Editing Onancock, Virginia

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Onancock, Virginia
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = File:Onancock Virginia Town Hall and Police Station.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = The Town Hall and Police Department of Onancock
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Accomack County Virginia incorporated and unincorporated areas Onancock highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Accomack County, Virginia|Accomack 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        = [[Accomack County, Virginia|Accomack]]

<!-- 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="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         = 1.05
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.05
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2010 United States Census|2010]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 1263
|population_density_sq_mi = 1156.64

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset = &minus;5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
| utc_offset_DST = &minus;4
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_m              = 
|elevation_ft             = 16
|coordinates              = {{Coord|37|42|38|N|75|44|47|W|region:US-VA_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
|postal_code              = 23417
|area_code                = [[Area codes 757 and 948|757, 948]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 51-59336<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              = 1493376<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1493376}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://www.onancock.com/}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 2019
|pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse"/>
|population_est = 1211
|area_total_km2 = 2.72
|area_land_km2 = 2.71
|area_water_km2 = 0.00
|population_density_km2 = 446.78
}}

'''Onancock''' ({{IPAc-en|oʊ|ˈ|n|æ|n|k|ɒ|k}} {{Respell|oh|NAN|kok}}) is a town in [[Accomack County, Virginia|Accomack County]], [[Virginia]], United States. The population was 1,263 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=https://www.census.gov| title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Onancock town, Virginia| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=April 5, 2012}}</ref>

==History==
According to a nearby Virginia state highway marker, Onancock was founded in 1680.  A courthouse was established some years after, and militia barracks established during the Revolution.

Some thirteen months after [[Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis|Cornwallis]]' October 1781 [[Siege of Yorktown|surrender at Yorktown]], Commodore Zedechiah Whaley sought aid from Onancock during a naval campaign against British barges of war that had been harassing the shores and farms of [[Chesapeake Bay]].  On November 28, 1782, he sailed up Onancock Creek and appealed to Lt. Colonel John Cropper, who rounded up 25 local men in support.  They boarded Whaley's flagship, ''Protector'', and continued his siege upon the British flotilla.

In what became the [[Battle of Kedges Strait]] three out of four of Whaley's barges turned back under heavy British fire, leaving the ''Protector'' alone to press on with the fight. Vastly outnumbered, ultimately 25 of its 65 men were killed or wounded, 29 captured, and only 11 escaped during a climactic action on November 30.  Whaley surrendered—in the last naval action of the Revolution—on the very day the [[Treaty of Paris (1783)|Treaty of Paris]] seeking to finally end the hostilities between the two nations was drafted.<ref>[http://esvhs.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-battle-of-barges.html "The Battle of the Barges"], Eastern Shore of Virginia Historical Society</ref>  It would be another year and a half yet until the completed treaty was signed, ratified, and exchanged, ultimately becoming effective on May 12, 1784.

The highway marker also indicates that the home of Virginia governor [[Henry A. Wise]] (1856–60), Onley, is nearby.

In the mid-19th century, Onancock was a point along the [[stagecoach]] route between [[Wilmington, Delaware]] and [[Eastville, Virginia]].<ref name="Sherman Smith 1847">{{cite book|last=Smith|first=John Calvin|title=The Illustrated Hand-book, a New Guide for travelers through the United States of America|date=1847|publisher=Sherman & Smith|location=New York City|pages=[https://archive.org/details/illustratedhandb00smitrich/page/127 127]–128|url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedhandb00smitrich}}</ref>

The [[Onancock Historic District]], [[Cokesbury Church]], [[Hopkins and Brother Store]], and [[Ker Place]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 1.0&nbsp;square mile (2.7&nbsp;km{{sup|2}}), all  land.

It lies at an elevation of 16 feet,<ref name=gnis/> and is on the [[Eastern Shore of Virginia]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1900= 938
|1910= 1001
|1920= 1074
|1930= 1245
|1940= 1283
|1950= 1353
|1960= 1759
|1970= 1614
|1980= 1461
|1990= 1434
|2000= 1525
|2010= 1263
|estyear=2019
|estimate=1211
|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>
}}

At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 1,525 people, 656 households, and 392 families living in the town. The population density was 1,452.3 people per square mile (560.8/km{{sup|2}}). There were 733 housing units at an average density of 698.0 per square mile (269.5/km{{sup|2}}).  The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makeup]] of the town was 66.43% White, 31.41% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.66% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.89%.<ref name="GR2" />

Of the 656 households 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 38.0% of households were one person and 24.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.82.

The age distribution was 21.2% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 26.3% 65 or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.3 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 73.1 males.

The median household income was $28,214 and the median family income was $37,039. Males had a median income of $25,956 versus $19,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,393. About 8.4% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Transportation==
===Major highway===
*{{jct|state=VA|VA|179}}

===Public transportation===
[[STAR Transit (Virginia)|STAR Transit]] provides [[public transit]] services, linking Onancock with [[Onley, Virginia|Onley]] and other communities in Accomack and [[Northampton County, Virginia|Northampton]] counties on the Eastern Shore.

==Notable people==
* [[Barbara Bohannan-Sheppard]] - mayor of [[Chester, Pennsylvania]]
* [[Josh Nolz]] - professional soccer player.
* [[Nick Boddie Williams]] - editor of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' from 1958 to 1971.
* [[George D. Wise (politician)|George D. Wise]] - U.S. Representative from Virginia.

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{official website|https://onancock.com}}
* [http://www.Onancock.Org Onancock Business and Civic Association]

{{Accomack County, Virginia}}
{{Virginia towns}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Accomack County, Virginia]]
[[Category:Towns in Virginia]]
[[Category:Onancock, Virginia| ]]