Appomattox County, Virginia: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 01:20, 20 April 2025

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Appomattox County (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell)<ref>Template:Cite Collins Dictionary</ref> is a United States county located in the Piedmont region and near the center of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is part of the Lynchburg metropolitan area, and its county seat is the town of Appomattox.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref>

Appomattox County was created in 1845 from parts of four other Virginia counties. The name of the county comes from the Appamatuck Indians, who lived in the area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,119.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

File:AppomattoxFields.jpg

Appomattox County is located in the rolling hills of the piedmont region of Virginia.

Appomattox County was formed in 1845 from Buckingham, Prince Edward, Campbell, and Charlotte counties. In 1848, another part from Campbell County was added. It was named for the Appomattox River, which in turn was named for the Appamatuck, a historic Native American tribes in Virginia of the Algonquian-speaking Powhatan Confederacy.<ref name = "County">Template:Cite web</ref>

Appomattox came to national attention on April 9, 1865, when Confederate General Robert E. Lee met with Union General Ulysses S. Grant at the village of Appomattox Court House to accept Lee's surrender. The surrender of Lee, which effectively ended the American Civil War, took place at the McLean House, home of Wilmer McLean.<ref name = "County" />

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.4%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Adjacent counties

Nelson County, Virginia - north
Buckingham County, Virginia - northeast
Prince Edward County, Virginia - southeast
Charlotte County, Virginia - south
Campbell County, Virginia - southwest
Amherst County, Virginia - northwest

National protected area

Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

Major highways

Demographics

Template:US Census population

2020 census

**Appomattox County, Virginia – Racial and ethnic composition**
Template:Nobold
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	11,483	12,155	76.69%	75.41%
Black or African American alone (NH)	2,998	2,877	20.02%	17.85%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	28	50	0.19%	0.31%
Asian alone (NH)	35	42	0.23%	0.26%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	4	3	0.03%	0.02%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	23	84	0.15%	0.52%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)	235	564	1.57%	3.50%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	167	344	1.12%	2.13%
Total	14,973	16,119	100.00%	100.00%

2000 Census

As of the census<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 13,705 people, 5,322 households, and 4,012 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 5,828 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 75.94% White, 22.91% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.47% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,322 households, out of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.70% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.60% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.70% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.80 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 91.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,507, and the median income for a family was $41,563. Males had a median income of $31,428 versus $21,367 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,086. 11.40% of the population and 8.70% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 14.10% of those under the age of 18 and 21.50% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Government

Appomattox County was historically strongly Democratic, as part of the Solid South. It has been consistently won by Republicans since 1964.

Board of Supervisors

Appomattox River district: Ken Wolfskill (R)
Courthouse district: Samuel E. Carter (I)
Falling River district: John F. Hinkle, Chairman (R)
Piney Mountain district: Alfred L. Jones III, Vice-Chairman (I)
Wreck Island district: Trevor L. Hipps (R)

Constitutional officers

Clerk of the Circuit Court: Janet A. Hix (I)
Commissioner of the Revenue: Sara R. Henderson (I)
Commonwealth's Attorney: Leslie M. Fleet (I)
Sheriff: Robert Richardson (I)
Treasurer: Victoria C. Phelps (I)

Appomattox County is represented by Republican John McGuire, in the Virginia Senate, Republican Tom Garrett in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Republican Bob Good the U.S. House of Representatives.