Editing Hamilton, Virginia

{{for|the Cumberland County location|Hamilton, Cumberland County, Virginia}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Hamilton, Virginia
|official_name            = Town of Hamilton
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Harmony-United-Methodist-Church-Hamilton-VA.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = The Harmony United Methodist Church in Hamilton
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map              = USA Virginia Northern#USA Virginia#USA
|pushpin_label            = Hamilton
|pushpin_label_position   = bottom <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name         = {{nowrap|{{flag|United States}}}}
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Virginia|size=23px}}
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Virginia|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Loudoun County, Virginia|Loudoun]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Ken Wine
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_51.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.21
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.21
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2010 United States Census|2010]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 506
|population_density_sq_mi = 3009.57

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset = &minus;5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
| utc_offset_DST = &minus;4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_ft             = 512
|coordinates              = {{coord|39|8|2|N|77|39|51|W|region:US-VA_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 20158-20159
|area_code                = [[Area code 540|540]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 51-34240<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1499516<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://hamiltonva.gov}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 2019
|pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse"/>
|population_est = 629
|area_total_km2 = 0.54
|area_land_km2 = 0.54
|area_water_km2 = 0.00
|population_density_km2 = 1161.67
}}
'''Hamilton''' is a town in the [[Loudoun Valley]] of [[Loudoun County, Virginia|Loudoun County]], [[Virginia]], [[United States]]. The population was 506 as of the 2010 census.

==Geography==
Hamilton is located 6 miles west of the county seat [[Leesburg, Virginia|Leesburg]] at {{coord|39|8|2|N|77|39|51|W|type:city}} (39.133889, &minus;77.664151),<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=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> near the western base of [[Catoctin Mountain]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 0.2&nbsp;square miles (0.6&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), all of it land.

==History==
The present Town of Hamilton was once occupied by several native tribes.<ref name="compplan">{{cite web| title =Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Hamilton| date =2001| url =http://www.town.hamilton.va.us/documents/Comp-plan-draft-071001-small.pdf| access-date =January 24, 2008| url-status =dead| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20061230221153/http://www.town.hamilton.va.us/documents/Comp-plan-draft-071001-small.pdf| archive-date =December 30, 2006}}</ref>  European settlers arrived in the 1730s.<ref name="compplan"/>   In 1768, George and Tabitha Roach Tavenner built the first house in the Hamilton area.<ref name="compplan"/> Their son, Richard and his wife Ann Hatcher, built an estate called ''Harmony''<ref name="compplan"/> and the surrounding area was thereafter known as Harmony.<ref name="visitloudoun">{{cite web
  | title = Town of Hamilton
  | publisher = Loudoun Association
  | url = http://www.visitloudoun.org/visitors-guide/towns/hamilton/
  | access-date = January 24, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071217114221/http://www.visitloudoun.org/visitors-guide/towns/hamilton/ <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = December 17, 2007}}</ref>

The Leesburg and Snickers Gap Turnpike Company opened a road connecting Leesburg and Snickersville in 1831.<ref name="compplan"/>  Growth ensued and by 1833, the area had enough population to sustain Harmony Methodist Church, which was built on land donated by Richard and Ann Hatcher Tavenner.<ref name="compplan"/>  The town also became known as ''Hamilton Store'' after a store founded there by Charles Bennett Hamilton.<ref name="compplan"/>  In 1835, John Quincy Adams approved a post office located in Hamilton's store and the town's name was recorded as Hamilton.<ref name="compplan"/>

The last important Civil War action in Loudoun County, known as [[The Harmony Skirmish]], took place on March 21, 1865, as confederate Colonel [[John S. Mosby]] and his troops surprised troops commanded by Colonel [[Marcus Reno]].<ref name="compplan"/>

By 1868, a steam railroad from [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]] had come to Hamilton along the future route of the [[Washington and Old Dominion Railroad]].<ref name="visitloudoun"/>  Many tourists came to the town seeking relief from the city's heat.<ref name="visitloudoun"/> There was a {{frac|1|1|2}}-mile boardwalk that traversed the town and a dance hall.<ref name="compplan"/>  By 1900, the Town of Hamilton was Loudoun County's second largest town.<ref name="compplan"/>  The booming businesses in Hamilton included two newspapers, a butcher shop, a men's clothing store, a broom factory, a [[Hatmaking|milliner]], a dentist, two hardware stores, a stove shop, a flat racecourse, a livery stable and boarding houses.<ref name="compplan"/>

The advent of the automobile led to a slow decline in tourism.<ref name="compplan"/>  In 1926, many of the town's central businesses were destroyed by fire and tourism thereafter declined sharply.<ref name="visitloudoun"/>  Hamilton has since been known more as a residential community.<ref name="compplan"/>

During the town's history, it was the site of a vibrant Afro-American community.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.loudounhistory.org/african-american-communities/ |title=An Introduction to Loudoun County’s African American Communities |last=Lee |first=Deborah |date=2004 |website=The History of Loudoun County, Virginia |access-date=October 21, 2020}}</ref>

The [[Hamilton Masonic Lodge]], [[Janney House]], [[William Smith House (Hamilton, Virginia)|William Smith House]], [[Spring Hill Farm (Hamilton, Virginia)|Spring Hill Farm]], and [[Sunnyside Farm (Hamilton, Virginia)|Sunnyside Farm]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

[[File:2018-10-19 12 19 02 View east along Virginia State Route 7 Business (Colonial Highway) just west of Rogers Street in Hamilton, Loudoun County, Virginia.jpg|thumb|left|SR 7 Bus in Hamilton]]

==Transportation==
The only primary highway directly serving Hamilton is [[Virginia State Route 7 Business (Purcellville)|Virginia State Route 7 Business]]. SR 7 Bus follows Colonial Highway west to east through central Hamilton, connecting to [[Purcellville, Virginia|Purcellville]] to the west and [[Leesburg, Virginia|Leesburg]] to the east. [[Virginia State Route 7]], which originally followed Colonial Highway through Hamilton, now bypasses the town just to the north. Via SR 7, travelers may head westward to [[Winchester, Virginia|Winchester]] or turn eastward, eventually reaching [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]]. SR 7 also interchanges with [[Interstate 66]], [[Interstate 81 in Virginia|Interstate 81]], [[Interstate 395 (Virginia)|Interstate 395]] and [[Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)|Interstate 495]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 248
|1890= 407
|1900= 364
|1910= 315
|1920= 287
|1930= 295
|1940= 409
|1950= 351
|1960= 403
|1970= 502
|1980= 598
|1990= 700
|2000= 562
|2010= 506
|estyear=2019
|estimate=629
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|date=May 24, 2020|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 562 people, 216 households, and 157 families living in the town. The [[population density]] was 2,218.2 people per square mile (868.0/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 224 housing units at an average density of 884.1 per square mile (345.9/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the town was 97.69% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.42% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.53% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.36% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]]. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.07% of the population.

There were 216 households, out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.3% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 79.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $59,688, and the median income for a family was $73,333. Males had a median income of $53,571 versus $32,857 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $27,474. About 2.4% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Notable people==
* [[Jimmye Laycock]], college football player and coach
* [[Ashley Caldwell]], 2010 US Ski Team Member US Olympic Team Member Aerials (youngest US Olympian in the 2010 Vancouver Games)<ref>[https://www.columbiamissourian.com/sports/ashley-caldwell-looks-to-prove-doubters-wrong-in-sochi/article_6376fbf6-fadc-5250-9d06-2b1d16b54b0b.html Ashley Caldwell looks to prove doubters wrong in Sochi | Sports | columbiamissourian.com] Retrieved May 7, 2018.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Hamilton, Virginia}}
{{Virginia towns}}
{{Loudoun County, Virginia}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Loudoun County, Virginia]]
[[Category:Towns in Virginia]]