Berryville, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Berryville is an incorporated town
in and the county seat
of Clarke County
, Virginia
, United States
. The population was 2,963 at the 2000 census.
, approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) east of Winchester
and 11 miles (17.7 km) south of the West Virginia
border. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 2,963 people, 1,239 households, and 783 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,648.3 people per square mile (635.6/km²). There were 1,312 housing units at an average density of 729.8 per square mile (281.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 84.54% White, 13.60% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.13% from other races
, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.32% of the population.
There were 1,239 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples
living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 22.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 81.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $39,871, and the median income for a family was $52,176. Males had a median income of $38,750 versus $26,531 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $20,337. About 4.1% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 or over.
surveyed it on October 23, 1750. In 1754 Pennington sold it to Colonel John Hite.
According to legend, Daniel Morgan
would engage in combat with young toughs at the intersection, having first piled large stones nearby to use as ammunition in case of need. Because of this story, and a rowdy tavern nearby, the area was first given the informal name of "Battle Town".
Hite sold the tract in 1765 to his son-in-law, Major Charles Smith. Smith also named his estate "Battle Town", and on the site of the former tavern he built a clapboard homestead, which still stands on Main Street and is now known as "the Nook".
Daniel Morgan returned to the area after distinguishing himself in the Revolution, living at Saratoga
, and briefly at Soldier's Rest
. He was one of the frequent (and reputedly most quarrelsome) patrons of the new tavern (where now stands the Battletown Inn).
Major Smith's son, John Smith, in 1797 sold 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of his inheritance to Benjamin Berry and Sarah (Berry) Stribling, who divided it into lots for a town. It was established as the town of Berryville on January 15, 1798.
By 1810, the town had at least 25 homes, three stores, an apothecary (pharmacy), two taverns, and an academy (school). It was not much larger when it became the county seat of newly-formed Clarke County in 1836.
Confederate
Gen. Jubal A. Early briefly had his headquarters in the town, and not long afterward the Battle of Berryville
was fought in and around the town during the Valley Campaigns of 1864
, during the American Civil War
.
The railroad came in the 1870s.
Berryville was featured in a 2011 ad campaign for Wendy's
berry almond chicken salad and Wild Berry Tea.
Incorporated town
-Canada:Incorporated towns are a form of local government in Canada, which is a responsibility of provincial rather than federal government.-United States:...
in and the 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....
of Clarke County
Clarke County, Virginia
Clarke County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 14,034. Its county seat is Berryville.-History:Clarke County was established in 1836 by Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron who built a home, Greenway Court, on part of his 5 million acre property,...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,963 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Berryville is located in the upper Shenandoah ValleyShenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
, approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) east of Winchester
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
and 11 miles (17.7 km) south of the West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
border. According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 town has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²), all of it land.
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 were 2,963 people, 1,239 households, and 783 families residing in the town. 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...
was 1,648.3 people per square mile (635.6/km²). There were 1,312 housing units at an average density of 729.8 per square mile (281.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 84.54% White, 13.60% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.13% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.32% of the population.
There were 1,239 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were 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, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 22.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 81.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $39,871, and the median income for a family was $52,176. Males had a median income of $38,750 versus $26,531 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 town was $20,337. About 4.1% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 or over.
History
Berryville was founded at the intersection of the Winchester Turnpike and Charlestown Road. The land was first granted by the Crown to Captain Isaac Pennington in 1734, and George WashingtonGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
surveyed it on October 23, 1750. In 1754 Pennington sold it to Colonel John Hite.
Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan was an American pioneer, soldier, and United States Representative from Virginia. One of the most gifted battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War, he later commanded troops during the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion.-Early years:Most authorities believe that...
would engage in combat with young toughs at the intersection, having first piled large stones nearby to use as ammunition in case of need. Because of this story, and a rowdy tavern nearby, the area was first given the informal name of "Battle Town".
Hite sold the tract in 1765 to his son-in-law, Major Charles Smith. Smith also named his estate "Battle Town", and on the site of the former tavern he built a clapboard homestead, which still stands on Main Street and is now known as "the Nook".
Daniel Morgan returned to the area after distinguishing himself in the Revolution, living at Saratoga
Saratoga (Boyce, Virginia)
Saratoga, also known as the General Daniel Morgan House, is a home near Boyce, Virginia. It is a gray limestone Georgian house built by Brig. Gen. Daniel Morgan, best known for his victory over the British at the Battle of Cowpens in 1781...
, and briefly at Soldier's Rest
Soldier's Rest
Soldier's Rest is a historical farmhouse located in Berryville, Clarke County, Virginia, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.-History:...
. He was one of the frequent (and reputedly most quarrelsome) patrons of the new tavern (where now stands the Battletown Inn).
Major Smith's son, John Smith, in 1797 sold 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of his inheritance to Benjamin Berry and Sarah (Berry) Stribling, who divided it into lots for a town. It was established as the town of Berryville on January 15, 1798.
By 1810, the town had at least 25 homes, three stores, an apothecary (pharmacy), two taverns, and an academy (school). It was not much larger when it became the county seat of newly-formed Clarke County in 1836.
Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
Gen. Jubal A. Early briefly had his headquarters in the town, and not long afterward the Battle of Berryville
Battle of Berryville
The Battle of Berryville was fought September 3 and September 4, 1864, in Clarke County, Virginia. It took place toward the end of the American Civil War....
was fought in and around the town during the Valley Campaigns of 1864
Valley Campaigns of 1864
The Valley Campaigns of 1864 were American Civil War operations and battles that took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia from May to October 1864. Military historians divide this period into three separate campaigns, but it is useful to consider the three together and how they...
, during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
The railroad came in the 1870s.
Berryville was featured in a 2011 ad campaign for Wendy's
Wendy's
Wendy's is an international fast food chain restaurant founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio, United States. The company decided to move its headquarters to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006. It has been owned by Triarc since 2008...
berry almond chicken salad and Wild Berry Tea.
Notable buildings or structures in Berryville
- Clarke County High School (Virginia)Clarke County High School (Virginia)Clarke County High School is a public high school in Berryville, Virginia.CCHS was ranked 19th on Newsweek's Top 1200 High Schools list in 2006...
- Holy Cross AbbeyHoly Cross Abbey, VirginiaHoly Cross Abbey is a monastery of the Catholic Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance , popularly known as the Trappists. The monastery is located near Berryville in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, United States...
- TrappistTrappistsThe Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance , or Trappists, is a Roman Catholic religious order of cloistered contemplative monks who follow the Rule of St. Benedict...
monastery. - Soldier's RestSoldier's RestSoldier's Rest is a historical farmhouse located in Berryville, Clarke County, Virginia, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.-History:...
- 1769
Notable people
- James NobleJames NobleJames Noble was the first U.S. Senator from the U.S. state of Indiana.Noble was born near Berryville, Virginia and moved with his parents to Campbell County, Kentucky when he was 10...
- First US SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
for IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. - Noah NobleNoah NobleNoah Noble was the fifth Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1831 to 1837. His two terms focused largely on internal improvements, culminating in the passage of the Mammoth Internal Improvement Act, which was viewed at the time as his crowning achievement...
- His brother and a Whig Party (United States)Whig Party (United States)The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
governor for Indiana. - Lloyd W. Williams - Marine officer who died in World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, credited with saying "Retreat? Hell, we just got here!" - Drew Gilpin FaustDrew Gilpin FaustCatherine Drew Gilpin Faust is an American historian, college administrator, and the president of Harvard University. Faust is the first woman to serve as Harvard's president and the university's 28th president overall. Faust is the fifth woman to serve as president of an Ivy League university, and...
- PresidentPresidentA president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. - Harry F. ByrdHarry F. ByrdHarry Flood Byrd, Sr. of Berryville in Clarke County, Virginia, was an American newspaper publisher, farmer and politician. He was a descendant of one of the First Families of Virginia...
- Governor and Senator, had a home here. - Oliver NorthOliver NorthOliver Laurence North is a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, political commentator, host of War Stories with Oliver North on Fox News Channel, a military historian, and a New York Times best-selling author....
- FOX TV News analyst, US Senate candidate, and involved in the Iran-Contra Scandal