'Clarke County' is a
county located in the
U.S. state — officially, "
Commonwealth" — of
Virginia. As of the
2000 census, the population was 12,652. Its
county seat is
Berryville6.
This county is a part of the
Washington Metropolitan Area.
History
Clarke County was established in
1836 from
Frederick County. The county is named for
General George Rogers Clark, of the
Revolutionary War.
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron's 5 million acre (20,000 km²) property was located in the county, what is now the village of
White Post. White Post was named for the large signpost pointing the way to Lord Fairfax's office.
During the
Civil War,
John S. Mosby, "the Gray Ghost" of the
Confederacy, raided
General Sheridan's supply train in the summer of
1864, in
Berryville. The
Battle of Cool Spring was fought in Clarke County on
July 17th and
18th, 1864.
Early in the 20th century, future Virginia politician
Harry F. Byrd and his wife established their first home near Berryville, where he untertook extensive agricultural activity growing peaches and apples. Byrd became a State senator inthe upper house of the
Virginia General Assembly, served a term as a
Governor of Virginia, and was a
United States Senator for over 30 years, heading the powerful
Byrd Organization which dominated state politics between the mid 1920s and 1960s.
Historic Buildings and Structures
★ Clermont Estate (1751)
★ Fairfield (1765)
★ Soldier's Rest (1769)
★ Buck Marsh Church (1772)
★ Norwood (1780)
★ Holy Cross Abbey (1784)
★ Stone's Chapel (1785)
★ Audley Estate (1794)
★ Bel Voi (1803)
★ Rosemont Estate (1811)
★ Clay Hill (1816)
★ Clifton (1833)
★ Clarke County Courthouse (1837)
★ Glendale Farm (1850)
★ Site of Mosby's Raid (1863)
Photo Gallery
Google Earth Placemarks
★
Clermont Estate
★
Fairfield
★
Soldier's Rest
★
Norwood Estate
★
Buck Marsh Church
★
Holy Cross Abbey
★
Stone's Chapel
★
Audley Estate
★
Bel Voi
★
Rosemont Estate
★
Clay Hill
★
Clifton Estate
★
Clarke County Courthouse
★
Glendale Farm
★
Site of Mosby's Raid in Berryville
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 462
km² (178
mi²). 457 km² (177 mi²) of it is land and 4 km² (2 mi²) of it (0.88%) is water.
Demographics
| Historical populations |
|---|
Census year | Population |
|---|---|
|
| 1840 | 6,353 |
| 1850 | 7,352 |
| 1860 | 7,146 |
| 1870 | 6,670 |
| 1880 | 7,682 |
| 1890 | 8,071 |
| 1900 | 7,927 |
| 1910 | 7,468 |
| 1920 | 7,165 |
| 1930 | 7,167 |
| 1940 | 7,159 |
| 1950 | 7,074 |
| 1960 | 7,942 |
| 1970 | 8,102 |
| 1980 | 9,965 |
| 1990 | 12,101 |
| 2000 | 12,652 |
| 2004 | 13,852 |
As of the
census2 of 2000, there were 12,652 people, 4,942 households, and 3,513 families residing in the county. The
population density was 28/km² (72/mi²). There were 5,388 housing units at an average density of 12/km² (30/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.15%
White, 6.73%
Black or
African American, 0.19%
Native American, 0.49%
Asian, 0.03%
Pacific Islander, 0.55% from
other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 1.46% of the population were
Hispanic or
Latino of any race.
By 2005 90.1% of Clarke County's population was non-Hispanic whites. 6.3% were African-American. 0.2% Native American. 0.6% Asian. 2.6% were Latino.
There were 4,942 households out of which 29.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were
married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county, the population was spread out with 23.40% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 29.10% from 25 to 44, 27.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $51,601, and the median income for a family was $59,750. Males had a median income of $40,254 versus $30,165 for females. The
per capita income for the county was $24,844. About 4.20% of families and 6.60% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 7.10% of those under age 18 and 11.10% of those age 65 or over.
Towns
Incorporated towns
★ '
Berryville'
★ '
Boyce'
Unincorporated communities
External links
★
Clarke County Official Government Website
★
Clarke County Public Schools
★
Clarke County Historical Association
★
VAGenWeb Clarke County
★
Clarke County Fair