Editing Mechanicsville, Virginia

{{Other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Mechanicsville, Virginia
| settlement_type    = [[Census-designated place]]
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = Shelton House - Shenk.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = [[Rural Plains]]
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = Hanover County Virginia incorporated and unincorporated areas Mechanicsville highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 260px
| map_caption        = Location in [[Hanover County, Virginia|Hanover County]] and the state of [[Virginia]]
<!-- 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  = [[Hanover County, Virginia|Hanover]]
<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = <!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <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>
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 73.6
| area_land_km2      = 73.3
| area_water_km2     = 0.3
| area_total_sq_mi   = 
| area_land_sq_mi    = 
| area_water_sq_mi   = <!-- Population -->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 39482
| pop_est_footnotes  = <ref name="USCensusEst2022">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/mechanicsvillecdpvirginia|title=Mechanicsville CDP, Virginia|website=QuickFacts|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=14 March 2023}}</ref>
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| population_est     = 
| population_density_km2 = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 1393.4
<!-- General information -->| timezone           = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_ft       = 180
| coordinates        = {{coord|37|36|14|N|77|22|20|W|region:US-VA|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]s
| postal_code        = 23111, 23116
| area_code          = [[Area code 804|804]]
| blank_name         = [[FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 51-50856
| blank1_name        = [[GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2389467
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
| nickname           = 
}}
'''Mechanicsville''' is an [[unincorporated community]] and [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Hanover County, Virginia]], United States. The population was 39,482 during the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]],<ref name="USCensusEst2022"/> up from 36,348 in the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]].<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US5150856| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Mechanicsville CDP, Virginia| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=March 21, 2018| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213103747/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US5150856| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History==
The area was settled by English colonists starting in the 17th century. [[Rural Plains]], also known as Shelton House, is a structure built in 1670 and lived in by male Sheltons until 2006. Located in the northern part of the Mechanicsville CDP, it is now owned and operated by the [[National Park Service]] as one of the sites of the [[Richmond National Battlefield Park]].

In addition to Rural Plains, [[Clover Lea]], [[Cold Harbor National Cemetery]], [[Cool Well]], [[Hanover Meeting House]], [[Hanover Town, Virginia|Hanover Town]], [[Immanuel Episcopal Church (Mechanicsville, Virginia)|Immanuel Episcopal Church]], [[Laurel Meadow (Mechanicsville, Virginia)|Laurel Meadow]], [[Locust Hill (Mechanicsville, Virginia)|Locust Hill]], [[Oak Forest (Mechanicsville, Virginia)|Oak Forest]], [[Oakley Hill]], [[Selwyn (Mechanicsville, Virginia)|Selwyn]], and [[Spring Green (Mechanicsville, Virginia)|Spring Green]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

In downtown Mechanicsville stands a stone windmill, now a landmark in the area. The building was constructed as a Heritage Bank branch office in the 1970s. In 2007–2008, it was restored and enlarged by a new bank occupancy. The "windmill" is decorative and driven by an electric motor.

===American Civil War===
Mechanicsville, and the surrounding area, was the site of numerous battles during the [[American Civil War]]. The first was the [[Battle of Beaver Dam Creek]], which began on June 26, 1862. [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] General [[A.P. Hill]] launched a series of assaults against [[Union Army|Union]] Major General [[Fitz John Porter]]'s army positioned along Beaver Dam Creek, just east of Mechanicsville. Union forces repulsed the Confederate attacks and afterward withdrew to a new position along Boatswain Creek near Gaines' Mill. The Beaver Dam Creek engagement was the second in the series of Civil War battles known as the [[Seven Days Battles]]. A small portion of the battlefield in the southeast part of the CDP has been preserved as part of the [[Richmond National Battlefield Park]], a park area administered by the [[National Park Service]].

The [[Battle of Gaines' Mill]] was the third of the [[Seven Days Battles]], occurring farther east of Mechanicsville. A portion of the battlefield has been preserved at the "Watt House" as part of the [[Richmond National Battlefield Park]], a park area administered by the [[National Park Service]].

Near Gaines' Mill was the [[Battle of Cold Harbor]], the final major battle of [[Union army|Union]] Lieut. Gen. [[Ulysses S. Grant]]'s 1864 [[Overland Campaign]]. This was fought over the same ground as the Battle of Gaines' Mill. The area identified as part of the battlefield for "Second Cold Harbor" stretches from near the intersection of Walnut Grove Road and Mechanicsville Turnpike to "Turkey Hill" near the Rt. 156 crossing of the [[Chickahominy River]]. An area of the battlefield which saw heavy casualties and a nearby post-war National cemetery are preserved as historic monuments.

==Geography==
Mechanicsville comprises the western portion of Hanover County's southern extension, north of the [[Chickahominy River]]. The southern border of the CDP, which follows the Chickahominy, is the [[Henrico County, Virginia|Henrico County]] line, and at its closest point, Mechanicsville is less than two miles from the city limits of Richmond. [[U.S. Route 360]] passes through the CDP, leading southwest {{convert|6|mi|0}} to the center of [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] and northeast {{convert|40|mi}} to [[Tappahannock, Virginia|Tappahannock]]. [[Interstate 295 (Virginia)|Interstate 295]], an eastern bypass of Richmond, crosses Mechanicsville from northwest to southeast, with access from exits 41, 38, 37, and 34. [[U.S. Route 301]] forms the northwest border of the CDP, leading south {{convert|9|mi|0}} to the center of Richmond and north {{convert|29|mi}} to [[Bowling Green, Virginia|Bowling Green]].

The original rural hamlet of Mechanicsville is in the southwest part of the CDP along US 360, just southwest of I-295 Exit 37. The CDP also includes the neighborhoods or named places of Pearsons Corner, Oak Forest, Kings Charter, Rural Point, Borkeys Store, Burnside Farms, Mayfield Farms, Carneals Store, Pole Green, Newman, Dogwood Knoll, Spring Meadows, Brandy Creek Estates, Windy Hill Estates, Ellerson Mill, and Simpkins Corner.<ref>{{Cite web| url=http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=37.60748,-77.36090&z=14&t=T&marker0=37.77721%2C-77.51608%2CHanover%5C%2C%20VA| title=Mechanicsville, VA| publisher=ACME Mapper| work=U.S. Geological Survey 7.5-minute topographic map series| access-date=March 22, 2018}}</ref>

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the Mechanicsville CDP has a total area of {{convert|73.6|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|73.3|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|0.3|sqkm|order=flip|1}}, or 0.42%, are water.<ref name="Census 2010"/> The southern part of the CDP is drained by the Chickahominy River and its tributaries, flowing to the [[James River]], while the northern part is drained by tributaries of the [[Pamunkey River]], part of the [[York River (Virginia)|York River]] watershed.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1970= 5189
| 1980= 9269
| 1990= 22027
| 2000= 30464 
| 2010= 36348
| 2020= 39482
| footnote=
}}
As of the [[census]] of 2020, there were 39,482 people and 14,675 households residing<ref name="2020Census">{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Mechanicsville CDP, Virginia |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/mechanicsvillecdpvirginia/POP010220 |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=www.census.gov |language=en}}</ref> in the CDP. The [[population density]] was 1,393.4 people per square mile (414.5/km<sup>2</sup>).

The racial makeup of the CDP was 84.0% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 8.9% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.6% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.1% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], and 4.7% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.8% of the population.<ref name="2020Census" />

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years.

The median income for a household in the town was $84,833. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $38,487. 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line.

== Notable people ==
* [[Willie Adler]], guitarist for [[Lamb of God (band)|Lamb of God]]
* [[Lucy Dacus]], singer/songwriter
* [[Wes Freed]], artist and musician
* [[Kevin Grubb]], racing driver
* [[Wayne Grubb]], racing driver
* [[Jock Jones]], NFL Linebacker
* [[Tim Menzies]], singer/songwriter
* [[Jason Mraz]], singer/songwriter
* [[Connor Overton]], MLB pitcher
* [[Billy Parker (gridiron football)|Billy Parker]], [[Arena Football League (1987–2008)|Arena Football League]] defensive specialist for the [[New York Dragons]]
* [[Mary Ann Redmond]], singer/songwriter
* [[Sam Rogers (fullback)|Sam Rogers]], NFL fullback
* [[Zuriel Smith]], former [[New England Patriots]] wide receiver<ref>[http://www.dallascowboys.com/profile_smith_zuriel.cfm Zuriel Smith Profile at dallascowboys.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017071435/http://www.dallascowboys.com/profile_smith_zuriel.cfm |date=2007-10-17 }}</ref>
* [[Matthew Taylor (bassist)|Matt Taylor]], bassist in the band [[Motion City Soundtrack]]<ref name=richmond.com>[http://www.richmond.com/music/output.aspx? Our Late Night with Conan O'Brien]</ref>
* [[Tony Thaxton]], drummer in the band [[Motion City Soundtrack]]<ref name=richmond.com />
* [[Stacy Tutt]], NFL fullback
* [[Joe Douglas (American football)|Joe Douglas]], NFL GM

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==

{{Hanover County, Virginia}}
{{Greater Richmond Region}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Hanover County, Virginia]]
[[Category:Suburbs of Richmond, Virginia]]