Warsaw, Virginia
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Warsaw is an incorporated town in and the
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 ...
of Richmond 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), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
, United States. The population was 1,637 at the 2020 census and is estimated to be 2,330 as of 2023.


History

Prior to English
colonization 475px, Map of the year each country achieved List of sovereign states by date of formation, independence. Colonization (British English: colonisation) is a process of establishing occupation of or control over foreign territories or peoples f ...
, the area of Warsaw, Virginia was occupied by a group of Rappahannock Native Americans, who would fish on the nearby creeks for shad and herring. By 1667, the Rappahannock people had been forced to sell all their land north of 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 ...
to English settlers, including the modern site of Warsaw. After the division of the
Old Rappahannock County The first Rappahannock County, Virginia — generally known as "Old Rappahannock" County — was founded in 1656 from part of Lancaster County, Virginia and became extinct in 1692 when it was divided to form Essex County and Richmond County, Virgi ...
in 1692, Richmond County was created. The new county had its seat at Richmond Court House, which was originally along the shores of 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 ...
. The site of Richmond Court House was moved inland to modern Warsaw in 1730, and the modern court house was built in 1748. The area was also the home of Robert Wormeley Carter, who represented Richmond County in the Virginia
House of Burgesses The House of Burgesses () was the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly from 1619 to 1776. It existed during the colonial history of the United States in the Colony of Virginia in what was then British America. From 1642 to 1776, the Hou ...
and the
Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislature, legislative bodies, with some executive function, for the Thirteen Colonies of British America, Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after ...
as a supporter of the
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
; he owned the historic house of Sabine Hall, located near Richmond Court House. Additionally, the region was subjected to intense British raids during the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...
, and many free men of the town were rallied in its defense from the British army. During this time, the area's economy grew reliant on tobacco, as a small group of wealthy planters grew the crop with the labor of indentured settlers and
enslaved Africans Slavery has historically been widespread in Africa. Systems of servitude and slavery were once commonplace in parts of Africa, as they were in much of the rest of the Ancient history, ancient and Post-classical history, medieval world. When t ...
. In January 1832, the town's name was changed to Warsaw, after the news of "great uprisings in Old World
Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
" in 1830 and 1831 reached residents. This change was due to local popular support for the
November Uprising The November Uprising (1830–31) (), also known as the Polish–Russian War 1830–31 or the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in Russian Partition, the heartland of Partitions of Poland, partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. ...
in Poland. As with Richmond Court House, a number of other small towns in the United States changed their names to Warsaw at this time, such as
Warsaw, Kentucky Warsaw is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Gallatin County, Kentucky, United States, located along the Ohio River. The name was suggested by a riverboat captain, who was reading '' Thaddeus of Warsaw'', by Jane Porter, when the ...
. Following 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 area's newly emancipated
freedmen A freedman or freedwoman is a person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, slaves were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their owners), emancipation (granted freedom as part of a larger group), or self- ...
made efforts to secure their own churches and schools. Ultimately, the region's schools and churches would be formally desegregated with the passage of the
Civil Rights Act Civil Rights Act may refer to several civil right acts in the United States. These acts of the United States Congress are meant to protect rights to ensure individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private ...
, though all schools in the region would not be fully integrated until the 1970s. Today, Warsaw is one of many small towns in Virginia's
Northern Neck The Northern Neck is the northernmost of three peninsulas (traditionally called "necks" in Virginia) on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay in the Commonwealth of Virginia (along with the Middle Peninsula and the Virginia Peninsula). The P ...
region. The town prides itself on its schools, natural beauty, and quality of life.


Geography

Warsaw is located at (37.957617, −76.758302). According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of , all of it land.


Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Warsaw has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.


Demographics

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.'' 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 1,375 people, 445 households, and 233 families living in the town. 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 468 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 67.64%
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 ...
, 29.38%
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 ...
, 0.22% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 1.53% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races.
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 were 4.36% of the population. There were 445 households, out of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% 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, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.6% were non-families. 45.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.81. In the town, the population was spread out, with 13.3% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 29.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.2 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 103.8 males. The median income for a household in the town was $28,971, and the median income for a family was $44,167. Males had a median income of $40,052 versus $23,661 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 town was $21,392. About 12.4% of families and 16.8% 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 20.6% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

Warsaw serves as the hub of Richmond County and provides a wide array of economic opportunities. As of 2017, 40% of the town's employment came from educational, health, and social services. Educationally, the town is home to an elementary and middle school, a high school, a technical school, and a campus of the
Rappahannock Community College Rappahannock Community College (RCC) is a public community college with two campuses in Virginia, one in Glenns (Gloucester County) and the other in Warsaw (Richmond County). There are three off-campus sites — one in Kilmarnock, one in King G ...
. Warsaw is also the location of the
Northern Neck Regional Jail Northern Neck Regional Jail is a jail in Warsaw, Virginia, which is located in Virginia's Northern Neck. The jail was completed in 1995. It employs 100 people and has a capacity of 460 inmates with its most recent addition completed in 2000. Notab ...
, which was completed in 1995. The jail employs 100 people and has a capacity of 460 inmates. Its most recent addition was completed in 2000. The area also uses its historic importance to promote tourism. Historic sites nearby include Menokin, the former home of
Francis Lightfoot Lee Francis Lightfoot Lee (October 14, 1734 – January 11, 1797) was a Founding Father of the United States and a member of the House of Burgesses in the Colony of Virginia. As an active protester regarding issues such as the Stamp Act of 1765, Le ...
, Mount Airy and Sabine Hall. A former plantation estate, Belle Mount, is currently operated as a vineyard and winery within a few miles of Warsaw town limits. In addition to Menokin, Mount Airy, and Sabine Hall, Grove Mount and the Richmond County Courthouse are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. The formerly listed Bladensfield was destroyed by fire in 1996.


Notable people

* Cal Bowdler – power forward for NBA's
Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
(1999–2002) * Robert Wormeley Carter – member of the Virginia
House of Burgesses The House of Burgesses () was the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly from 1619 to 1776. It existed during the colonial history of the United States in the Colony of Virginia in what was then British America. From 1642 to 1776, the Hou ...
and the
Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislature, legislative bodies, with some executive function, for the Thirteen Colonies of British America, Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after ...
*
Jim Coates James Alton Coates (August 4, 1932 – November 15, 2019) was an American professional baseball pitcher. A right-hander, Coates pitched in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees (1956, 1959–62), Washington Senators (1963), Cincinnati ...
professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Moder ...
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
for several
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
teams *
William Atkinson Jones William Atkinson Jones (March 21, 1849 – April 17, 1918) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1891 to 1918 from the Virginia's 1st congressional district, first district of the ...
– member of United States House of Representatives, early supporter of
Philippine Independence The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
* W. Tayloe Murphy (1901–1961), state delegate and state senator *
Tom Robbins Thomas Eugene Robbins (July 22, 1932 – February 9, 2025) was an American novelist. His most notable works are "seriocomedies" (also known as "comedy dramas"). Robbins had lived in La Conner, Washington, since 1970, where he wrote nine of his ...
– Author who recounted their childhood of living in Warsaw in their autobiography '' Tibetan Peach Pie''


References


External links


Town of Warsaw website
{{authority control Towns in Richmond County, Virginia County seats in Virginia Towns in Virginia