Albemarle County, Virginia

lived most of his life in Albemarle County At the time of European encounter, the inhabitants of the area that became Albemarle County were a Siouan-speaking tribe called the Saponi. In 1744, the Virginia General Assembly created Albemarle County from the western portion of Goochland County. The county was named in honor of Willem Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle and titular Governor of Virginia at the time. The large county was partitioned in 1761, forming Buckingham and Amherst counties, at which time the county seat was moved from the formerly central Scottsville to a piece of newly central land, christened Charlottesville. However, his home of Monticello is located in the county. When the American Revolutionary War started in 1775, Jefferson was made colonel of the Albemarle Militia. During the Civil War, the Battle of Rio Hill was a skirmish in which Union cavalry raided a Confederate camp in Albemarle County, Virginia. Until the Civil War, the majority of Albemarle County's population consisted of enslaved African Americans. ==Geography==

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.7%) is water. Waterways The Rivanna River's south fork forms in Albemarle County and was historically important for transportation. The south fork flows in-between Darden Towe Park and Pen Park. Boat ramp access is available at Darden Towe Park. The James River acts as a natural border between Albemarle and Buckingham Counties. Major highways • • • • • • • • Protected areas Albemarle's western border with Augusta and Rockingham Counties is located within the Shenandoah National Park. Adjacent counties Albemarle County borders eight other counties, more than any other county in Virginia. • Charlottesville (surrounded by Albemarle County) • Greene County (north) • Orange County (northeast) • Louisa County (east) • Fluvanna County (southeast) • Buckingham County (south) • Nelson County (southwest) • Augusta County (west) • Rockingham County (northwest) Parks and recreation • Beaver Creek Lake • Biscuit Run Park • Brook Hill Park • Chris Greene Lake Park • Darden Towe Park • Charlotte Humphris Park • Beaver Creek Park • Dorrier Park • Charlotte Y. Humphris Park • Ivy Creek Natural Area • Mint Springs Valley Park • Patricia Ann Byrom Forest Preserve Park • Preddy Creek Park • Simpson Park • Totier Creek Park • Walnut Creek Park • Western Park ==Demographics==

Racial and ethnic composition 2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 112,395. The median age was 38.8 years. 20.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.1 males age 18 and over. The racial makeup of the county was 72.8% White, 8.9% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 7.3% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.6% from some other race, and 7.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.5% of the population. There were 43,468 households in the county, of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 28.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. As of the census of 2010, there were 98,970 people, 38,157 households, and 24,578 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 42,122 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 80.6% White, 9.7% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 4.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.3% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. 5.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 38,157 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 25.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.96. In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 12.3% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.2 years. For every 100 females there were 92.69 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 89.59 males. 22% of Albemarle residents have a graduate or professional degree, compared with 10% nationwide. The median income for a household in the county was $63,001, and the median income for a family was $98,934. Males had a median income of $55,530 versus $52,211 for females. The per capita income for the county was $36,718. About 3.8% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over. ==Economy==

35% of people working in Albemarle live in the county, while 65% commute in. 19% of those commuting in live in Charlottesville, while the remainder live in the surrounding counties. 26,800 people commute out of Albemarle for work. 48% of which commute to Charlottesville, making up 51% of Charlottesville's in-commuters. In 2022, Albemarle had a 2.7% unemployment rate, compared with a national rate of 3.6%. The top 10 employers as of Q4 2022 were: • University of Virginia • Sentara Healthcare • U.S. Department of Defense • County of Albemarle • Crutchfield Corporation • Walmart • Piedmont Virginia Community College • Northrop Grumman Corporation • Boar's Head Inn • Atlantic Coast Athletic Club ==Government==

Albemarle is governed by an elected six-member Board of Supervisors. Management of the county is vested in a Board-appointed County Executive. There are also several elected Constitutional Officers: • Clerk of the Circuit Court: John Zug (D) • Commonwealth's Attorney: James M. Hingeley (D) • Sheriff: Chan Bryant (D) The nonpartisan School Board is also elected. Its members are: • Kate Acuff (Jack Jouett Magisterial District) • Chuck Pace (Rio Magisterial District) • Judy Le (Rivanna Magisterial District; chair) • Graham Paige (Samuel Miller Magisterial District) • Ellen Osborne (Scottsville Magisterial District) • Rebecca Berlin (White Hall Magisterial District) • Allison Spillman (At-Large) Emergency services Albemarle County has two branches of law enforcement, the Albemarle County Police Department, which handles criminal matters and is directed by the appointed police chief, Colonel Sean Reeves. The second branch is the Albemarle County Sheriff's Office, which handles civil service in the county, and they are directed by the elected Sheriff Chan Bryant. Albemarle County Fire Rescue (ACFR) provides essential emergency services to the residents and visitors of Albemarle County including, fire suppression, emergency medical treatment, and transport, technical rescue, water rescue, and hazardous materials mitigation. In addition, the department provides a wide array of non-emergency services such as investigations, business inspections, burn permits, child safety seat inspections, smoke detector installations, public education, and emergency management. Services are provided through a combination of career staff, nine volunteer fire and rescue agencies, and regional partners. Fire and rescue stations are placed strategically throughout the county to ensure proper coverage: Fire stations • East Rivanna Volunteer Fire Company – Station 2 – (combination career/volunteer) • North Garden Volunteer Fire Company – Station 3 – (combination career/volunteer) • Earlysville Volunteer Fire Company – Station 4 – (combination career/volunteer) • Crozet Volunteer Fire Department – Station 5 – (combination career/volunteer) • Stony Point Volunteer Fire Company – Station 6 – (combination career/volunteer) • Scottsville Volunteer Fire Department – Station 7 – (volunteer) • Seminole Trail Volunteer Fire Department – Station 8 – (combination career/volunteer) • Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport Department of Public Safety – Station 9 – (career) • Monticello Fire Rescue – Station 11 – (career) • Hollymead Fire Rescue – Station 12 – (career) • Ivy Fire Rescue – Station 15 – (career) • Pantops Fire Rescue – Station 16 – (career) Rescue squads • Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad – Rescue 1 – (volunteer) • Western Albemarle Rescue Squad – Rescue 5 – (volunteer) • Scottsville Rescue – Rescue 17 – (career) • Berkmar Rescue – Rescue 18 – (career) the sheriff is Chan Bryant, the county's first woman sheriff. The ACPD was created in 1983. Prior to 1983, local county governments could create a police force by a simple vote held by their respective board of supervisors. In February 1983 the Virginia General Assembly restricted the authority of county governments to create police forces without a voter referendum. The law did not go into effect until July 1983: On May 11, 1983, before the law took effect, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance creating the Albemarle County Police Department. That original ordinance provided for a police chief and five full time officers. George W. Bailey was the first chief of police. Representation and elections Albemarle is represented by Democrat Creigh Deeds in the Virginia State Senate; Democrats Katrina Callsen and Amy Laufer represent the county in the Virginia House of Delegates. Republican John McGuire represents most of the county in the U.S. House of Representatives. Democrat Eugene Vindman represents a small sliver in the most northwestern portion of Albemarle County. For much of the second half of the 20th century, Albemarle County was heavily Republican, like most of this part of Virginia. However, the Republican edge narrowed significantly in the 1990s, in part due to the influence of the University of Virginia. In 2004, John Kerry carried it by two points, becoming the first Democrat to win the county since 1948. It swung hard to Barack Obama in 2008, and since then, it has become one of the few Democratic bastions in central Virginia, though it is not as overwhelmingly Democratic as Charlottesville. ==Education==

The Albemarle County Public School System operates public education in the county. It provides education to nearly 14,000 students including preschool through high school. The Albemarle County Public School System's mission is to "establish a community of learners and learning, through relationships, relevance and rigor, one student at a time." ACPS provides 25 school facilities The School Board and the Superintendent, Matthew Haas, work closely together in operating the Albemarle County Public School System. Many private schools in Albemarle serve the county and students from surrounding areas. These include: • The Covenant School (upper campus) • Field School of Charlottesville • Free Union Country School • The Miller School of Albemarle • Montessori Community School • North Branch School • Peabody School • Charlottesville Catholic School • St. Anne's-Belfield School • Tandem Friends School Some students attend several private schools in the City of Charlottesville. Jefferson-Madison Regional Library is the regional library system that provides services to the citizens of Albemarle. Portions of the University of Virginia are located within Albemarle County. ==Communities==

The city of Charlottesville is enclaved within Albemarle County. Under Virginia law in effect since 1871, all municipalities in the state incorporated as cities are legally and politically independent of any county. (Population according to the 2020 United States census) Many of these unincorporated areas have Charlottesville addresses. ==Notable people==

's home, Monticello, is located in Albemarle County. 's home, Ash Lawn-Highland, is located in Albemarle County. • Chilton Allan (1786–1858), born in Albemarle County, United States Congressman from Kentucky • Rev Samuel Black, Albemarle County's first Presbyterian minister. Built Sam Black's Tavern • Dabney Smith Carr (1802–1854), born in Albemarle County, founder of newspaper Baltimore Republican and Commercial Advertiser, United States minister to Turkey • James Walker Gons (1812–1870), born in Albemarle County, Baptist church clergyman, later converting to Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), editor and publisher of church's Christian Intelligencer, educator and A Time to Kill • Claude Hall, historian who wrote definitive biography of Abel Parker Upshur • John Harvie (1742–1807), born in Albemarle County, member of the Continental Congress and mayor of Richmond, Virginia from 1785 to 1786 • Samuel Hopkins (1753–1819), born in Albemarle County, United States Army officer and United States Congressman from Kentucky • Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States and former Governor of Virginia • Sarah Garland Boyd Jones (1866–1905), physician • Jack Jouett (1754–1822), born in Albemarle County, known as the "Paul Revere of the South", influential in organizing Kentucky as a separate state, Virginia and Kentucky state legislator • Fiske Kimball (1888–1955), architectural historian, founder of the University of Virginia School of Architecture • Ben King (cyclist), professional cyclist • Walter Leake (1762–1825), born in Albemarle County, United States Senator from Mississippi and later governor of that state • Meriwether Lewis (1774–1809), born in Albemarle County, explorer, governor of Louisiana, and one of the leaders of the Lewis and Clark Expedition • Howie Long, former NFL player with the Oakland Raiders • Joseph Martin (1740–1808), Revolutionary War general and explorer; namesake of Martinsville, Virginia • Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band • David Meriwether, born in Albemarle County, Continental Army officer, member United States Congress, Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, Major General - Georgia Militia • John Milbank, English philosopher and theologian • James Monroe, fifth President of the United States and former Governor of Virginia • James Monroe (1799–1870), born in Albemarle County, United States Congressman from New York • Lottie Moon (1840–1912), Southern Baptist missionary to China; Southern Baptists worldwide take up a Christmas offering every year for international missions in her name • James Morris Page (1864–1936), mathematics professor and chairman of University of Virginia • Sissy Spacek, actress • Peter Threewits (1725–1770), born in Sussex County, Virginia state legislator • Bebe Williams, Xeric Award cartoonist/artist Art Comics Daily ==See also==