Warren County, Virginia

Warren County
County
Warren County Courthouse in Front Royal, Virginia
Flag Seal Logo
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°55′N78°13′W / 38.91°N 78.21°W / 38.91; -78.21
Country	United States
State	Virginia
Founded	1836
Named for	Joseph Warren
Seat	Front Royal
Largest town	Front Royal
Area
• Total	217 sq mi (560 km2)
• Land	213 sq mi (550 km2)
• Water	3.3 sq mi (9 km2)  1.5%
Population  (2020)
• Total	40,727
• Density	190/sq mi (72/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	6th
Website	www.warrencountyva.net

Warren County is a U.S. county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The 2020 census places Warren County within the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area with a population of 40,727. ^[1] The county was established in 1836. The county seat is Front Royal. ^[2]

History

By 1672 the entire Shenandoah Valley was claimed for hunting by the Iroquois Confederation following the Beaver Wars. Some bands of the Shawnee settled in the area as client groups to the Iroquois and alternately to the Cherokee after 1721. The Iroquois formally sold their entire claim east of the Alleghenies to the Virginia Colony at the Treaty of Lancaster in 1744. ^[3] Warren County was established in 1836 from Frederick and Shenandoah counties. ^{[4] : 33} At that time the county had a population of 7,000 people, a quarter of which were enslaved. ^{[4] : 289} Wedding records show marriages of people born in the 1770s marrying in the 1800s who head households of four to eight "free colored" so the early demographics of the population are unclear. ^{[5] : 823–824} Joist Hite lead the Sixteen Families into the Lower Shenandoah Valley. ^[6] Some consider that group the first European settlers of the area, others believe different claims. ^{[6] : ix} Either way, Presbyterians of Scotch-Irish lineage and Quakers followed. ^[7]

Rail service was established in 1854 with the construction of the Alexandria, Orange and Manassas Gap Railroad between Manassas and Riverton. This line was soon extended to Strasburg in time to become a factor in the Battle of Front Royal on May 23, 1862, and throughout the Civil War. Lumber, agriculture, manufacturing and grain mills provided employment in the region for decades after the Civil War. The county is named for Joseph Warren. During the Civil War the Battle of Front Royal took place in the county on May 23, 1862. ^{[8] : 368} On September 23, 1864, William Thomas Overby and five others of then Lt. Col. John S. Mosby's 43rd Virginia Battalion of Partisan Rangers were captured by cavalry troops under the command of then Brig. Gen. George A. Custer in Front Royal out of uniform and were executed as spies. ^[9]

2019 Warren County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Jennifer McDonald Scandal

In 2017, questions were raised about the validity of an alleged $40 million economic development deal that had been brought to the community by Curt Tran, the owner of a company called IT Federal, over the redevelopment of the Avtex Superfund site. ^[10]

In 2018, Warren County Economic Development Authority executive director Jennifer McDonald was charged with filing false police reports about an alleged rock-throwing incident that she claimed had occurred at her home. ^[11]

In 2019, McDonald and other parties were embroiled in a massive financial scandal that some observers have characterized as the largest embezzlement scheme in the history of the state of Virginia. ^[12] The fraud scheme, which involved the alleged embezzlement of $21 million in county funds through fictitious development schemes and insider deals, was uncovered by the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation's Culpeper field office.

The Virginia State Police launched a probe into the business practices of McDonald in conjunction with the Front Royal Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. ^[12]

Sheriff McEathron, who had been indicted after it was revealed he was McDonald's business partner, committed suicide. ^[13]

Jennifer McDonald was charged with 32 felony counts for her role in the scheme. ^[14] 14 current and former municipal officials were indicted and faced criminal charges, including the entire Warren County board of supervisors as well as the former Warren County Attorney and the head of the Warren County schools division. ^{[12] [15]} These charges were later dropped as the judge ruled there was no basis for the allegations. ^[16]

Geography

Clarke

Frederick

Fauquier

Warren

Rappahannock

Page

Shenandoah

class=notpageimage|

Warren and adjacent counties

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 217 square miles (560 km²), of which 213 square miles (550 km²) is land and 3.3 square miles (8.5 km²) (1.5%) is water. ^[17] The highest point is Hogback Mountain in Shenandoah National Park, along the border with Rappahannock County.

Adjacent counties

• Frederick County, Virginia – north
• Clarke County, Virginia – northeast
• Fauquier County, Virginia – east
• Rappahannock County, Virginia – southeast
• Page County, Virginia – southwest
• Shenandoah County, Virginia – west

National protected areas

• Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park (part)
• George Washington National Forest (part)
• Shenandoah National Park (part)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1840	5,627		—
1850	6,607		17.4%
1860	6,442		−2.5%
1870	5,716		−11.3%
1880	7,399		29.4%
1890	8,280		11.9%
1900	8,837		6.7%
1910	8,589		−2.8%
1920	8,852		3.1%
1930	8,340		−5.8%
1940	11,352		36.1%
1950	14,801		30.4%
1960	14,655		−1.0%
1970	15,301		4.4%
1980	21,200		38.6%
1990	26,142		23.3%
2000	31,584		20.8%
2010	37,575		19.0%
2020	40,727		8.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [18] 1790–1960 [19] 1900–1990 [20] 1990–2000 [21] 2010 [22] 2020 [23]

2020 census

Warren County, Virginia - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)

Race / Ethnicity	Pop 2010 [22]	Pop 2020 [23]	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	33,345	33,831	88.74%	83.07%
Black or African American alone (NH)	1,709	1,722	4.55%	4.23%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	103	130	0.27%	0.32%
Asian alone (NH)	350	462	0.93%	1.13%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	7	13	0.02%	0.03%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	35	255	0.09%	0.63%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)	708	1,901	1.88%	4.67%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,318	2,413	3.51%	5.92%
Total	37,575	40,727	100.00%	100.00%

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 ^[24] of 2000, there were 31,584 people, 12,087 households, and 8,521 families residing in the county. The population density was 148 inhabitants per square mile (57/km²). There were 13,299 housing units at an average density of 62 units per square mile (24 units/km²). The demographics of the county is (2000) 92.71% White, 4.83% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 1.29% from two or more races. 1.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 12,087 households, out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were married couples living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.60% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 30.60% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 12.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 94.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,422, and the median income for a family was $50,487. Males had a median income of $37,182 versus $25,506 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,841. About 6.00% of families and 8.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.70% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

For many years, Avtex Fibers (formerly known as the American Viscose Corporation from 1910 to 1976), was the county's largest employer and taxpayer. ^[25] At its height, it employed over 800 residents throughout Front Royal and Warren County.

Towards the late 1980s, however, the company's main plant in Front Royal was forced to close as a result of numerous environmental violations, which eventually resulted in the site being declared a Superfund site. ^[26] The county, reeling from the sudden loss of jobs and tax revenue, established the Warren County Economic Development Authority (WCEDA) to stimulate and diversify its economy as well as the economy of Town of Front Royal, its county seat. The purpose of the WCEDA is to foster and stimulate industry and economic development within Warren County and the town of Front Royal. ^[27]

Top employers

According to the county's comprehensive annual financial reports, the top employers by number of employees in the county are the following.

Employer	Employees (2021) [28]
Warren County School Board	750–1,000
Family Dollar Services	250–499
Valley Health System–WMH	250–499
Axalta Coating Systems (DuPont)	250–499
Walmart	250–499
Warren County Government	250–499
Sysco Northeast Redistribution	250–499
Randolph-Macon Academy	250–499
UPS Customer Center	250–499

Transportation

I-66 in Warren County

• Front Royal Area Transit (FRAT) ^[29] provides weekday transit for the town of Front Royal.
• Page County Transit ^[30] - the People Movers provides weekday transit for the town of Luray and weekday service between Luray and Front Royal.

Major highways

• I-66
• I-81
• US 11
• US 340
• US 522
• SR 55
• SR 79
• Skyline Drive

Education

Sonner Hall at Randolph-Macon Academy

College

• Christendom College

Public schools

• Skyline High School (9–12)
• Warren County High School (9–12)
• Warren County Middle School ^[31] (6–8)
• Skyline Middle School ^[32] (6–8)
• A.S. Rhodes Elementary School ^[33] (K–5)
• E. Wilson Morrison Elementary School ^[34] (K–5)
• Hilda J. Barbour Elementary School ^[35] (PreK–5)
• Leslie Fox Keyser Elementary School ^[36] (K–5)
• Ressie Jefferies Elementary School ^[37] (K–5)

Preparatory school

• Randolph-Macon Academy (6–12)

Communities

Town

• Front Royal (county seat)

Census-designated places

• Apple Mountain Lake
• Chester Gap (mostly in Rappahannock County)
• Shenandoah Farms
• Shenandoah Shores
• Skyland Estates

Other unincorporated communities

• Ashby
• Bentonville
• Bethel
• Browntown
• Buckton
• Cedarville
• Happy Creek
• Howellsville
• Karo
• Limeton
• Linden
• Milldale
• Nineveh
• Overall
• Reliance
• Riverton
• Rockland
• Waterlick

Politics

Prior to 1952, the county was dominated by the Democratic Party like most counties in Virginia, but between then and 1976, it was a swing county. Since 1980, it has become consistently Republican.

United States presidential election results for Warren County, Virginia ^[38]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	14,069	66.53%	6,603	31.22%	475	2.25%
2016	11,773	65.58%	5,169	28.80%	1,009	5.62%
2012	9,869	59.10%	6,452	38.64%	377	2.26%
2008	8,879	55.06%	6,997	43.39%	250	1.55%
2004	8,600	61.13%	5,241	37.25%	227	1.61%
2000	6,335	56.73%	4,313	38.63%	518	4.64%
1996	4,657	48.25%	3,814	39.52%	1,181	12.24%
1992	4,319	44.64%	3,554	36.73%	1,803	18.63%
1988	4,700	61.86%	2,769	36.44%	129	1.70%
1984	5,016	65.73%	2,551	33.43%	64	0.84%
1980	3,861	55.79%	2,597	37.53%	462	6.68%
1976	2,985	45.80%	3,221	49.42%	311	4.77%
1972	3,718	69.40%	1,508	28.15%	131	2.45%
1968	2,297	43.37%	1,513	28.57%	1,486	28.06%
1964	1,886	42.96%	2,494	56.81%	10	0.23%
1960	1,842	49.52%	1,850	49.73%	28	0.75%
1956	2,003	58.83%	1,322	38.83%	80	2.35%
1952	1,888	57.90%	1,362	41.77%	11	0.34%
1948	1,016	40.92%	1,291	51.99%	176	7.09%
1944	761	42.32%	1,034	57.51%	3	0.17%
1940	491	26.79%	1,338	73.00%	4	0.22%
1936	426	26.56%	1,174	73.19%	4	0.25%
1932	367	24.93%	1,096	74.46%	9	0.61%
1928	564	44.27%	710	55.73%	0	0.00%
1924	150	16.89%	699	78.72%	39	4.39%
1920	293	28.34%	720	69.63%	21	2.03%
1916	214	26.52%	583	72.24%	10	1.24%
1912	122	16.49%	571	77.16%	47	6.35%

Notable people

• Thomas Ashby, born in Warren County, physician and Maryland state legislator ^[39]
• Thomas M. Allen, born in Warren County, clergyman and university official in Missouri ^[40]

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Warren County, Virginia

References

1. "Warren County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 30, 2022.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Hofstra, Warren (2005). The Planting of New Virginia: Settlement and Landscape in the Shenandoah Valley. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 10–12. ISBN   0801882710.
4. Wayland, John Walter (1969). A History of Shenandoah County, Virginia. Genealogical. p. 894.
5. Heinegg, Paul (2005). Free African Americans of North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina from the Colonial Period to about 1820, Volume 2. Genealogical.
6. Kemp Cartmell, Thomas (1909). Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants: A History of Frederick County, Virginia (illustrated) from Its Formation in 1738 to 1908. Eddy. p. 587.
7. Presbyterians:
   Kemp Cartmell, Thomas (1909). Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants: A History of Frederick County, Virginia (illustrated) from Its Formation in 1738 to 1908. Eddy. p. 587.^: ix
   Quakers:
   Kretzschmar, William A. (September 15, 1993). Handbook of the Linguistic Atlas of the Middle and South Atlantic States. University of Chicago Press. p. 454.^: 334
8. Forman, Sam (November 21, 2011). Dr. Joseph Warren: The Boston Tea Party, Bunker Hill, and the Birth of American Liberty. Pelican. p. 400.
9. Executions:
   Simson, Jay W. (November 11, 2008). Custer and the Front Royal Executions of 1864. McFarland. p. 211.^: 1
   Boyle, William E. (Spring 1994). "Under the Black Flag: Execution and Retaliation in Mosby's Confederacy". Military Law Review. 144.^: 155
10. Casey, Dan. "CASEY: Scandals rock northern Shenandoah Valley town", The Roanoke Times , Virginia, April 27, 2019.
11. Gully, Josh. "EDA Director Charged With Filing False Police Reports"
12. McCaslin, John (September 24, 2019). "Warren County's top officials indicted in Front Royal embezzlement scam". The Rappahannock News. online. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
13. Bria Llyod. ", Local DVM , May 28, 2019.
14. Gully, Josh. ", Northern Virginia Daily , Virginia, October 28, 2019.
15. Olivo, Antonio (September 24, 2019). "Millions of dollars are missing. The sheriff is dead. A small Virginia town wants answers". The Washington Post. Internet. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
16. Carey, Julie. NBC4 Washington , Virginia, October 28, 2019.
17. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
18. "Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000". US Census Bureau . Retrieved January 24, 2022.
19. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
20. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
21. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
22. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Warren County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau .
23. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Warren County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau .
24. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
25. "Board Of Supervisors Reacts To EDA Allegations". County of Warren website. Warren County Board of Supervisors. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
26. Ayres, B. Drummond Jr. (November 21, 1989). "Jobs Are Lost in Plant Shutdown, but So Is Foul-Smelling Air". The New York Times. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
27. "Bylaws of the Industrial Development Authority of the Town of Front Royal and the County of Warren, Virginia" (PDF). WCEDA.com. Warren County Economic Development Agency. December 20, 1994. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
28. "County of Warren, Virginia, Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, for the Year Ended June 30, 2021" (PDF). Government of Warren County, Virginia. April 22, 2022. p. Table 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2022.
29. "Front Royal Area Transit". Archived from the original on October 9, 2007. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
30. Page County Transit Archived January 13, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
31. "Welcome to Warren County Middle School" . Retrieved February 17, 2017.
32. "Home - Skyline Middle School".
33. "Welcome to A.S. Rhodes Elementary" . Retrieved February 17, 2017.
34. "Welcome to E. Wilson Morrison Elementary" . Retrieved February 17, 2017.
35. "Welcome to Hilda J. Barbour Elementary" . Retrieved February 17, 2017.
36. "Welcome to Leslie Fox Keyser Elementary" . Retrieved February 17, 2017.
37. "Welcome to Ressie Jeffries Elementary". Archived from the original on October 9, 2006. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
38. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
39. Genealogical and Memorial Encyclopedia of the State of Maryland: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation, Volume 2. American Historical Society, Inc. 1919. pp. 439–442.
40. Richardson, Robert (1870). Memoirs of Alexander Campbell: Embracing a View of the Origin, Progress and Principles of the Religious Reformation which He Advocated. J.B. Lippincott & Company. p.  376 . Retrieved May 14, 2018.

38°55′N78°13′W / 38.91°N 78.21°W / 38.91; -78.21