelson County, VirginiaNelson County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 14,445 people, 5,887 households, and 4,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
- north - Buckingham County, Virginia - northeast
- Prince Edward County, VirginiaPrince Edward County, VirginiaPrince Edward County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,368. Its county seat is Farmville.-Formation and County Seats:...
- southeast - Charlotte County, VirginiaCharlotte County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 12,472 people, 4,951 households, and 3,435 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 5,734 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
- south - Campbell County, VirginiaCampbell County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 51,078 people, 20,639 households, and 14,694 families residing in the county. The population density was 101 people per square mile . There were 22,088 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile...
- southwest - Amherst County, VirginiaAmherst County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 31,894 people, 11,941 households, and 8,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 67 people per square mile . There were 12,958 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile...
- northwest
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there are 13,705 people, 5,322 households, and 4,012 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is 41 people per square mile (16/km²). There are 5,828 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county is 75.94% White, 22.91% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.47% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 5,322 households out of which 32.20% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.70% are married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.50% have a female householder with no husband present, and 24.60% are non-families. 21.30% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.00% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.55 and the average family size is 2.94.
In the county, the population is spread out with 24.70% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $36,507, and the median income for a family is $41,563. Males have a median income of $31,428 versus $21,367 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county is $18,086. 11.40% of the population and 8.70% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 14.10% of those under the age of 18 and 21.50% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.