Lancaster County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located on the

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 ...

in the

Commonwealth of Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 10,919. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

is Lancaster. Located on the

near the mouth 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 entir ...

, Lancaster County is part of the Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace

wine-growing Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ra ...

region recognized by the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

as an

American Viticultural Area An American Viticultural Area (AVA) is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States, providing an official appellation for the mutual benefit of wineries and consumers. Winemakers frequently want their consumers to know about t ...

. Lancaster County is the most densely populated county in the Northern Neck. The largest town in Lancaster County is

Kilmarnock, Virginia Kilmarnock is a town in Lancaster and Northumberland counties in the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 1,487 at the 2010 census. It is located near the mouth of the Rappahannock River and is located within the Northern Neck Ge ...

. The county's area code is 804.

History

Lancaster County was established in 1651 from

Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land ...

and

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

counties. It was home to Robert King Carter in the 18th century, and remaining buildings from that time include Christ Church and St. Mary's, Whitechapel. Other historic attractions open to the public include the

Lancaster Courthouse Historic District The Lancaster Court House Historic District is a national historic district consisting of 25 structures, including one monument, located in Lancaster, Virginia, Lancaster County, Virginia. Four of the buildings make up the Mary Ball Washington M ...

including the

Mary Ball Washington Museum and Library The Lancaster VA Historical Society/Mary Ball Washington Museum and Library is a museum and historical archive in the Northern Neck of The Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, United States. Its purpose is to preserve the history of Lancaster County, Virginia ...

, Belle Isle State Park, and the

Village of Morattico Historic District Village of Morattico Historic District is a national historic district located at Morattico, Lancaster County, Virginia. The district encompasses 69 contributing buildings, 1 contributing site, and 3 contributing structures in the village of M ...

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (42.4%) is water.

Adjacent counties

* Richmond County – northwest * Northumberland County – north * Middlesex County – south and southwest

Major highways

* * * * *

Demographics

2020 census

''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.''

2000 Census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 11,567 people, 5,004 households, and 3,412 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 87 people per square mile (34/km²). There were 6,498 housing units at an average density of 49 per square mile (19/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 69.95%

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

, 28.88%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.14% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.06%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.10% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.54% from two or more races. 0.61% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. There were 5,004 households, out of which 21.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.70% were

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

living together, 11.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.80% were non-families. 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.71. In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.00% under the age of 18, 5.00% from 18 to 24, 19.60% from 25 to 44, 28.00% from 45 to 64, and 28.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 86.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.50 males. Type of workers for this country are: Private wage or salary (72%); Government (15%); and Self-employed (12%). The median income for a household in the county was $33,239, and the median income for a family was $42,957. Males had a median income of $30,592 versus $23,039 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $24,663. Approximately 9.90% of families and 12.50% 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 18.00% of those under age 18 and 11.20% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Lancaster County is governed by a five-member board of supervisors. The board meets in the Lancaster County Administration Building at 7 p.m. on the last Thursday of every month. The Administration building is located at 8311 Mary Ball Road in Lancaster, Virginia.

Board of Supervisors

* District 1: Jack Larson (R) * District 2: Ernest W. Palin, Jr. (I) * District 3: Jason D. Bellows, Vice Chair (I) * District 4: William R. Lee, Chair (I) * District 5: Robert S. Westbrook, DDS (I)

Constitutional officers

* Clerk of the Circuit Court: Diane H. Mumford (I) * Commissioner of the Revenue: Marlon Savoy * Commonwealth Attorney: Anthony Spencer (R) * Sheriff: Patrick McCranie (R) * Treasurer: Bonnie J. Dickson Lancaster is represented by Republican Ryan T. McDougle in the Virginia Senate, Republican Margaret Bevans Ransone in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Republican Robert J. "Rob" Wittman in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Communities

Towns

* Irvington *

Kilmarnock Kilmarnock (, sco, Kilmaurnock; gd, Cill Mheàrnaig (IPA: ʰʲɪʎˈveaːɾnəkʲ, "Marnock's church") is a large town and former burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland and is the administrative centre of East Ayrshire, East Ayrshire Council. ...

White Stone White Stone may refer to: * White Stone (ski store), a British sports retailer * White Stone, South Carolina, an unincorporated community in Spartanburg County * White Stone, Virginia, a town in Lancaster County * White Stone Lake, a lake in Chis ...

Census-designated places

* Lancaster * Weems

Other unincorporated communities

* Litwalton * Lively * Merry Point *

Mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

* Morattico * Ottoman

Landmarks and attractions

Lancaster County is home to the historic church of St. Mary's, Whitechapel, founded in 1669.

Mary Ball Washington Mary Washington (; born sometime between 1707 and 1709 – August 25, 1789), was the second wife of Augustine Washington, a planter in Virginia, the mother-in-law of Martha Washington, the paternal grandmother of Bushrod Washington, and ...

, mother of

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

, was born in the parish of St. Mary's. Rappahannock General Hospital is in Kilmarnock, it is the only hospital on the Northern Neck. Other attractions are: * Compass Entertainment Complexhttps://compassentertainmentcomplex.com/ * 850 Christ Church Road * King Carter Golf Course * Golden Eagle Golf Course * Irvington Steamboat Museum * Indian Creek Yacht and Country Club * The Tides Inn Resort Hotel * White Stone Beach * Windmill Point Beach * Chesapeake Boat Basin Marina * Belle Isle State Park * Chilton Woods State Forest * Carters Cove Marina * Kellum Seafood Oyster House * Rappahannock River Yacht Club * Ampro Shipyard * Historic Christ Church

References

{{authority control Virginia counties 1651 establishments in Virginia Northern Neck Populated places established in 1651 Virginia counties on the Chesapeake Bay