Editing Westmoreland County, Virginia

{{short description|County in Virginia, United States}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Westmoreland County
 | state                = Virginia
 | seal                 = Westmoreland Seal.jpg
 | founded              = 1653
 | seat wl              = Montross
 | largest city wl      = Colonial Beach
 | city type            = town
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 253
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 229
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 24
 | area percentage      = 9.3
 | population_total     = 18,477
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_density_km2 = auto
 | web                  = www.westmoreland-county.org/
 | ex image             = Montross courthouse.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Old Westmoreland County Courthouse in [[Montross, Virginia|Montross]]
 | ex image size        = 225px
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | district             = 1st
 | named for            = [[Westmorland]]
}}

'''Westmoreland County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[Northern Neck]] of the [[Virginia|Commonwealth of Virginia]]. As of the [[2020 United States census]], the population sits at 18,477.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Westmoreland County, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US51193|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 30, 2022}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Montross, Virginia|Montross]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Nomini Hall Westmoreland County Virginia.jpg|thumb|Nomini Hall, the Carter family plantation in Westmoreland County, was built in 1730 on land purchased from heirs of [[Nicholas Spencer]] by [[Robert Carter I|Robert "King" Carter]]]]
As originally established by the [[Colony of Virginia|Virginia colony]]'s [[House of Burgesses]], this area was separated from [[Northumberland County, Virginia|Northumberland County]] in 1653 and named for the [[English county]] of [[Westmorland]]; both counties are coastal.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.slideshare.net/TTC_Media/virginia-county-names-a-history|title=Virginia County Names - A History|date= September 21, 2013}}</ref> The territory of Westmoreland County encompassed much of what later became the various counties and cities of [[Northern Virginia]], including the [[Alexandria, Virginia|city of Alexandria]], [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington County]], [[Fairfax County, Virginia|Fairfax County]], and [[Prince William County, Virginia|Prince William County]]. These areas comprised part of Westmoreland until the formation of [[Stafford County, Virginia|Stafford County]] in 1664.

Westmoreland County on Northern Neck was the birthplace of [[George Washington]], who later became the first [[President of the United States]] (born at the former settlement of [[Bridges Creek, Virginia]]);<ref>Marquis, A.N. Company. ''Who's Who In America'', vol. 1:Historical Volume (1607-1896), revised ed., Marquis, A.N. Company., 1967.</ref> of [[James Monroe]], the fifth President; and of [[Robert E. Lee]], general and commander of the [[Confederate Army|Confederate armies]] during the [[American Civil War]] of 1861–1865.

Colonel [[Nicholas Spencer]] (1633-1689) resided in this county. He [[Land patent|patented]] the land at [[Mount Vernon]] in 1674 with his friend Lt. Col. [[John Washington]], ancestor of George Washington. Spencer, who served as President of [[Virginia Governor's Council|the Council]] and acting [[List of Governors of Virginia|Governor]] (in office: 1683–1684) of the [[Colony of Virginia]], was the cousin of, and agent for, the [[Baron Colepeper|Barons Colepeper]], [[Proprietary colony|proprietors]] of the [[Northern Neck]]. Spencer lived at his plantation, ''Nomini'', which his descendants later sold to [[Robert Carter I]] (1662/63 – 1732) .

Robert Carter's grandson, [[Robert Carter III]], is known for voluntarily freeing almost 500 [[History of slavery in Virginia|slaves]] from Nomini Hall, beginning in 1791. He also provided for their settlement on land that he bought for them in [[Ohio Country]].{{citation needed|date=March 2022}} This [[manumission]] was the largest known release of slaves in North America prior to the American Civil War and involved the largest number ever manumitted by an individual in the U.S.<ref name="Levy2005">{{cite book |last1=Levy |first1=Andrew |title=The First Emancipator: The Forgotten Story of Robert Carter, the Founding Father Who Freed His Slaves |date=2005 |publisher=Random House |isbn=978-1-58836-469-2 |page=147 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GcXFlzeQ8JwC&pg=PA147 |language=en |quote=he undertook the largest private emancipation in American history}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[Image:Westmoreland County water tower.jpg|thumb|Rural Westmoreland County]]
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|253|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|229|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|24|sqmi|km2}} (9.3%) is water.<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> Located on the [[Northern Neck]], the county is within the [[Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace AVA]] winemaking [[appellation]].

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Charles County, Maryland]] - north
* [[St. Mary's County, Maryland]] - northeast
* [[Northumberland County, Virginia]] - southeast
* [[Richmond County, Virginia]] - south
* [[Essex County, Virginia]] - southwest
* [[King George County, Virginia]] - northwest

===National protected areas===
* [[George Washington Birthplace National Monument]]
* [[Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge]] (part) Mothershead unit

===Major highways===
* {{jct|state=VA|SR|3}}
* {{jct|state=VA|SR|202}}
* {{jct|state=VA|SR|203}}
* {{jct|state=VA|SR|205}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1820= 6901
|1830= 8396
|1840= 8019
|1850= 8080
|1860= 8282
|1870= 7682
|1880= 8846
|1890= 8399
|1900= 9243
|1910= 9313
|1920= 10240
|1930= 8497
|1940= 9512
|1950= 10148
|1960= 11042
|1970= 12142
|1980= 14041
|1990= 15480
|2000= 16718
|2010= 17454
|2020= 18477
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2019">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|access-date=April 1, 2020}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 24, 2022}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 5, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/va190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 5, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 5, 2014}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Westmoreland County, Virginia - Demographic Profile'''<br> (''NH = Non-Hispanic'')
!Race / Ethnicity
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Westmoreland County, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US51193&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Westmoreland County, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US51193&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|11,087
|11,758
|63.52%
|63.64%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|4,855
|4,470
|27.82%
|24.19%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|64
|67
|0.37%
|0.36%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|91
|146
|0.52%
|0.79%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|3
|11
|0.02%
|0.06%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Some Other Race]] alone (NH)
|14
|68
|0.08%
|0.37%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed Race/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|338
|908
|1.94%
|4.91%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|1,002
|1,049
|5.74%
|5.68%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''17,454'''
|'''18,477'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|}
''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

===2000 Census===
At the 2000 [[census]],<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 16,718 people, 6,846 households and 4,689 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|73|/sqmi|/km2|abbr=on}}. There were 9,286 housing units at an average density of {{convert|40|/sqmi|/km2|abbr=on}}. The racial makeup of the county was 65.41% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 30.89% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.28% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.36% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.75% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.29% from two or more races. 3.46% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 6,846 households, of which 25.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.70% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.91.

23.00% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 23.90% from 25 to 44, 27.80% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.90 males.

The [[median household income]] was $35,797 and the median family income was $41,357. Males had a median income of $31,333 and females $22,221. The [[per capita income]] was $19,473. About 11.20% of families and 14.70% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 21.10% of those under age 18 and 12.50% of those age 65 or over.

== Economy ==
The county's economy is largely based on agriculture. Tourism is another significant economic driver, related to historical sites such as [[George Washington Birthplace National Monument]] and Robert E. Lee's birthplace, [[Stratford Hall Plantation]], and the Westmoreland County Museum as well as gambling activities available in [[Colonial Beach, Virginia|Colonial Beach]]. The county is also an extended [[exurb]] of [[Washington, D.C.]]

Northern Neck Coca-Cola Bottling Inc. (makers of Northern Neck Ginger Ale) and the weekly ''[[Westmoreland News]]'' are located in Montross.

== Notable people ==
[[Image:Geo Washington birthplace.jpg|thumb|[[George Washington Birthplace National Monument]]]]
[[File:Stratford Hall .entrance Westmoreland Virginia.jpg|thumb|View of the main facade of [[Stratford Hall (plantation)|Stratford Hall]], the ancestral home of the [[Lee family]] of Westmoreland County]]
* [[Eliza Allen (Virginia)|Eliza Allen]], African American activist, clubwoman, and banker
* [[Walter Balderson]] (1926–2023), [[Emmy Award]]-winning video engineer
* [[Thomas Brown (Florida politician)|Thomas Brown]], second [[governor of Florida]]
* [[Francis Lightfoot Lee]], [[Founding Fathers of the United States|U.S. Founding Father]] and signer of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|U.S. Declaration of Independence]]
* [[Laetitia Corbin Lee]] (1657–1706), American colonist
* [[Richard Henry Lee]], a signatory of the [[United States Declaration of Independence]], U.S. Senator, and sixth president of the United States in Congress Assembled under the [[Articles of Confederation]]
* [[Richard "Squire" Lee]], prominent Virginian colonist and American politician
* [[Robert E. Lee]] (1807-1870), [[Confederate States Army|Confederate Army]] general in the [[American Civil War]]
* [[Thomas Lee (Virginia colonist)|Thomas Lee]], leading political figure in [[Colony of Virginia|colonial Virginia]]
* [[Thomas Marshall (U.S. politician)|Thomas Marshall]], grandfather of former [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]] chief justice [[John Marshall]]
* [[James Monroe]] (1758-1831), fifth president of the United States
* [[John Dos Passos|John dos Passos]], author of the [[U.S.A. trilogy]] and other works
* [[Nicholas Spencer]], acting governor of Virginia, co-patentee of [[Mount Vernon]] estate
* [[Nathaniel Rochester]], founder of [[Rochester, New York]]
* [[Thomas Sandford]], [[American Revolutionary War]] soldier, Kentucky [[State legislature (United States)|legislator]], Member of the [[8th United States Congress|Eighth]] and [[9th United States Congress|Ninth]] U.S. Congress
* [[Bushrod Washington]] (1762-1829), [[Associate Justice of the Supreme Court]], founder and first president of the [[American Colonization Society]], nephew of George Washington and inheritor of [[Mount Vernon]]
* [[George Washington]] (1732-1799), the first [[president of the United States]]
* [[John Washington]] (1631-1677), great-grandfather of [[George Washington]]
* [[Sloan Wilson]], author of ''[[The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (novel)|The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit]]''
* [[Rob Wittman]], U.S. Congressman

==Communities==
===Towns===
* [[Colonial Beach, Virginia|Colonial Beach]]
* [[Montross, Virginia|Montross]]

==Politics==
Westmoreland County is a notable [[bellwether]] for U.S. presidential politics, having voted for the winner in every election since [[1928 United States presidential election|1928]] except [[1948 United States presidential election|1948]], [[1960 United States presidential election|1960]], and [[2020 United States presidential election|2020]].

{{PresHead|place=Westmoreland County, Virginia|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|6,003|4,491|113|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|5,318|4,501|114|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|4,448|3,836|290|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|3,731|4,295|94|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|3,719|4,577|81|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|3,433|3,370|45|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,932|2,922|172|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|2,333|2,949|506|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|2,554|2,758|911|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|2,974|2,311|85|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,219|2,363|81|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|2,510|2,271|208|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,909|2,355|304|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,331|1,113|88|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|1,402|1,156|948|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,181|1,312|6|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|1,176|1,034|9|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,033|695|169|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|1,117|754|6|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|568|503|205|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|532|808|4|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|357|845|1|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|296|871|0|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|212|641|4|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|554|393|0|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|157|484|14|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|133|396|1|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|126|338|1|Virginia}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|69|341|45|Virginia}}

==Education==
There are two school districts: [[Westmoreland County Public Schools]] has the majority of the county, while [[Colonial Beach Town Public Schools]] has residential areas in the town limits of Colonial Beach.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st51_va/schooldistrict_maps/c51193_westmoreland/DC20SD_C51193.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Westmoreland County, VA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-10-25}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st51_va/schooldistrict_maps/c51193_westmoreland/DC20SD_C51193_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://colonialbeachva.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1342/zoningmap|title=Zoning Map|publisher=Colonial Beach|access-date=2024-10-25}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[George Washington Birthplace National Monument]]
* [[History of Popes Creek (Virginia)|History of Popes Creek, Virginia]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Westmoreland County, Virginia]]
* [[Stratford Hall Plantation]]
* [[Central Rappahannock Regional Library]]
*[[Westmoreland State Park]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [http://www.wcchamber.com/ Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.westmoreland-county.org/ Westmoreland County Government]
* [http://nominihallslavelegacy.com Nomini Hall Slave Legacy Project: Chronicling the Descendants of the Slaves freed by Robert Carter III at Nomini Hall]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Westmoreland County, Virginia
|North     = [[Charles County, Maryland]]
|Northeast = [[St. Mary's County, Maryland]]
|East      =
|Southeast = [[Northumberland County, Virginia|Northumberland County]]
|South     = [[Richmond County, Virginia|Richmond County]]
|Southwest = [[Essex County, Virginia|Essex County]]
|West      =
|Northwest = [[King George County, Virginia|King George County]]
}}

{{Westmoreland County, Virginia}}
{{Virginia}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|38.11|-76.80|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-VA_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Westmoreland County, Virginia| ]]
[[Category:Virginia counties]]
[[Category:Virginia counties on the Potomac River]]
[[Category:Northern Neck]]