Caroline County, Virginia

Caroline County is a county located in the U.S. state — officially, "Commonwealth" — of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 22,121. Its county seat is Bowling Green ⁶. Caroline County is also home to Meadow Farms Stables, the birthplace of perhaps the greatest racehorse of all time, Secretariat, winner of the 1973 Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown.

History

Caroline County was established in 1728 from Essex, King and Queen, and King William counties. It was named for Caroline of Ansbach, the wife of King George II of Great Britain.

During the Civil War Confederate troops under General George E. Pickett fought Union troops near Milford in 1864. Confederate General Stonewall Jackson died in Guinea after being shot by his own troops at the Chancellorsville. John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Lincoln, was allegedly shot by federal troops in Caroline County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,396 km² (539 mi²). 1,379 km² (533 mi²) of it is land and 16 km² (6 mi²) of it (1.18%) is water. Caroline County is 30 miles (50 km) north of the capitol in Richmond and 22 miles (35 km) South of Fredericksburg.

Caroline County is bounded on the north by Stafford and King George counties; on the south by Hanover County; on the east by King William, King and Queen, and Essex counties; and on the west by Spotsylvania County.

The county is also home to a quarry that has proved a rich source of pre-historic whale and shark skeletons. The whole county is located in what was in ancient times an ocean and is now known to palaentologists as the middle Miocene Calvert Formation of Virginia. A whale skeleton discovered there in 1990 was later proved to be a new whale species (see Eobalaenoptera harrisoni).

Demographics

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 22,121 people, 8,021 households, and 6,007 families residing in the county. The population density was 16/km² (42/mi²). There were 8,889 housing units at an average density of 6/km² (17/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 62.57% White, 34.37% Black or African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. 1.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,021 households out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.30% were married couples living together, 13.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.10% were non-families. 20.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.80% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 25.00% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,845, and the median income for a family was $43,533. Males had a median income of $31,701 versus $22,455 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,342. About 7.20% of families and 9.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.00% of those under age 18 and 11.70% of those age 65 or over.

Towns

Famous people

William Woodford, officer in the French and Indian War and Revolutionary War.
William Clark, member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, was borned and lived in Caroline County until him and his family moved to Louisville, Kentucky when he was 15.

External links

1728 establishments | Caroline County, Virginia | Virginia counties