Culpeper 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 ...

located along the borderlands of the northern and central region of the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

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 ...

. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 52,552. 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 ...

and only incorporated community is Culpeper. Culpeper County is included in the Washington–Baltimore–Arlington, DC–MD–VA–WV–PA Combined Statistical Area.

History

At the time of European encounter, the inhabitants of future Culpeper County were a

Siouan Siouan ( ), also known as Siouan–Catawban ( ), is a language family of North America located primarily in the Great Plains, Ohio and Mississippi valleys and southeastern North America with a few other languages in the east. Name Authors who ...

-speaking sub-group of the

Manahoac The Manahoac, also recorded as Mahock, were a Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who lived in northern Virginia at the time of European contact. They spoke a Siouan language and numbered approximately 1,000. They lived primarily a ...

tribe called the Tegninateo. Culpeper County was established in 1749, with territory partitioned from Orange County. The county is named for

Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper (21 March 1635– 27 January 1689) was an English colonial administrator who served as the governor of the Isle of Wight from 1661 to 1667 and as the governor of Virginia from 1677 to 1683. Life Born ...

colonial governor of Virginia Some of those who held the lead role as governor of Virginia never visited the New World and governed through deputies resident in the colony. Others, such as Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, held the lead role for many years but were in Virgini ...

from 1677 to 1683. In May 1749, the first Culpeper Court convened in the home of Robert Tureman, near the present location of the Town of Culpeper. In July 1749, Tureman commissioned 17-year-old

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

as the first County surveyor. One of his first duties was to lay out the county's courthouse complex, which included the courthouse, jail, stocks, gallows and accessory buildings. By 1752 the complex stood at the present northeast corner of Davis and Main Streets. The courthouse village was named Town of Fairfax for

Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (22 October 16939 December 1781) was a British-born planter. The only member of the British peerage to permanently reside in British America, Fairfax owned the Northern Neck Proprietary in the Colony ...

(1693–1781). During the Virginia convention held in May 1775, the colony was divided into sixteen districts. Each district had instructions to raise a battalion of men "to march at a minute's notice." Culpeper, Orange and Fauquier, forming one district, raised 350 men in "Clayton's old field" on the Catalpa estate; they were called the Culpeper Minute Men. In December, the Minute Men, marching under their flag depicting a rattlesnake and inscribed with the words "Liberty or Death" and "Don't Tread on Me", took part in the

Battle of Great Bridge The Battle of Great Bridge was fought December 9, 1775, in the area of Great Bridge, Virginia, early in the American Revolutionary War. The refusal by colonial Virginia militia forces led to the departure of Royal Governor Lord Dunmore and any ...

, the first Revolutionary battle on Virginia soil. The Culpeper Minute Men reorganized in 1860 in response to the impending Civil War and became part of 13th Infantry's Company B, fighting against the US Government forces. The Culpeper Minutemen were again organized for World War I, and joined the 116th Infantry. In 1833, based on the county's growing population and the need of those in the northwestern area for easier access to a county seat, the upper of Culpeper County was partitioned off to create

Rappahannock County, Virginia Rappahannock County is a county (United States), county located in the northern Piedmont region of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, US, adjacent to Shenandoah National Park. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 7,3 ...

, which was founded by an act of the Virginia General Assembly. Image of Lieutenant General A

During the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

the

Battle of Cedar Mountain The Battle of Cedar Mountain, also known as Slaughter's Mountain or Cedar Run, took place on August 9, 1862, in Culpeper County, Virginia, Culpeper County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. Union Army, Union forces under Major gener ...

took place on August 9, 1862, and the

Battle of Brandy Station The Battle of Brandy Station, also called the Battle of Fleetwood Hill, was the largest predominantly cavalry engagement of the American Civil War, as well as the largest ever to take place on American soil. It was fought on June 9, 1863, around ...

occurred on June 9, 1863, in Culpeper County. Culpeper was the boyhood home of Civil War General A. P. Hill, who fought against Union forces. The negative impact of the Massive Resistance campaign against school integration led to the statewide election of a pro-desegregation

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

. By the middle of the 1970s, Culpeper was the last county in Virginia to desegregate its public schools. In 2018 Culpeper County Public Schools has six elementary, two middle schools and two high schools. In 1935 the Rotary Club of Culpeper began a college loan fund, which in 1966 became a four-year scholarship based on academic achievement. The group also provides a Technical School scholarship based on academic achievement. Culpeper County is home to Commonwealth Park, site for many world-class equestrian events. It was here that actor

Christopher Reeve Christopher D'Olier Reeve (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, activist, director, and author. He amassed Christopher Reeve on stage and screen, several stage and screen credits in his 34-year career, including playin ...

suffered his 1995 accident during a competition. The town of Culpeper was rated #10 by Norman Crampton, author of "The 100 Best Small Towns in America," in February 1993. In April 2016, the county Board of Supervisors denied a routine request from the Islamic Center of Culpeper for a pump and haul permit to serve their envisioned mosque. This resulted in a lawsuit by the US Department of Justice in December.

Economy

Culpeper County has a civilian workforce of 24,313. 30% of residents live and work within the county while 70% of workers commute out of the locality. The most residents are commuting to Fairfax or Fauquier counties. In comparison, the equivalent of 45% are in-commuters. The most in-commuters are coming from Orange County. The Top 10 non-governmental Culpeper employers as of March 2023: # Culpeper Memorial Hospital #

Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other ...

Masco Masco Corporation is an American manufacturer of products for the home improvement and new home construction markets. Comprising more than 20 companies, the Masco conglomerate operates nearly 60 manufacturing facilities in the United States and ...

(Cabinetworks) # S.W.I.F.T. # Bingham and Taylor Corporation # Continental Automotive #

Cintas Corporation Cintas Corporation () is an American corporation headquartered in Mason, Ohio which provides a range of products and services to businesses including uniforms, mats, mops, cleaning and restroom supplies, first aid and safety products, fire ex ...

# Virginia Baptist Homes (The Culpeper Senior Living) #

Communications Corporation of America Communications Corporation of America (also known as ComCorp) was a broadcasting company in the United States that owned television stations in smaller markets. The company was headquartered in Lafayette, Louisiana. It owned and/or operated 20 st ...

# LaborReady Mid-Atlantic

Geography

The northeast border of Culpeper County is defined by the

Rappahannock River The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 It traverses the enti ...

which flows east-southeastward along its border, while the south border of the county is similarly defined by the meanders of the

Rapidan River The Rapidan River, flowing U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 through north-central Virginia in the United States, is the largest tributary of the Rappahannoc ...

. The

Hazel River The Hazel River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the Rappahannock River in northern Virginia in the United States. Via the Rappahannock ...

flows eastward through the county, discharging into the Rappahannock on the county's east border, while the Thornton River also flows eastward through the county, discharging into the Hazel in the north part of the county. The county is in the foothills of the

Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a Physiographic regions of the United States, physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States and extends 550 miles southwest from southern ...

, which are quickly accessed beginning with Old Rag Mountain and the Skyline Drive just up Route 522.''Culpeper County VA'' Google Maps (accessed 14 April 2019)
/ref> The rolling hills generally slope to the south and east, with its highest point near its west corner at ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.9%) is water.

Major highways

* * * * * * * *

Adjacent counties

Fauquier County Fauquier County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,972. The county seat is Warrenton. Fauquier County is in Northern Virginia and is a part of the Washington metropolitan area. History ...

- north * Stafford County – east *

Spotsylvania County Spotsylvania County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is a suburb approximately 60 miles (90km) south of D.C. It is a part of the Northern Virginia region and the D.C. area. As of 2024, Spotsylvania County is the 14th most populat ...

- southeast * Orange County – south * Madison County – southwest *

Rappahannock County Rappahannock County is a county located in the northern Piedmont region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, US, adjacent to Shenandoah National Park. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 7,348. Its county seat is Washington. The name "Rappah ...

– northwest

Protected areas

* Brandy Station Battlefield Park * Mountain Run Lake Park

Lakes

* Balds Run Reservoir * Brandy Rock Farm Lake * Caynor Lake * Lake Culpeper * Merrimac/Mountain Run Lake

Government

Board of Supervisors

* Catalpa District: Paul W. Bates, Vice Chairman (I) * Cedar Mountain District: David E. Durr (I) * East Fairfax District: David C. Lee (I) * Jefferson District: Brad C. Rosenberger (R) * Salem District: Tom Underwood (R) * Stevensburg District: Susan L. Gugino (R) * West Fairfax District: Gary M. Deal, Chairman (I)

Constitutional Offices

* Clerk of the Circuit Court: Carson Beard (I) * Commissioner of the Revenue: Terry L. Yowell (I) * Commonwealth's Attorney: Russ Rabb (R) * Sheriff: Timothy W. Chilton (I) * Treasurer: Missy N. White (R)

State representatives

Culpeper County is represented by Republicans Bryce E. Reeves, Emmett W. Hanger Jr., and

Jill Holtzman Vogel Jill Kendrick Holtzman Vogel (née Holtzman; born July 6, 1970) is an American attorney and politician who served as the Virginia State Senator from the 27th district from 2008 to 2024. A Republican, her district was located in exurban and ru ...

in the Virginia Senate, Republicans Michael J. Webert and Nicholas J. (Nick) Freitas in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Democrat

Eugene Vindman Eugene Semyon Vindman (born Yevgeny Semyonovich Vindman; June 6, 1975) is an American politician, lawyer, and retired U.S. Army officer serving as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 7th congressional district since 2025. A member of the De ...

in the U.S. House of Representatives. Culpeper County has been a Republican stronghold for several decades. The last time a Democratic presidential candidate carried the county was 1964.

Procurement

Recent media investigations regarding law enforcement procurement of military equipment through the "1033" program offered by the

Defense Logistics Agency The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is a combat support agency in the United States Department of Defense, United States Department of Defense (DoD). The agency is staffed by more than 26,000 civilian and military personnel throughout the world. ...

identified Culpeper County as having received, as donations, a "Mine Resistant Vehicle" in 2013 worth $412,000 and 20 night-vision optics worth an additional $136,000.00.DHS 1033 Program Database http://www.freep.com/article/20140817/NEWS06/140726001

Demographics

2020 census

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 34,262 people, 12,141 households, and 9,045 families 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 12,871 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 68.27%

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 ...

, 28.15%

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 ...

, 0.33% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.01%

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 ...

, 1.15% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. 2.50% 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 12,141 households, out of which 35.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.50% 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, 11.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.50% were non-families. 20.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.08. The county population contained 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 31.10% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $45,290, and the median income for a family was $51,475. Males had a median income of $36,621 versus $25,985 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 $20,162. About 27.00% of families and 29.20% 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 38.30% of those under age 18 and 28.60% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Culpeper County Public Schools Culpeper County Public Schools is a school district in Culpeper County, Virginia, USA. The district is designated to carry out the functions designated by Article VIII of the Constitution of Virginia and consists of 10 schools (six elementary s ...

Elementary schools

* A.G. Richardson Elementary * Banner Christian * Culpeper Christian * Emerald Hill Elementary * Epiphany Catholic School * Farmington Elementary * Pearl Sample Elementary * Sycamore Park Elementary * Yowell Elementary

Middle schools

* Banner Christian * Culpeper Christian * Culpeper Middle * Floyd T. Binns Middle

High schools

Culpeper County High School Culpeper County High School (CCHS) is a high school in Culpeper County, Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), ...

* Eastern View High School * Culpeper Technical Education Center

Communities

City

* Culpeper

Unincorporated communities

Brandy Station Brandy Station is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. It was first listed as a CDP in the 2020 census with a population of 191. Its original name was Brandy. The name Brand ...

* Buena * Cardova * Catalpa * Eggbornsville * Eldorada * Griffinsburg * Jeffersonton * Kellys Ford *

Lagrange Joseph-Louis Lagrange (born Giuseppe Luigi LagrangiaLignum Lignum is Latin for wood and may refer to: * ''Gmelina lignum-vitreum'', plant endemic to New Caledonia * Lignum, common name of ''Muehlenbeckia florulenta'', plant native to inland Australia * Lignum Crucis, remnants of the True Cross * Lignum Ltd ...

* Mitchells * Rapidan * Richardsville * Rixeyville * Stevensburg * Wakefield * Waterloo * Winston * Torrance US Route 211 in Culpeper County

Towns

* Elkwood *

Reva Reva may refer to: Places *Reva, Belgrade, urban neighborhood of Belgrade, Serbia *Reva, Mozambique, village in Ancuabe District in Cabo Delgado Province in northeastern Mozambique *Reva, Trebnje, small settlement just south of Dobrnič in the Mu ...

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Notable people

Big Kenny William Kenneth Alphin (born November 1, 1963), best known by his stage name Big Kenny, is an American country music singer. He and John Rich (musician), John Rich comprise the duo Big & Rich, who recorded four studio albums and charted fifteen s ...

- (b. 1963) country music singer * Thomas Colepeper - Governor of Virginia Colony (1677-1683) *

Pete Hill John Preston "Pete" Hill (October 12, 1882 – November 19, 1951) was an American outfielder and manager (baseball), manager in baseball's Negro league baseball, Negro leagues from 1899 to 1925. He played for the Philadelphia Giants, Leland Giants ...

- (1882-1951) professional baseball player, in Hall of Fame * Dangerfield Newby - (c.1820-October 17, 1859), one of John Brown's men killed in the raid on the federal armory at Harper's Ferry, VA *

Eppa Rixey Eppa Rixey Jr. (May 3, 1891 – February 28, 1963), nicknamed "Jephtha", was an American baseball player who played 21 seasons for the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds in Major League Baseball from 1912 to 1933 as a left-handed pitc ...

- (1891-1963) professional baseball player, in Hall of Fame * D. French Slaughter Jr. - US Congressman (1985-1991) *

Andrew Stevenson Andrew Stevenson (January 21, 1784 – January 25, 1857) was an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. He represented Richmond, Virginia in the Virginia House of Delegates and eventually became its speaker before being elected to the United ...

– Speaker of the House of Representatives * French Strother - (1730-1800) significant political figure in early national history * Maliq Brown - (b. 2003) college basketball player

References

External links

Culpeper County Government

Culpeper County Public Schools

Culpeper Regional Hospital

Culpeper Chamber of Commerce

Culpeper County During the Civil War in ''Encyclopedia Virginia''
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