Editing Yorktown, Virginia

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Yorktown, Virginia
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]

|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Yorktown customhouse.jpg
|imagesize                = 230px|map_caption              = Location of Yorktown, Virginia
|caption                  = Yorktown customhouse, May 2011
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|mapsize1                 =
|map_caption1             = Location of Yorktown in Virginia
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<!-- 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        = [[York County, Virginia|York]]

<!-- Government -->
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|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.0

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     =
|population_total         = 221
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<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
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|elevation_ft             = 13
|coordinates              = {{coord|37|14|4|N|76|30|35|W|region:US-VA|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 23690–23693
|area_code                = [[Area codes 757 and 948|757, 948]] 
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 51-88240<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>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1500081<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
|website                  =
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}}

'''Yorktown''' is a [[town]] in [[York County, Virginia]], United States. It is the [[county seat]] of York County,<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> one of the eight original shires formed in [[Colony of Virginia|colonial Virginia]] in 1682. Yorktown's population was 195 as of the 2010 census, while York County's population was 66,134 in the 2011 census estimate.

The town is most famous as the site of the [[Siege of Yorktown|siege and subsequent surrender]] of General [[Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis|Charles Cornwallis]] to General [[George Washington]] and the [[French Navy|French Fleet]] during the [[American Revolutionary War]] on October 19, 1781. Although the war would last for another year, this British defeat at Yorktown effectively ended the war in [[North America]]. Yorktown also figured prominently in the [[American Civil War]] (1861–1865), serving as a major port to supply both northern and southern towns, depending upon who held Yorktown at the time.

Yorktown is one of three sites of the [[Historic Triangle]], which also includes [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]] and [[Williamsburg, Virginia|Williamsburg]] as important colonial-era settlements. It is the eastern terminus of the [[Colonial Parkway]] connecting these locations. Yorktown is also the eastern terminus of the [[TransAmerica Trail]], a [[bicycle touring]] route created by the [[Adventure Cycling Association]].

One of Yorktown's historic [[sister cities]] is [[Zweibrücken]] in [[Germany]], based on participation of a unit from there during the American Revolutionary War.

==History==
[[Image:Surrender of Lord Cornwallis.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Surrender of [[Lord Cornwallis]] at Yorktown in 1781 depicted in a painting by [[John Trumbull]]]]
Yorktown was named for the ancient city of [[York]] in [[Yorkshire]], [[North England|Northern England]].  It was founded in 1691 as a port on the [[York River (Virginia)|York River]] for English colonists to export tobacco to Europe. The lawyer Thomas Ballard was the principal founder of the city along with Joseph Ring.<ref>James Branch Cabell, ''The Majors and Their Marriages,'' pp. 58-59.</ref> It became the county seat in 1696, and although it never had more than about 200 houses its trade was considerable until the American Revolutionary War.<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Yorktown|volume=28|page=936}}</ref> It was called "York" until after the war, when the name "Yorktown" came into common use.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cOBBAAAAMAAJ&q=York+Yorktown+Nelson&pg=PA185|title=Genealogy of the Page Family in Virginia|last1=Page|first1=Richard Channing Moore|year=1893}}</ref>

The town reached the height of its development around 1750, when it had 250 to 300 buildings and a population of almost 2,000 people. It was the base of [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] General [[Charles Cornwallis]] during the 1781 [[siege of Yorktown|siege]], which was the last major battle of the [[American Revolutionary War]].

When waterways were critical to transportation, Yorktown was thought to occupy a strategic location controlling upstream portions of the York River and its tributaries and their access to the [[Chesapeake Bay]]. In his ''Notes on the State of Virginia'' published in 1781–82, [[Thomas Jefferson]] noted that the York River at Yorktown "affords the best harbour in the state for vessels of the largest size. The river there narrows to the width of a mile, and is contained within very high banks, close under which the vessels may ride."<ref>[http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=JefVirg.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=all Notes on the State of Virginia<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829133128/http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=JefVirg.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=all |date=August 29, 2013 }}</ref>

The population dropped in Yorktown and other areas of the mostly rural peninsula after the state's capital was relocated from Williamsburg to [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] on the [[James River]], attracting more development there. In addition, tobacco exhausted the soil, and planters shifted to mixed crops, which required less slave labor. Many generations of younger sons migrated out of the Tidewater area to new lands further west, into the [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]] and beyond to Kentucky, Tennessee and what became the Northwest Territory.

During the 1862 [[Peninsula Campaign]] of the [[American Civil War]] (1861–1865), the town was captured by the Union following the [[Siege of Yorktown (1862)|Siege and Battle of Yorktown]]. It was used as a base by the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] [[Army of the Potomac]] under General [[George B. McClellan]] to launch an attack on Richmond.

One of Yorktown's sister cities is [[Zweibrücken]], Germany. During the American Revolutionary War, the [[Royal Deux-Ponts Regiment]] was commanded by Comte [[Christian von Zweibrücken (1752–1817)|Christian de Forbach]] (son of [[Christian IV, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken]], and the deputy commander was his brother [[Wilhelm von Zweibrücken|Philippe Guillaume (later renamed to Wilhelm)]]. This was one of the four regiments that arrived at [[Newport, Rhode Island]] with [[Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau|Rochambeau]] in 1780. It participated on the side of Americans in the [[Siege of Yorktown|Battle of Yorktown]] in 1781.

Yorktown's other sister city is [[Port-Vendres]], France. It's from this small port on the Mediterranean coast that the French expeditionary force left Europe to fight the British army in America.

During [[World War I]], to support Atlantic defenses, the federal government in 1918 acquired about {{convert|13000|acre|km2}} for development by the US Navy as Mine Depot, Yorktown. This large installation straddled York, [[Warwick County, Virginia|Warwick]] and [[James City County, Virginia|James City]] counties. It has since expanded and been developed as [[Naval Weapons Station Yorktown]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=38849|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604171557/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=38849|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 4, 2011|title=Naval Weapons Station Yorktown Celebrates 90 Years of Ordnance Support|author=This story was written Mark O. Piggott, Naval Weapons Station Yorktown Public Affairs}}</ref> Cheatham Annex, a facility which was developed over the former town of [[Penniman, Virginia|Penniman]], is also included as part of the base.

[[Training Center Yorktown]] serves as a training school for the [[United States Coast Guard]]. Also relatively close to Yorktown are [[Camp Peary]] (in York County), the [[Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company|Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding]] yards and facilities, and [[Fort Eustis]] Army base (both in [[Newport News, Virginia|Newport News]]). Other major installations in the area are [[Naval Station Norfolk]], located at [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]], and [[Langley Air Force Base]] in [[Hampton, Virginia|Hampton]].

==Description==
[[Image:SomerwellHouseYorktown.wmg.jpg|left|thumb|225px|The Somerwell House (c.1700) on Main Street.]]
In the early 21st century, Yorktown is popular as a destination for heritage tourism. Yorktown Village or Historic Yorktown is located close to the [[York River (Virginia)|York River]] near the [[George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge]] that spans the river to [[Gloucester Point]]. Historic Yorktown is comprised first of Water Street, a small strip along the beach of the river; it contains several small restaurants, a park, a hotel, a pier, and an antiques shop. In May 2005 a building was constructed with more shops and restaurants, enhancing what is known as the "Riverwalk" section on the waterfront.

Next, Main Street is located on a bluff above the floodplain. Architecture in this area is almost exclusively original to the colonial era. Nine buildings, including the circa-1730 [[Thomas "Scotch Tom" Nelson#Nelson House|Nelson House]] and Somerwell House (see photo), survive from the pre-Revolutionary period. The old court house, several small shops, the Nelson House, and the [[Yorktown Victory Monument|Yorktown Monument]] are located along this road. Around the center of the town are residential streets. Grace Episcopal Church, situated on Church Street near the old courthouse, is noted for its architecture.

==Honors==
[[File:Yorktown monument1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|This [[Yorktown Victory Monument|monument]] at Yorktown celebrating victory in the [[American Revolutionary War]] was installed in 1884. It has a total height of 29.87 metres (98 ft)]]
Yorktown and the nearby area are significant to the early history of the United States. [[Colonial National Historical Park]], which contains and preserves [[Yorktown National Battlefield]] and [[Yorktown National Cemetery]], is located on the outskirts of town. The battlefield has many of the [[earthworks (engineering)|earthworks]] dug by the [[siege|besieging]] American and French forces.

The [[Yorktown Victory Monument]], commemorating the victory, the alliance with France that brought it about, and the resulting peace with Great Britain after the war, is located just outside the current town. Designed by [[New York City]] architect [[Richard Morris Hunt]], the monument was installed in 1884 and topped by a figure of Liberty sculpted by [[John Quincy Adams Ward]]. That element was destroyed by lightning in 1942. It was replaced in 1957 by a figure of Victory by [[Oskar J. W. Hansen]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://siris-artinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=1271U8303784U.2866&profile=ariall&source=~!siartinventories&view=subscriptionsummary&uri=full=3100001~!305055~!31&ri=1&aspect=Keyword&menu=search&ipp=20&spp=20&staffonly=&term=richard+morris+hunt&index=.GW&uindex=&aspect=Keyword&menu=search&ri=1|title=Yorktown Victory Monument, (sculpture).}}</ref> A memorial to the French war dead of the Yorktown campaign is being planned for construction at the French cemetery on the site of the battle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/york/historyculture/french-army-casualties01.htm|title=French Army Casualties at Yorkown}}</ref>

==Transportation==
[[U.S. Route 17 in Virginia|U.S. Route 17]], also known as George Washington Memorial Highway, is the primary thoroughfare of Yorktown. It carries traffic via the [[George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge]] across the York River. York County has grown rapidly, and since the late 20th century, the stretch of U.S. 17 that passes through this area has become a heavily traveled route on which numerous strip malls and commercial areas have been developed. Many of the residential areas of York County branch off Route 17 or are near Interstate 64. Little of the recent residential or business development of York County has occurred close to Yorktown. It is being protected and managed as a historical colonial village, much like [[Williamsburg, Virginia|Williamsburg]], under the guidance of the [[National Park Service]].

Yorktown is directly accessible via [[Colonial Parkway]], a two-line, commercial vehicle-free highway that connects with [[Williamsburg, Virginia|Williamsburg]], [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]], [[State Route 199]], [[U.S. Route 60 in Virginia|U.S. Route 60]] and [[Interstate 64 in Virginia|Interstate 64]]. The closest city, Williamsburg, is a 20-minute ride from Yorktown.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=right
|2000= 203
|2010= 195
|2020= 221
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br> 2000<ref name=2000CensusVA>{{Cite web|title= 2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Virginia|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-48.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusVA>{{Cite web|title= 2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Virginia|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 2020
}}

Yorktown was first listed as a [[census designated place]] in the [[2000 U.S. Census]].<ref name=2000CensusVA/>

As of the [[2010 U.S. census|2010 U.S. Census]], there were 195 people living in Yorktown, down from 203 in 2000. There were 126 housing units in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|325|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 126 housing units at an average density of {{convert|210|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.79% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 6.67% [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[Race (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.51% [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 1.03% other races.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 3.08% under the age of 4, 5.64% from 5 to 17, 56.41% from 18 to 64, and 34.87% above 65. There were 101 males for every 100 females.<ref>{{cite web |title=Yorktown Virginia Population |url=http://censusviewer.com/city/VA/Yorktown |website=Census Viewer |access-date=9 October 2020}}</ref>

The average income of a Yorktown resident is $42,775 a year. The Median household income of a Yorktown resident is $60,192 a year. The unemployment rate as of September 2019 was 2.7%.

Federally, Yorktown is part of [[Virginia's 2nd congressional district]], formerly represented by Democrat [[Elaine Luria]], elected in 2018 and currently represented by Jen Kiggans, who defeated Luria in 2022 and Democrat Missy Cotter Smasal in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=King |first=Katie |date=2024-11-06 |title=Jen Kiggans wins 2nd District race against Missy Cotter Smasal |url=https://www.pilotonline.com/2024/11/06/rep-jen-kiggans-leads-in-2nd-district-race-against-missy-cotter-smasal/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=The Virginian-Pilot |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Media==
Yorktown's daily newspaper is the ''[[Daily Press (Virginia)|Daily Press]]'' and ''Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily''. Other papers available to residents of the county include the ''[[Port Folio Weekly]]'', the ''[[New Journal and Guide]]'', and the ''[[Hampton Roads Business Journal]]''.<ref name="Hampton Roads News Links">{{cite web
| url = http://www.abyznewslinks.com/unitevann.htm
| title = Hampton Roads News Links
| access-date = 2007-08-06
| publisher = abyznewslinks.com
}}</ref> ''Hampton Roads Magazine'' is a bi-monthly regional magazine for Yorktown and the [[Hampton Roads]] area.<ref name="Hampton Roads Magazine">{{cite web
| url = http://www.hrmag.com
| title = Hampton Roads Magazine
| access-date = 2007-08-06
| publisher = Hampton Roads Magazine
}}</ref> ''Hampton Roads Times'' serves as an online magazine for all the Hampton Roads cities and counties.

Yorktown is served by a variety of radio stations on the AM and FM dials, with towers located around the [[Hampton Roads]] area.<ref name="Hampton Roads Radio Links">{{cite web
| url = http://www.ontheradio.net/metro/Norfolk_VA.aspx
| title = Hampton Roads Radio Links
| access-date = 2007-08-06
| publisher = ontheradio.net
}}</ref>

Yorktown is also served by several television stations. The Hampton Roads [[designated market area]] (DMA) is the 42nd-largest in the U.S. with 712,790 homes (0.64% of the total U.S.).<ref name="nielsen">Holmes, Gary. "[http://www.nielsenmedia.com/nc/portal/site/Public/menuitem.55dc65b4a7d5adff3f65936147a062a0/?vgnextoid=6573d3b8b0c3d010VgnVCM100000ac0a260aRCRD# Nielsen Reports 1.1% increase in U.S. Television Households for the 2006-2007 Season] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705100549/http://www.nielsenmedia.com/nc/portal/site/Public/menuitem.55dc65b4a7d5adff3f65936147a062a0/?vgnextoid=6573d3b8b0c3d010VgnVCM100000ac0a260aRCRD |date=July 5, 2009 }}." ''[[Nielsen Media Research]].'' September 23, 2006. Retrieved on September 28, 2007.</ref> The [[Public Broadcasting Service]] station is [[WHRO-TV]] 15. Yorktown residents can receive independent stations, such as [[WSKY-TV|WSKY]] broadcasting on channel 4 from the Outer Banks of North Carolina and [[WGBS-LD]] broadcasting on channel 11. Yorktown is served by [[Cox Cable]] which provides [[LNC 5]], a local 24-hour cable news network. [[DirecTV]] and [[Dish Network]] are also popular as an alternative to cable television in Yorktown.

==Public transportation==
[[Image:Yorktown coleman bridge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Coleman Bridge to [[Gloucester Point, Virginia]] as seen from Yorktown Beach]]
[[Williamsburg Area Transit Authority]] (WATA) operates a sightseeing trolley route around Yorktown on a daily basis. The loop service has been in place since 1999.<ref>{{cite web |title=Yorktown's Trolley Celebrates 20 Years of Service to the Community! |url=https://www.visityorktown.org/260/Trolley-Parking |website=Visit Yorktown Virginia |access-date=8 October 2020}}</ref> However, WATA does not provide bus service between Yorktown and any other place in [[Hampton Roads]].

Yorktown is served by commercial airports in [[Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport|Newport News]] and [[Norfolk International Airport|Norfolk]], and by [[Amtrak]] stations in [[Newport News station|Newport News]] and [[Williamsburg Transportation Center|Williamsburg]].

==References==

[[Image:Yorktown moore house.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Moore House]]
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links}}
* [http://www.yorkcounty.gov/ York County Virginia Local Government]
* [http://www.visitwilliamsburg.com/ Williamsburg Area Convention and Visitors Bureau – The Official Website]
* [http://www.virginia.org/ Virginia is For Lovers – Official State Tourism Office Website]

{{York County, Virginia}}
{{Colonial Williamsburg}}
{{Virginia county seats and independent cities}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Virginia]]
[[Category:Former municipalities in Virginia]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in York County, Virginia]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1691]]
[[Category:County seats in Virginia]]
[[Category:1691 establishments in the Colony of Virginia]]
[[Category:Populated places in Hampton Roads]]