Augusta County is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge of the

Commonwealth of Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

in the United States. The second-largest county of Virginia by total area, it completely surrounds the independent cities of Staunton and Waynesboro. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

is Staunton, but most of the administrative services have offices in neighboring

Verona Verona ( ; ; or ) is a city on the Adige, River Adige in Veneto, Italy, with 255,131 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and in Northeast Italy, nor ...

. The county was created in 1738 from part of Orange County and was named after Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha. It was originally a huge area, but many of its parts were carved out to form other counties and several states until the current borders were finalized in 1790. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 77,487. Along with Staunton and Waynesboro, it forms the Staunton–Waynesboro, VA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Augusta County was formed in 1738 from Orange County, although, because few people lived there, the county government was not organized until 1745. It was named for Augusta of Saxe-Gotha,

Princess of Wales Princess of Wales (; ) is a title used since the 14th century by the wife of the Prince of Wales. The Princess is the apparent future queen consort, as "Prince of Wales" is a title reserved by custom for the heir apparent to the Monarchy of the ...

and mother of the future King

George III of the United Kingdom George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Great Britain and Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great ...

. Originally, Augusta County was a vast territory with an indefinite western boundary. Most of what is now West Virginia as well as the whole of Kentucky were within its early bounds. Additionally, the territory north and west of those areas, theoretically all the way to the Pacific Ocean, were as well. Reductions in its extent began in 1770, when its southern part became Botetourt County. In 1776 part of western Augusta County, an area also known as the District of West Augusta, became Monongalia County, Ohio County, and Yohogania County (abolished in 1786). In 1778 the portion of Augusta County north and west of the

Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...

became Illinois County (abolished in 1784); the northeastern part of what was remained became Rockingham County, and the southwestern part was combined with part of Botetourt County to form Rockbridge County. In 1788 the northern part of the county was combined with part of Hardy County to become Pendleton County. Augusta County assumed its present dimensions in 1790, when its western part was combined with parts of Botetourt County and Greenbrier County to form Bath County. During the Civil War, Augusta County served as an important agricultural center as part of the "Breadbasket of the Confederacy." The Virginia Central Railroad ran through the county, linking the Shenandoah Valley to the Confederate capital at Richmond. One of the bloodiest engagements fought in the Shenandoah Valley took place on June 5, 1864, at the Battle of Piedmont, a Union victory that allowed the Union Army to occupy Staunton and destroy many of the facilities that supported the Confederate war effort. Augusta County suffered again during General Philip H. Sheridan's "Burning," which destroyed many farms and killed virtually all of the farm animals. Staunton, the county seat for many years, was incorporated as a city in 1871 and separated from Augusta County in 1902. However, it remained the county seat.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.4%) is water. It is the third-largest county in Virginia by land area and second-largest by total area.

Adjacent counties and independent cities

* Staunton (Enclaved) * Waynesboro (Enclaved) * Pendleton County, West Virginia (North) * Rockingham County (Northeast) * Albemarle County (East) * Nelson County (Southeast) * Rockbridge County (Southwest) * Bath County (West) * Highland County (Northwest)

Districts

The county is divided into seven magisterial districts: Beverley Manor, Middle River, North River, Pastures, Riverheads, South River, and Wayne.

School systems

The county is serviced by Augusta County Public Schools.

National protected areas

Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and National Scenic Byway, All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is the longest linear park in the U.S., runs for through 29 counties in Virginia and ...

(part) * George Washington National Forest (part) *

Shenandoah National Park Shenandoah National Park (often ) is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States that encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. The park is long and narrow, with the Shenandoah River and its ...

(part)

Regional park

* Natural Chimneys

Major highways

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Demographics

2020 census

2000 Census

As of the

Census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 65,615 people, 24,818 households, and 18,911 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 26,738 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 95.02%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 3.60%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.15% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.32% from other races, and 0.61% from two or more races. 0.94% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. There were 24,818 households, of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.70% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.80% were non-families. 20.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.94. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.70% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 26.80% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 101.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.80 males. The median income for a household in the county was $43,045, and the median income for a family was $48,579. Males had a median income of $31,577 versus $24,233 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $19,744. About 4.20% of families and 5.80% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 6.40% of those under age 18 and 6.60% of those age 65 or over.

Area populations

According to the 2010 US Census data, below are the populations of the two towns and select unincorporated communities within Augusta County: The majority of Grottoes is located in Rockingham County. Only seven of the town's 2,668 residents reside in Augusta County.

Government

Board of Supervisors

* Beverley Manor district: Butch Wells (R) * Middle River district: Gerald W. Garber (R) * North River district: Jeffrey “Jeff” Slaven (R) * Pastures district: Pam L. Carter (R) * Riverheads district: Michael L. Shull (R) * South River district: Steven “Steve” Morelli (R) * Wayne district: Scott Seaton (R)

Constitutional Officers

* Clerk of the Circuit Court: Steve Landes (R) * Commissioner of the Revenue: George Price (R) * Commonwealth's Attorney: Tim Martin (R) * Sheriff: Donald L. Smith (I) * Treasurer: David Bourne (R)

State and Federal

Augusta County is represented by Republican Emmett W. Hanger in the Virginia Senate, Republican John Avoili, Republican Ronnie R. Campbell, and Republican Chris Runion in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Republican Ben Cline in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Law enforcement

The Augusta County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency in Augusta County. The ACSO was created in 1745 when James Patton was elected as the first sheriff. The ACSO was accredited by the Virginia Law Enforcement Accreditation Coalition. The agency is currently headed by Sheriff Donald Smith. The ACSO currently has 72 sworn deputies and 6 dispatchers. In 2021, the sheriff's department arrested eight individuals for protesting outside the Sheriff's Office. In response to the shooting of two men by deputies earlier that year, the protestors wanted deputies to use body cameras. Most of the charges were thrown out by a judge in 2022. Body cameras were not included in the 2022 budget: initially the county board of supervisors instead created a fund for body cameras that the community could donate to, but they shortly rescinded that decision over a desire to avoid contributions to the fund by the protesting group.

Economy

According to the county's 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the county are:

Communities

The independent cities of Staunton and Waynesboro (incorporated as such in 1902 and 1948 respectively) are located within the boundaries of Augusta County, but are not a part of the county, despite Staunton's status as the county seat. Most county administrative offices, however, are located in Verona, rather than in Staunton.

Towns

* Craigsville *

Grottoes Grottoes may refer to: *The plural form of Grotto (disambiguation) * Grottoes, Virginia, a town named for the nearby cave system Grand Caverns {{Disambig ...

(partial)

Census-designated places

* Augusta Springs * Churchville * Crimora * Deerfield * Dooms * Greenville * Harriston * Fishersville * Jolivue * Lyndhurst * Middlebrook * Mount Sidney * New Hope * Sherando * Stuarts Draft *

* Weyers Cave * Wintergreen (mostly in Nelson County)

Other unincorporated communities

* Fort Defiance * Love * Mint Spring * Mount Solon * Spring Hill * Steeles Tavern * Swoope * West Augusta

Notable people

* Thomas Adams, born in Augusta County, member of the Virginia House of Burgesses and signer of the

Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation, officially the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was an agreement and early body of law in the Thirteen Colonies, which served as the nation's first Constitution, frame of government during the Ameri ...

* Robert Allen, born in Augusta County, United States Congressman from

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

* George Caleb Bingham (1811–1879), born in Augusta County, noted painter and State Treasurer of Missouri * Gideon Blackburn (1772–1838), born in Augusta County, noted clergyman and founder of Blackburn College * John Brown, lawyer and statesman * Samuel Brown, born in Augusta County, noted surgeon and editor * Laurie Buckhout, born and raised in Augusta County, military officer * John Wilson Campbell, born in Augusta County, United States Congressman from Ohio * William Campbell, born in Augusta County, militia leader in the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

* John Colter (c.1774–May 7, 1812(?)), born near Stuarts Draft, was a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806); best remembered for his 1807–1808 explorations as the first person of

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

an descent to enter the region now known as

Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone National Park is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States located in the northwest corner of Wyoming, with small portions extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U ...

and the Grand Tetons * Samuel Doak, (1749–1830), born in Augusta County, noted

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

clergyman, founder of Washington College, the first college west of the Alleghenies, noted

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...

* Ida Stover Eisenhower (1862–1946), mother of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, was born in Mount Sidney, Augusta County * John H. Fulton, (died 1836), born in Augusta County, United States Congressman from

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

* John P. Gaines, (1795–1857), born in Augusta County, United States Congressman from

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

and governor of the

Oregon Territory The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the Oreg ...

. * John D. Imboden, (1823–1895), born in Augusta County, member of the

Virginia General Assembly The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the oldest continuous law-making body in the Western Hemisphere, and the first elected legislative assembly in the New World. It was established on July 30, ...

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fi ...

cavalry general and partisan fighter in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. * John Lewis (1678–1762), opened up what is now Augusta County to settlement. * Thomas Lewis, Jr., born in Augusta County, United States Congressman from Virginia. * William J. Lewis, (1766–1828), born in Augusta County, United States Congressman from Virginia. * Robert D. Lilley, (1836–1886), born in Greenville, Augusta County,

general in the

. * Benjamin Logan, (c.1742–1803), born in Augusta County, United States Congressman from

. * George Mathews, (1739–1812), born in Augusta County, United States Congressman and

Governor of Georgia The governor of Georgia is the head of government of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and the commander-in-chief of the state's Georgia National Guard, National Guard, when not in federal service, and Georgia State Defense Force, State Defense Fo ...

. Member of the Mathews family. * Sampson Mathews, (c. 1737–1806), born in Augusta County, Virginia State Senator and Revolutionary War officer. Member of the Mathews family. * Robert McKnight (c.1789–1846), born in Augusta County, moved to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1809, member of a trading expedition under Zebulon Pike to

Santa Fe, New Mexico Santa Fe ( ; , literal translation, lit. "Holy Faith") is the capital city, capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Santa Fe County. With over 89,000 residents, Santa Fe is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, fourt ...

, in 1812, captured by Spanish and imprisoned until 1821, eventually renounced his United States citizenship, moved to

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, and became owner of the Santa Rita del Cobre copper mine in Chihuahua (now

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

). * Thomas McKnight, businessman and member of Wisconsin Territorial Council'The History of Dubuque County,' Western Historical, 1880, Biographical Sketch of Thomas McKnight, pg. 975 * James Patton (1692-1755), Irish immigrant who served as Justice of the Peace, Colonel of Militia and Chief Commander of the Augusta County Militia, County Lieutenant, President of the Augusta Court, county coroner, county escheator, and County Sheriff. * Joel F. Salatin (b. 1957), founder, owner and manager of

Polyface Farm Polyface Farm is a farm located in rural Swoope, Virginia, run by Joel Salatin and his family. The farm is driven using unconventional methods with the goal of "emotionally, economically and environmentally enhancing agriculture". This farm is wh ...

Swoope, Virginia Swoope (pronounced S-W-O-P-E) is an Unincorporated area#United States, unincorporated community in Augusta County, Virginia, Augusta County, Virginia. Swoope is located on State Routes 703 and 860 west of Staunton, Virginia, Staunton. Swoope has ...

. * Kate Smith (May 1, 1907 – June 17, 1986) born in Augusta County, Greenville, VA. An American contralto. 2] 4] Referred to as The First Lady of Radio, Smith is well known for her renditions of "God Bless America" and "When the Moon Comes over the Mountain". * Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924) 28th

President of the United States of America The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

, 34th

Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The ...

, and 13th President of

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

located in Princeton, New Jersey.

References

External links

Augusta County official website

Augusta County Economic Development Agency

Augusta County Facts and Genealogy Resources
{{authority control Virginia counties 1738 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies Populated places established in 1738 Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha