Accomack County, Virginia

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Accomack County is a United States county that, together with Northampton County, constitutes the Eastern Shore region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. These two counties also form the southern portion of the Delmarva Peninsula, which is bordered by the Chesapeake Bay to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The town of Accomac serves as the county seat, while Chincoteague is the largest town in the county.[1]

The area was named for the Accawmack Indians, who resided in the area when the English first explored it in 1603. The region was known as "Accomac Shire" until it was renamed Northampton County in 1642. The present Accomack County was then carved out of Northampton County in 1663.

As of the 2020 census, Accomack County had a total population of 33,413.[2] The population has remained relatively stable over the 20th century, though Accomack is one of the poorest parts of Virginia.[3]

History

File:Notice! Persons desiring to establish Supply Stores in the Counties of Accomac and Northampton, Va. Drummondtown, Virginia, 1864.png
Notice to persons "desiring to establish supply stores" in Accomac and Northampton Counties, Virginia, September 19, 1864

The county was named for its original residents, the Accomac people, an Eastern Algonquian-speaking Native American tribe.

Members of an English voyage of exploration landed in the area in 1603, four years before the founding of the Jamestown Colony. Captain John Smith visited the region in 1608. The Accomac people at the time numbered around 6,000 and was led by Debedeavon, a paramount chief, whom the English colonists called the "Laughing King." He became a staunch ally of the colonists, granting them several large areas for their own use.

Accomac Shire was established in 1634 as one of the eight original shires of Virginia. The name comes from the native word Accawmacke, which meant "on the other side".[4] In 1642 the name was changed to Northampton by the colonists. Northampton was divided into two counties in 1663. The northern adopted the original name, while the south remained Northampton.

In 1670, the Virginia Colony's Royal Governor William Berkeley abolished Accomac County, but the Virginia General Assembly re-created it in 1671.[5]

In 1940, the General Assembly officially added a "k" to the end of the county's name to arrive at its current spelling. The name of "Accomack County" first appeared in the Decisions of the United States Board on Geographical Names in 1943.[6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Script error: No such module "convert"., of which Script error: No such module "convert". is land and Script error: No such module "convert". (65.7%) is water.[7] It is the largest county in Virginia by total area, as well as its easternmost county.

The state of Delaware is roughly Script error: No such module "convert". away from the Virginia and Maryland state-line in Greenbackville.

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Template:Sronly%±
179013,959—
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181015,743Script error: No such module "String".%
182015,966Script error: No such module "String".%
183016,656Script error: No such module "String".%
184017,096Script error: No such module "String".%
185017,890Script error: No such module "String".%
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187020,409Script error: No such module "String".%
188024,408Script error: No such module "String".%
189027,277Script error: No such module "String".%
190032,570Script error: No such module "String".%
191036,650Script error: No such module "String".%
192034,795Script error: No such module "String".%
193035,854Script error: No such module "String".%
194033,030Script error: No such module "String".%
195033,832Script error: No such module "String".%
196030,635Script error: No such module "String".%
197029,004Script error: No such module "String".%
198031,268Script error: No such module "String".%
199031,703Script error: No such module "String".%
200038,305Script error: No such module "String".%
201033,164Script error: No such module "String".%
202033,413Script error: No such module "String".%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010[12] 2020[13]

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Racial and ethnic composition

Accomack County, Virginia – Racial and ethnic composition
<templatestyles src="Nobold/styles.css"/>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 may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[14] Pop 2010[12] Pop 2020[13] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 23,697 20,266 19,825 61.86% 61.11% 59.33%
Black or African American alone (NH) 12,039 9,253 8,639 31.43% 27.90% 25.86%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 106 97 65 0.28% 0.29% 0.19%
Asian alone (NH) 86 177 249 0.22% 0.53% 0.75%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) 35 34 1 0.03% 0.10% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 35 44 99 0.09% 0.13% 0.30%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 270 443 1,105 0.70% 1.34% 3.31%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2,062 2,850 3,430 5.38% 8.59% 10.27%
Total 38,305 33,164 33,413 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 33,413. The median age was 47.8 years. 19.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 24.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.6 males age 18 and over.[15][16]

The racial makeup of the county was 60.6% White, 25.9% Black or African American, 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 6.5% from some other race, and 5.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 10.3% of the population.[16]

9.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 90.4% lived in rural areas.[17]

There were 14,302 households in the county, of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 30.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[15]

There were 21,703 housing units, of which 34.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 70.5% were owner-occupied and 29.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.7%.[15]

2010 census

As of the census[18] of 2010, there were 33,164 people, 15,299 households, and 10,388 families residing in the county. The population density was Script error: No such module "convert".. There were 19,550 housing units at an average density of Script error: No such module "convert".. The racial makeup of the county was 65.3% White, 28.1% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.9% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. 8.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Black or African American (28%), English American (15%), German (9%), Irish (9%) and Mexican (4%).Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

There were 15,299 households, out of which 28.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.20% were married couples living together, 14.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.10% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.30% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 26.20% from 25 to 44, 24.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.00 males.

Accomack and adjacent Northampton County are the two poorest counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia.[3]

Government and politics

Board of Supervisors

Board of County Supervisors
Name Party District
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |  William J. "Billy Joe" Tarr Ind 1
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |  Ron Wolff Dem 2
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |  Vanessa Johnson Dem 3
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |  Paul E.J. Muhly Ind 4
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |  Harrison W. Phillips, III Ind 5
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |  Robert Crockett Ind 6
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |  Jackie Phillips Ind 7
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |  Donald Hart, Jr. Dem 8
style="background-color:Template:Party color" |  C. Reneta Major Dem 9

Constitutional officers

  • Clerk of the Circuit Court: Talia C. Taylor (I)
  • Commissioner of the Revenue: Kim A. Satterwhite (I)
  • Commonwealth's Attorney: J. Spencer Morgan, III (I)
  • Sheriff: W. Todd Wessells (I)
  • Treasurer: James Lilliston, Sr. (I)

Accomack County is represented by Republican William “Bill” DeSteph, Jr in the Virginia Senate, Republican Robert Bloxom in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Republican Jen Kiggans in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Presidential politics

Accomack County has been consistently Republican-leaning in the 21st century; prior to this, it was a Democratic stronghold turned swing county. The last Democrat to obtain an absolute majority was Jimmy Carter in 1976, though Bill Clinton narrowly carried the county by a plurality in 1996.[19]

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Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Economy

Accomack County is home to large chicken processing facilities owned by Perdue Farms and Tyson Foods.[20]

Transportation

Airport

Major highways

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Public transportation

STAR Transit provides public transit services for both Accomack and Northampton counties and is headquartered in Tasley.

Education

The county is served by Accomack County Public Schools.[22] It is the only school district in the county.[23]

High schools and K-12 schools in this district are:[24]

Eastern Shore Community College is located near Melfa.[25]

Media

The county maintains and is the licensee of six television translator stations on two towers, with four located on a tower off US 13 in unincorporated Mappsville licensed to Onancock, and the other two licensed to unincorporated Craddockville on a tower near Route 178. Each translator tower has four signals to relay the signals of Hampton Roads's major network affiliates to the county, including WAVY, WHRO, WTKR, and WVEC. Meanwhile, Fox programming via WVBT is provided by WPMC-CA (Channel 36) from the Mappsville tower, a station owned by Nexstar Media Group, the parent company of WAVY/WVBT.

Additionally, Salisbury, Maryland CBS / Fox affiliate WBOC-TV has long claimed Accomack County as part of its coverage area.

Call letters City of license Channel Station relayed (Network)
W14DY-D Onancock 14 WAVY (NBC)
W42DP Craddockville 42 WAVY (NBC)
W25AA-D Onancock 25 WHRO (PBS)
W18EG-D Onancock 18 WAVY (NBC), 18.1
WVEC (ABC), 18.2
WTKR (CBS), 18.3
WHRO (PBS), 18.4
W22DN Craddockville 22 WTKR (CBS)
W34DN Onancock 34 WVEC (ABC)

Communities

Towns

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Census Designated Places

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Notable people

In popular culture

Music

In Sydney Brown's lyrics for the Maple Leaf Rag, the first line states, "I come from ol' Virginny, from de County Accomack"

See also

References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  3. ↑ a b Accomack and Northampton County EC Template:Webarchive on USDA Rural Development
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  6. ↑ Topping, Mary, comp., Approved Place Names in Virginia: An Index to Virginia Names Approved by the United States Board on Geographic Names through 1969 (Charlottesville, VA: University Press of Virginia, 1971), 1.
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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    The City of Houston stated: "The U.S. Postal Service establishes ZIP codes and mailing addresses in order to maximize the efficiency of their system, not to recognize jurisdictional boundaries."
  26. ↑ a b c d e f Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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Further reading

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External links

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