Editing Belle Haven, Fairfax County, Virginia

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Belle Haven, Fairfax County, Virginia
| official_name      = 
| settlement_type    = [[Census-designated place]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = Belle Haven, VA - post office.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Belleview Branch Post Office
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps -->
| pushpin_map        = USA Virginia Northern#USA Virginia#USA
| pushpin_label      = Belle Haven
| pushpin_label_position = left<!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within the state of Virginia
| pushpin_mapsize    = 
| image_map          = Fairfax County Virginia Incorporated and Unincorporated Areas Belle Haven highlighted.svg
| map_caption        = Location within Fairfax County

<!-- Location -->| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Virginia]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Virginia|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Fairfax County, Virginia|Fairfax]]
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = <!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 7.4
| area_land_km2      = 5.1
| area_water_km2     = 2.3

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 6851
| population_density_km2 = 1343.3

<!-- General information -->| timezone           = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset         = &minus;5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = &minus;4
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_ft       = 15
| coordinates        = {{coord|38|46|44|N|77|3|39|W|region:US-VA_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 22307 (Alexandria/Belleview)
| area_code          = 
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 51-05928
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2389195
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 3425.5
}}
[[Image:MapofBelleHavenCDP.gif|thumb|Map of the Belle Haven CDP]]
'''Belle Haven''' is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Fairfax County, Virginia|Fairfax County]], [[Virginia]], United States. Nearby CDPs are [[Huntington, Virginia|Huntington]] (northwest), [[Groveton, Virginia|Groveton]] (southwest) and [[Fort Hunt, Virginia|Fort Hunt]] (south). The population of Belle Haven was 6,851 at the 2020 census.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Belle Haven CDP, Virginia |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Belle_Haven_CDP,_Virginia?g=160XX00US5105928 |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

The CDP is located just south of [[Old Town Alexandria]] and bounded on the west by Richmond Highway ([[U.S. Route 1 in Virginia|U.S. 1]]) and on the east by the [[Potomac River]]. It encompasses Belle Haven, a wealthy subdivision dating from the 1920s, and several adjoining neighborhoods. Some, particularly New Alexandria and Belle View, are among the lowest-lying residential areas of Fairfax County, and sustained extensive flood damage from storms including 2003's [[Hurricane Isabel]] and 1972's [[Hurricane Agnes]]. The Belleview branch of the Alexandria [[United States Postal Service|Post Office]] is located here, and serves the 22307 [[ZIP code]] in which the majority of the CDP falls.

==History==
The name "Belle Haven" derives from when [[Scottish people|Scottish]] pioneers settled along the Potomac River in the early 18th century. They named the settlement after their favorite countryman, the [[Lord Belhaven and Stenton|Earl of Belhaven]]. This early settlement thrived along the Potomac River as a port and was later renamed "Alexandria". The area later became part of the West Grove Plantation, which was built by Hugh West around 1748. It capitalized on its close and favorable position to the newly forming town of Alexandria.<ref name="ReferenceA">Belle Haven Country Club Historical files</ref>

The West family was important in Virginia and Fairfax County politics in the 18th century. Hugh West himself was a [[House of Burgesses|burgess]] from Fairfax County, a [[vestryman]], and a trustee of the town of Alexandria. His son, John, followed in his father's footsteps with continued public work until he died in 1777.<ref name="ReferenceB">''The Alexandria Gazette''. The George Washington Ball map, and various Edith Sprouse articles on local history.</ref>

The home passed from the West family in 1814 to a Col. Augustine J. Smith, who bought the plantation from the last West, James, who died in 1814. Smith is known to have enlarged the original {{convert|155|acre}} to over {{convert|1800|acre}}. This included the draining of the swamps along the Potomac River and building a [[levee|dike]]. This increased his land holding considerably, but the embankments were cut after his death and never repaired. He is also known for his vast building spree, where he had no less than thirteen new buildings built for the much enlarged plantation. These included larger slave quarters for the forty [[slavery in the United States|slaves]] he owned.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>

Smith died in 1830, and after several years the plantation was sold to Dennis Johnston. He did little enlarging to the plantation, still known as West's Grove. He was probably kept busy repairing all of Smith's additions. Johnston died several years before the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], and his widow ran the plantation in his place.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> In 1862 the [[39th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment]] (Garibaldi Guard) occupied the plantation and later burned it to the ground, retaliating against the owner's sons for serving as officers on General [[Robert E. Lee]]'s staff. No house occupied this land again until the first house was built in Belle Haven at 6041 Woodmont Road in 1928.

The current Belle Haven residential community had its start in the 1920s when David Howell, a [[civil engineer]] from Alexandria, purchased the land from owners Mrs. Thomas Wilfred Robinson, Sr. and her brothers. Upon purchasing the land, Howell set up two corporations, one to construct a golf course and club, and the other to develop a residential subdivision. The golf course and club later became the Belle Haven Country Club, which still exists.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

==Geography==
Belle Haven is located in eastern Fairfax County at {{coord|38|46|44|N|77|3|39|W|region:US-VA_type:city}} (38.779013, −77.060721).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> The eastern border of the community is in the [[Potomac River]] and is the state border with [[Maryland]]. The northern border follows tidal [[Hunting Creek]] and is with the city of [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|7.4|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|5.1|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|2.3|sqkm|order=flip}}, or 30.93%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web |title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Belle Haven CDP, Virginia |url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US5105928 |access-date=September 22, 2016 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Belle Haven is located 20 minutes outside of Washington, D.C.

==Demographics==

=== 2020 Census ===
At the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]] (some information from the [[American Community Survey|2022 American Community Survey]]) there were 6,851 people, 3,263 housing units and 2,747 households residing in the CDP. The [[population density]] was 3,425.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,343.3/km<sup>2</sup>). The average housing unit density was 1,631.5 per square mile (639.8/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the CDP was 70.97% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 6.73% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.66% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 4.10% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 7.87% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 9.63% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race was 16.38% of the population.<ref name=":0" />

Of the family households, 48.1% were married couples, 22.2% were a male family householder with no spouse, and 26.8% were a female family householder with no spouse. The average family household had 3.15 people.<ref name=":0" />

The median age was 41.5, 24.4% of people were under the age of 18, and 16.1% were 65 years of age or older. The largest ancestry is the 28.1% who had [[Irish Americans|Irish ancestry]], 18.0% spoke a language other than [[English language|English]] at home, and 13.1% were born outside the United States, 45.7% of whom were [[Naturalized citizen of the United States|naturalized citizens]].<ref name=":0" />

The median income for a household in the CDP was $129,495, and the median income for a family was $190,469. 9.2% of the population were [[Veteran#United States|military veterans]], and 71.2% had a [[Bachelor's degree|batchelor's degree]] or [[Higher degree|higher]]. In the CDP 3.0% of the population was below the [[poverty line]], including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 0.6% of those age 65 or over, with 2.3% of the population without [[Health insurance in the United States|health insurance]].<ref name=":0" />

=== 2010 Census ===
The population of Belle Haven was 6,518 at the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]].<ref name="Census 2010" />

=== 2000 Census ===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of [[2000 United States census|2000]], there were 6,269 people, 3,116 households, and 1,570 families residing in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|3,182.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 3,220 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,634.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 86.17% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 6.88% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.26% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 2.27% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.06% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.93% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.44% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 5.47% of the population.

There were 3,116 households, out of which 19.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.6% were non-families. 41.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01, and the average family size was 2.77.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 17.2% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $65,262, and the median income for a family was $92,195. Males had a median income of $55,446 versus $42,485 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $46,483. About 3.3% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

=== Population history of Belle Haven CDP from the U.S. Census Bureau ===
*1980...6,520
*1990...6,427
*2000...6,269
*2010...6,518
*2020...6,851

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Belle Haven, VA - apartment block.jpg|River Towers condominium complex
File:Belle Haven, VA - shopping center.jpg|Belle View Shopping Center
File:Belle Haven, VA - condo association building.jpg|Belle View Condominium Association Management Office
Image:Belle Haven, VA - park.jpg|Bower which forms the centerpiece of the Belle View Town Square
Image:Belle Haven, VA - stream.jpg|Creek which runs through Belle View
Image:GeorgeWashingtonMemorialParkwaynearBelleHaven.jpg|Along the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Belle View
Image:BelleHavenPark.jpg|Belle Haven Park, along the river
File:BelleHavenMarina1.jpg|Aerial view of Bell Haven Marina
Image:BelleHavenMarina.jpg|The Belle Haven Marina
Image:BelleHavenApartments.jpg|Belle View Condominiums
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

{{Commons category}}
{{Fairfax County, Virginia}}
{{South Alexandria}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Virginia]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Fairfax County, Virginia]]
[[Category:Virginia populated places on the Potomac River]]
[[Category:Washington metropolitan area]]
[[Category:1928 establishments in Virginia]]