Charles Town, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Charles Town is a city in and the county seat
of Jefferson County
, West Virginia
, United States
. The population was 2,907 at the 2000 census. Due to its similar name, travelers have sometimes confused this city with the state's capital, Charleston
.
, the founder of Charles Town, was born in Hunting Creek
, now Fairfax County
, Virginia
on May 2, 1738. He was the youngest full brother of George Washington
. He came to present Jefferson County between April and October 1780.
The home of Charles Washington, Happy Retreat
, was erected in 1780. In 1786, on 80 acres (320,000 m²) of his adjoining land, Charles laid out the streets of Charles Town, naming many of them after his brothers and one after his wife, Mildred. He donated the four corner lots at the intersection of George and Washington Streets for public buildings of the town and county, provided the town become the seat of the county separated from Berkeley County
. Charles Town was officially chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in January 1787.
In 1794, James Madison married "Dolly" Todd at Harewood, the home of George Steptoe Washington, son of Colonel Samuel Washington, just outside of Charles Town.
Jefferson County was formed in 1801 as Charles Washington had anticipated. The county court house stands on one of the lots he donated, as did the jail until 1919 when it was demolished to be replaced by the post office.
Charles Washington died sometime between July and September, 1799, only a short while before the death of his brother George. Charles' and his wife Mildred's grave sites near Evitts Run have recently been located and surrounded by a stone wall.
In 1844, the first issue of the Spirit of Jefferson newspaper was published in Charles Town by James W. Beller. It is still published as the Spirit of Jefferson-Advocate, making it one of the oldest newspapers in the state.
On October 16, 1859, John Brown
and his followers raided the Federal arsenal at nearby Harpers Ferry. The insurrection was ultimately put down and John Brown was tried for treason. On December 2, 1859, he was hanged in Charles Town at the Gibson-Todd House
, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
In 1883, the Valley Telephone Company was incorporated in West Virginia and began installing telephone lines throughout Jefferson County. The company's main office was in Charles Town.
In 1922, William Blizzard, a leader of striking coal miners, was charged with treason and murder for engaging in warfare against state and federal troops in Mingo and Logan counties. He was tried in the Jefferson county courthouse in Charles Town and was found not guilty.
The Charles Town Race Track first opened in 1933. It was built on land purchased from the Charles Town Horse Show Association.
In 1975, the new Jefferson Memorial Hospital opened, replacing the old Charles Town Hospital. It is now part of the West Virginia University Hospitals (WVUH-East) chain of health care facilities.
In 1999, the Charles Town Race Track underwent major renovation which included a large addition to house video slot machines. It was renamed Charles Town Races & Slots and now attracts many visitors each week from the nearby Baltimore and Washington D.C. metropolitan areas.
In 2006, a non-profit corporation, called the Friends of Happy Retreat, Inc. (FOHR), purchased an option to buy the former home of Charles Washington outright. The goal of this group is to see Happy Retreat preserved as a national historic treasure while at the same time contributing to the public’s appreciation of the arts, local culture, and the rich history of the Washington family and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. FOHR hosts a special tour of Happy Retreat along with other Washington Family Homes during the annual Charles Town Heritage Festival which occurs the third Saturday of September.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), all of it land.
Charles Town is located 73 miles northwest of Washington, D.C.
and 75 miles southwest of Baltimore.
of 2000, there were 2,907 people, 1,285 households, and 732 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,082.3 people per square mile (801.7/km²). There were 1,396 housing units at an average density of 999.9 per square mile (385.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.91% White, 17.54% African American, 0.10% Native American, 1.03% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races
, and 1.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.55% of the population.
There were 1,285 households out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples
living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.0% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,538, and the median income for a family was $43,547. Males had a median income of $30,917 versus $22,241 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,104. About 13.2% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.
For more information see Jefferson County Schools.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Jefferson County
Jefferson County, West Virginia
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 53,498. Its county seat is Charles Town...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,907 at the 2000 census. Due to its similar name, travelers have sometimes confused this city with the state's capital, Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
.
History
Charles WashingtonCharles Washington
Charles Washington was the youngest brother of United States President George Washington. He was a son of Augustine Washington and his second wife, Mary Ball Washington....
, the founder of Charles Town, was born in Hunting Creek
Hunting Creek
Hunting Creek is a cove and tributary stream of the Potomac River between the City of Alexandria and Fairfax County in Virginia. It is formed by the confluence of Cameron Run and Hooff Run. The community of Huntington takes its name from the creek. Jones Point forms the north side. Dyke Marsh is...
, now Fairfax County
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
on May 2, 1738. He was the youngest full brother of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. He came to present Jefferson County between April and October 1780.
Happy Retreat
Happy Retreat is an historic property in Charles Town, West Virginia, which was originally owned and developed by Charles Washington, the youngest brother of George Washington and the founder of Charles Town.-History:Charles inherited land in the Shenandoah Valley upon the death of his older...
, was erected in 1780. In 1786, on 80 acres (320,000 m²) of his adjoining land, Charles laid out the streets of Charles Town, naming many of them after his brothers and one after his wife, Mildred. He donated the four corner lots at the intersection of George and Washington Streets for public buildings of the town and county, provided the town become the seat of the county separated from Berkeley County
Berkeley County, West Virginia
Berkeley County is a county located in the Eastern Panhandle region of the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population is 104,169, making it the second-most populous county in West Virginia, behind Kanawha...
. Charles Town was officially chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in January 1787.
In 1794, James Madison married "Dolly" Todd at Harewood, the home of George Steptoe Washington, son of Colonel Samuel Washington, just outside of Charles Town.
Jefferson County was formed in 1801 as Charles Washington had anticipated. The county court house stands on one of the lots he donated, as did the jail until 1919 when it was demolished to be replaced by the post office.
Charles Washington died sometime between July and September, 1799, only a short while before the death of his brother George. Charles' and his wife Mildred's grave sites near Evitts Run have recently been located and surrounded by a stone wall.
In 1844, the first issue of the Spirit of Jefferson newspaper was published in Charles Town by James W. Beller. It is still published as the Spirit of Jefferson-Advocate, making it one of the oldest newspapers in the state.
On October 16, 1859, John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
and his followers raided the Federal arsenal at nearby Harpers Ferry. The insurrection was ultimately put down and John Brown was tried for treason. On December 2, 1859, he was hanged in Charles Town at the Gibson-Todd House
Gibson-Todd House
The Gibson-Todd House was the site of the hanging of John Brown, the abolitionist who led a raid on Harpers Ferry, West Virginia before the opening of the American Civil War...
, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
In 1883, the Valley Telephone Company was incorporated in West Virginia and began installing telephone lines throughout Jefferson County. The company's main office was in Charles Town.
In 1922, William Blizzard, a leader of striking coal miners, was charged with treason and murder for engaging in warfare against state and federal troops in Mingo and Logan counties. He was tried in the Jefferson county courthouse in Charles Town and was found not guilty.
The Charles Town Race Track first opened in 1933. It was built on land purchased from the Charles Town Horse Show Association.
In 1975, the new Jefferson Memorial Hospital opened, replacing the old Charles Town Hospital. It is now part of the West Virginia University Hospitals (WVUH-East) chain of health care facilities.
In 1999, the Charles Town Race Track underwent major renovation which included a large addition to house video slot machines. It was renamed Charles Town Races & Slots and now attracts many visitors each week from the nearby Baltimore and Washington D.C. metropolitan areas.
In 2006, a non-profit corporation, called the Friends of Happy Retreat, Inc. (FOHR), purchased an option to buy the former home of Charles Washington outright. The goal of this group is to see Happy Retreat preserved as a national historic treasure while at the same time contributing to the public’s appreciation of the arts, local culture, and the rich history of the Washington family and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. FOHR hosts a special tour of Happy Retreat along with other Washington Family Homes during the annual Charles Town Heritage Festival which occurs the third Saturday of September.
Geography
Charles Town is located at 39°17′3"N 77°51′22"W (39.284237, -77.856211).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), all of it land.
Charles Town is located 73 miles northwest of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and 75 miles southwest of Baltimore.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,907 people, 1,285 households, and 732 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,082.3 people per square mile (801.7/km²). There were 1,396 housing units at an average density of 999.9 per square mile (385.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.91% White, 17.54% African American, 0.10% Native American, 1.03% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.55% of the population.
There were 1,285 households out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.0% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,538, and the median income for a family was $43,547. Males had a median income of $30,917 versus $22,241 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $18,104. About 13.2% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- John Peale BishopJohn Peale BishopJohn Peale Bishop was an American poet and man of letters.Bishop was born in Charles Town, West Virginia, to a family from New England, and attended school in Hagerstown, Maryland. When 18, Bishop fell victim to a severe illness and lost his sight for some time...
, author - Frank BucklesFrank BucklesFrank Woodruff Buckles was the last surviving American veteran of World War I. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1917 and served with a detachment from Fort Riley, driving ambulances and motorcycles near the front lines in Europe.During World War II, he was captured by Japanese forces...
, last surviving American veteran of World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918... - Warren B. EnglishWarren B. EnglishWarren Barkley English was a United States Representative from California.-Biography:Born in Charles Town, Virginia , he attended the public schools and Charles Town Academy until June 1861...
, politician - Gary GregorGary GregorGary W. Gregor is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'7" forward/center from the University of South Carolina, Gregor played in the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association as a member of the Phoenix Suns , Atlanta Hawks , Portland Trail Blazers ,...
, NBA player for the Phoenix SunsPhoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
, Atlanta HawksAtlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
, Portland Trail BlazersPortland Trail BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
, and the Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center.... - Samuel MasonSamuel MasonSamuel Mason or Meason was a Revolutionary War militia captain on the frontier, who following the war, became the leader of a gang of river pirates and highwaymen on the lower Ohio River and the Mississippi River in the late 18th and early 19th centuries...
, Revolutionary War soldier and early American outlawOutlawIn historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute... - Frank R. StocktonFrank R. StocktonFrank Richard Stockton was an American writer and humorist, best known today for a series of innovative children's fairy tales that were widely popular during the last decades of the 19th century...
, author, most famous for the short story "The Lady, or the Tiger?" - Edward TiffinEdward TiffinEdward Tiffin was a Democratic-Republican politician from Ohio, and first Governor of the state.-Biography:Sources indicate that he was born in Carlisle; however he may have been born in or near Workington — also in the then county of Cumberland, England...
, 1st Governor of Ohio - Samuel WashingtonSamuel WashingtonSamuel Washington was a brother of United States President George Washington. He was born on November 16, 1734 at Pope's Creek, Wakefield, Westmoreland County, Virginia....
, George WashingtonGeorge WashingtonGeorge Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's brother lived here, in Harewood (West Virginia)Harewood (West Virginia)Harewood is one of several houses in the vicinity of Charles Town, West Virginia built for members of the Washington family. The house was designed by John Ariss for Samuel Washington in 1770. Washington moved from his farm on Chotank creek in Stafford County, Virginia to Harewood, accumulating ... - William Lyne WilsonWilliam Lyne WilsonWilliam Lyne Wilson was a Bourbon Democrat politician and lawyer from West Virginia.-Biography:Born in Charles Town, Virginia , Wilson attended Charles Town Academy, graduated from Columbian College in 1860 and subsequently studied at the University of Virginia...
, Postmaster General of the United States - Thomas Worthington, 6th Governor of Ohio and one of the first senators from Ohio
History
- Location where abolitionistAbolitionismAbolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
John BrownJohn Brown (abolitionist)John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
was triedTrial (law)In law, a trial is when parties to a dispute come together to present information in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court...
and hanged in 1859.
Schools
- Washington High SchoolWashington High School (West Virginia)for schools of the same nameWashington High School is a 9-12 High School in Charles Town, West Virginia, USA. The population growth in the county required a "de-conslidation" in 2007, as the single county high school, formerly known as Jefferson County High School, established in 1973 was renamed...
- Charles Town Middle School
- Ranson Elementary School
- Wright Denny Elementary School
- Page Jackson Elemantary School
For more information see Jefferson County Schools.