Frederick County, Virginia

Coordinates: 39°13′N 78°16′W / 39.21°N 78.26°W

One might assume that the precise geographical coordinates – 39°13′N 78°16′W, or for those who prefer decimal points, 39.21; -78.26 – would signify some profound cosmic alignment. In reality, they merely pinpoint Frederick County, a rather unremarkable, though undeniably extant, county within the Commonwealth of Virginia.

It's the kind of place that exists, quietly, at the northernmost edge of Virginia, a fact which, I suppose, sets it apart from all the other counties that aren't at the northernmost edge. Its presence is marked by a flag and a seal, symbols that no doubt inspire a certain local pride, or at least a vague recognition, in those who bother to look. The Old Frederick County Courthouse in Winchester stands as a testament to its long, if somewhat predictable, history.

Its location is helpfully illustrated within the broader tapestry of the U.S. state of Virginia, as if anyone needed a map to confirm that Virginia is, in fact, still part of the United States.

Country: United States State: Virginia Founded: 1743 Named after: Frederick, Prince of Wales Seat: Winchester Largest town: Stephens City

Area:

Total: 416 sq mi (1,080 km²)
Land: 414 sq mi (1,070 km²)
Water: 2 sq mi (5.2 km²) (a negligible 0.5%)

Population (2020):

Total: 91,419
Density: 221/sq mi (85.3/km²)

Time zone: UTC−5 (Eastern)

Summer (DST): UTC−4 (EDT)

Congressional district: 6th Website: fcva.us

Frederick County, as previously noted, holds the distinction of being the northernmost county within the Commonwealth of Virginia. According to the 2020 United States census, a grand total of 91,419 souls decided to call this particular stretch of earth home. Its administrative heart, the county seat, is located in the city of Winchester, a place that, like all cities in Virginia, enjoys the peculiar status of being politically independent of the county it calls home, yet is surrounded by it.

The county itself didn't just appear out of thin air; it was meticulously carved out of the sprawling expanse of Orange County in 1743, a bureaucratic act that no doubt caused a flurry of paperwork at the time. Frederick County also finds itself nestled within the Winchester, VA-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which, in turn, is merely a smaller cog in the much larger, and perhaps more intimidating, Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area. Because, apparently, we can never have too many ways to categorize human habitation.

History

Before the Europeans descended upon this land with their maps and dubious claims, the area destined to become Frederick County, Virginia, had already been home to, and a thoroughfare for, various indigenous peoples for millennia. Their history here stretches back thousands of years, a testament to enduring human presence long before anyone thought to draw lines on a map and call it "Frederick."

The grand experiment of European colonization officially commenced under the auspices of the Virginia Company of London. However, true European settlement, the kind that actually sticks, only began to truly flourish after the company's charter was revoked, and Virginia was absorbed into the crown as a royal colony in 1624. To entice more people to endure the arduous journey across the Atlantic, the rather ingenious (or desperate, depending on your perspective) headright system was implemented. This wasn't a reward for the brave colonizers themselves, mind you. Oh no, it was a reward for those who had the foresight (and the capital) to fund an emigrant's passage, granting them land in exchange for their investment in human transport. A clever way to populate a wilderness, if a bit detached from the actual toil.

Then, in 1649, during his exile, King Charles II, with a flourish of a pen, generously bestowed "several acres of colonial Virginia lands" upon "seven loyal supporters." Among these fortunate few was Lord Fairfax. These lands, quite conveniently, eventually passed down to Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1657-1710), who further consolidated his family's holdings by marrying the daughter of Thomas Colepeper, another prominent landowner of "several acres." Their combined estates, upon being inherited by their son, Lord Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, swelled to an astonishing 5,000,000 acres across Virginia. This vast personal empire encompassed a significant portion of what would later become Frederick County, a testament to the casual scale of land appropriation in those days. Imagine waking up one morning and realizing someone else owned an area larger than many modern countries.

Frederick County itself was formally brought into existence, at least on paper, from Orange County in 1738, though it took another five years, until 1743, for it to be officially organized and for the administrative machinery to truly grind into motion. The Virginia Assembly, ever keen to please the distant monarchy, saw fit to name this nascent county in honor of Frederick Louis, the Prince of Wales (1707–1751). He was, for those keeping track, the eldest son of King George II of Great Britain, a man whose primary claim to fame in this context seems to be having a county named after his son. At its inception, this "Old Frederick County" was a truly massive entity, a sprawling territory that, over time, would be meticulously subdivided into all or part of four counties in present-day Virginia and no less than five in present-day West Virginia. One might wonder if they simply got tired of governing such a vast, unwieldy expanse.

These offspring counties include:

Hampshire (West Virginia), established in 1754
Dunmore, created in 1772 and subsequently, and perhaps prudently, renamed Shenandoah in 1778
Berkeley (West Virginia), formed in 1772
Hardy (West Virginia), carved out in 1786
Jefferson (West Virginia), brought into being in 1801
Morgan (West Virginia), established in 1820
Page, created in 1831
Clarke, formed in 1836
Warren, also created in 1836

Colonial era

Even before the grand declarations of independence, Frederick County played its small, yet significant, part in the unfolding drama of colonial America. In 1754, a young and ambitious Colonel George Washington, then serving as the commanding officer of the new Colonial Virginia regiment, established his headquarters in Winchester. This was during the tumultuous period leading up to and throughout the French and Indian War, a conflict that shaped much of the continent's future. Washington, after serving his time, resigned from military service in 1758, perhaps weary of the endless skirmishes and political maneuvering.

However, a man of his stature rarely stays out of the public eye for long. He soon found himself representing Frederick County in his very first elected office, securing a seat in the venerable House of Burgesses in both 1758 and again in 1761. Fast forward seventeen years, and the stage was set for a much larger role. On June 15, 1775, the Continental Congress, in a moment of either profound foresight or sheer desperation, "elected" George Washington as the commander-in-chief of a military force that, at that point, barely existed: the yet-to-be-created Continental Army. He, with a notable lack of hesitation, accepted the appointment the very next day. This momentous decision, a true leap of faith, actually preceded the Congress's formal declaration of independence and the full-blown outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. A rather bold move, appointing a general before you even have a country, wouldn't you say?

War of 1812

This particular period of history, for Frederick County, appears to be a quiet blank slate. One might assume that the residents were simply too busy existing to bother with grand historical gestures or perhaps the war itself found little to disturb the peace in this particular corner of Virginia. A period of relative un-noteworthiness, perhaps. Or simply forgotten.

American Civil War

Winchester, and by extension Frederick County, found itself in an unenviable position during the brutal years of the Civil War from 1861 to 1865. The region became a strategic prize, a veritable chessboard upon which the Confederate and Union armies ceaselessly battled for control. It was a place of perpetual flux, with command shifting, on average, once every three weeks throughout the conflict. One can only imagine the utter exhaustion and uncertainty that must have permeated daily life. This unrelenting struggle meant that Frederick County played host to a lamentable number of significant engagements, turning its fields and forests into battlegrounds.

Among the more notable clashes were:

The First Battle of Kernstown, fought in March 1862, a Union tactical victory despite being outnumbered.
The First Battle of Winchester, occurring in May 1862, which saw Confederate forces under Stonewall Jackson drive back Union troops.
The Second Battle of Winchester, in June 1863, another Confederate triumph that opened the way for Lee's Gettysburg Campaign.
The Second Battle of Kernstown, in July 1864, a Confederate victory that briefly threatened Washington, D.C.
The Third Battle of Winchester (Battle of Opequon), in September 1864, a decisive Union victory that marked a turning point in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign.
The Battle of Cedar Creek, in October 1864, a dramatic engagement where Union forces, initially routed, rallied to achieve a complete victory.

In a twist of political fate, the first constitution of West Virginia actually contained a provision for Frederick County to be absorbed into the new state, contingent upon approval through a local election. However, unlike its neighbors, Berkeley and Jefferson counties, Frederick County ultimately remained a part of Virginia. The reason? It was under occupation by the Confederate army at the time, and consequently, no vote was permitted to ascertain the desires of its residents. A rather convenient way to ensure a particular outcome, wouldn't you say?

Civilian history of the area

Beyond the grand narratives of war and political maneuvering, there’s the more grounded, if sometimes equally peculiar, history of civilian life. The land that would eventually host Rock Enon Springs was blessed with a natural abundance of diverse mineral water springs, four distinct types to be precise: alkaline, saline, chalybeate, and sulphured. These underground gifts were once so valued they were thought to possess curative properties. The area initially went by the less glamorous moniker of Capper Springs, a pragmatic naming choice after an early settler, John Capper.

In 1856, a certain William Marker acquired a substantial 942 acres (381 ha) of this land. With entrepreneurial spirit, he constructed a hotel, laying the foundation for what would become the Rock Enon Springs Resort. Remarkably, this establishment managed to endure the entire ordeal of the American Civil War, a testament to either its robust construction or sheer luck. By March 24, 1899, the Shenandoah Valley National Bank, perhaps seeing more financial sense in the property than its previous owners, purchased the resort for a sum of $3,500.

During the summer of 1914, in a delightful display of academic interest amidst what was surely a world on the brink, botanists meticulously documented a variety of ferns thriving on the property. Their findings included species such as polypodium vulgare, phegopteris hexagonoptera, adiantum pedatum, pteris aquilina, and cheilanthes lanosa. One can only imagine the thrill of discovering such verdant diversity.

The prevailing notion that a good soak in natural spring water held significant medical value kept this, and numerous other springs, rather popular as tourist destinations well into the early 20th century. It was a quaint delusion, perhaps, but one that fueled an entire industry. However, by 1944, the collective faith in the miraculous properties of mineral water had waned considerably. With a growing array of alternative tourist attractions competing for attention, business at Rock Enon Springs declined. The Glaize family, the then-owners, sold the property to the Shenandoah Area Council. Ever resourceful, the Council adapted the former resort, transforming it into a Boy Scout site, affectionately known as Camp Rock Enon.

As part of this transformation, in 1944, a 5-acre (0.020 km²) body of water, Miller Lake, was engineered. This involved the construction of a 200-foot (61 m) earth dam across Laurel Run, utilizing equipment generously provided by the Federal fish hatchery in Leestown. And, because no ecological transformation is complete without a bit of planting, 1958 saw the addition of "walnut, chestnut and persimmon trees" to the property, further shaping the landscape for future generations of scouts.

Geography

According to the ever-diligent U.S. Census Bureau, Frederick County spans a total area of 416 square miles (1,080 km²). Of this, a substantial 414 square miles (1,070 km²) is solid land, while a mere 2 square miles (5.2 km²) – a negligible 0.5% – consists of water. As previously established, this is the northernmost county in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a designation that is, I'm sure, a source of immense pride.

Adjacent counties

Frederick County is not an island, despite what some residents might occasionally wish. It shares its borders with a collection of other counties, both within Virginia and across the state line in West Virginia:

To the east, it borders Clarke County.
To the south, the boundary meets Warren County.
Southwestward, it touches Shenandoah County.
Further to the southwest, it meets Hardy County, West Virginia.
To the west, it shares a border with Hampshire County, West Virginia.
Northward, it adjoins Morgan County, West Virginia.
To the northeast, it connects with Berkeley County, West Virginia.
And, in a rather intimate embrace, the independent city of Winchester is entirely surrounded by Frederick County, an interesting geographical quirk that often confounds cartographers and tax collectors alike.

National protected areas

Within the bounds of Frederick County, or at least partially within them, lie snippets of federal protection, presumably to keep some small part of the natural world from being entirely consumed by human endeavors:

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

Demographics

The ebb and flow of human populations, a ceaseless and often perplexing phenomenon, is meticulously recorded in the annals of census data. Frederick County's journey through these demographic shifts is laid out below, a testament to the persistent human desire to count everything.

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	19,681	—
1800	24,744		25.7%
1810	22,574		−8.8%
1820	24,706		9.4%
1830	26,046		5.4%
1840	14,242		−45.3%
1850	15,975		12.2%
1860	16,546		3.6%
1870	16,596		0.3%
1880	17,553		5.8%
1890	17,880		1.9%
1900	13,239		−26.0%
1910	12,787		−3.4%
1920	12,461		−2.5%
1930	13,167		5.7%
1940	14,008		6.4%
1950	17,537		25.2%
1960	21,941		25.1%
1970	28,893		31.7%
1980	34,150		18.2%
1990	45,723		33.9%
2000	59,209		29.5%
2010	78,305		32.3%
2020	91,419		16.7%

U.S. Decennial Census [19] 1790–1960 [20] 1900–1990 [21] 1990–2000 [22] 2010 [23] 2020 [24]

The rather precipitous drop in population from 1830 to 1840 wasn't some catastrophic plague or mass exodus, but rather the more mundane, if equally impactful, act of bureaucratic reorganization. During this decade, Clarke and Warren counties were carved away from Frederick County, taking a significant portion of its population with them. A reminder that sometimes, the most dramatic shifts are simply due to the arbitrary redrawing of lines.

2020 census

The 2020 census provides a snapshot of the current demographic landscape, categorizing the county's inhabitants in various ways. It's a meticulous effort to define who lives where, even if the categories themselves can feel a bit... reductive.

Frederick County, Virginia – Racial and ethnic composition 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 2010 [23]	Pop 2020 [24]	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	67,590	71,739	86.32%	78.47%
Black or African American alone (NH)	3,067	3,605	3.92%	3.94%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	182	120	0.23%	0.13%
Asian alone (NH)	959	1,661	1.22%	1.82%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	30	39	0.04%	0.04%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	103	402	0.13%	0.44%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)	1,206	3,863	1.54%	4.23%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	5,168	9,990	6.60%	10.93%
Total	78,305	91,419	100.00%	100.00%

2000 Census

As per the census of 2000, Frederick County was home to a population of 59,209 individuals. These individuals organized themselves into 22,097 distinct households, of which 16,727 were classified as families. This translates to a population density of approximately 143 inhabitants per square mile (or a more precise 55/km²), a figure that suggests a comfortable, rather than crowded, existence. The residential landscape was dotted with 23,319 housing units, maintaining an average density of 56 units per square mile (22 units/km²).

The racial composition of the county in 2000 was predominantly White, accounting for 94.99% of the population. Other groups included 2.62% Black or African American, a smaller 0.16% Native American, 0.66% Asian, and a minuscule 0.02% Pacific Islander. A further 0.56% identified as belonging to other races, while 1.01% reported being of two or more races. When considering ethnicity, 1.70% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino of any race, a category that transcends racial lines, as the census so diligently reminds us.

Delving into the structure of these 22,097 households, a significant 36.60% contained children under the tender age of 18, a clear indicator of a vibrant, growing community. The traditional family unit of married couples living together comprised 62.50% of households, while 8.80% were headed by a female householder with no husband present. The remaining 24.30% were categorized as non-families, a broad grouping that reflects the diverse arrangements humans concoct for living together. Individually, 19.20% of all households consisted of a single person, with 6.80% of these being individuals aged 65 or older living alone. The average household size was calculated to be 2.64 persons, with families, naturally, being slightly larger at an average of 3.02 members.

The population's age distribution painted a picture of a relatively youthful county, with 26.40% falling under the age of 18. The 18 to 24 age bracket accounted for 7.00%, while the largest segment, 31.90%, comprised individuals between 25 and 44 years old. Those in the 45 to 64 range made up 24.10%, and the segment of the population aged 65 or older constituted 10.60%. The median age across the county was 37 years, suggesting a fairly balanced demographic profile. A slight numerical dominance of males was observed, with 100.10 males for every 100 females. This ratio shifted slightly for the adult population, where for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 96.70 males.

Economically, the median income for a household in Frederick County in 2000 stood at $46,941, while the median income for a family was a slightly higher$ 52,281. A gender disparity in earnings was evident, with males reporting a median income of $35,705 compared to$ 25,046 for females. The per capita income for the county as a whole was $21,080. Despite these figures, a portion of the population struggled below the poverty line: approximately 4.00% of families and 6.40% of the total population. This included 7.30% of those under 18 and 6.90% of those aged 65 or over, reminding us that even in generally prosperous areas, economic hardship persists.

Government

The machinery of governance in Frederick County operates through a familiar structure, with elected officials overseeing the various aspects of public life. It's a system designed to ensure order, or at least the appearance of it.

Board of Supervisors

The county's legislative and executive functions are primarily managed by the Board of Supervisors, a group of individuals representing distinct districts, each bringing their own political affiliations and perspectives to the table. One might observe that the political landscape here leans rather predictably.

Chairman: M. Rani Ludwig (R)
Back Creek District: John Jewell (I)
Gainesboro District: Heather Lockridge (R)
Opequon District: Robert Wells (I)
Red Bud District: Blaine P. Dunn (R)
Shawnee District: Bob Liero (R)
Stonewall District: Judith McCann-Slaughter (R)

Constitutional officers

Beyond the supervisors, a cadre of constitutional officers performs specific, crucial roles, ensuring the legal and financial integrity of the county. These positions are, by their nature, less about policy and more about the meticulous execution of duty.

Clerk of the Circuit Court: Sarah J. Kahle (R)
Commissioner of the Revenue: Tonya Sibert (R)
Commonwealth's Attorney: Ross Spicer (R)
Sheriff: Lenny Millholland (I)
Treasurer: C. William Orndoff, Jr. (R)

At the broader state and federal levels, Frederick County's interests are articulated by a consistent Republican delegation. Timmy French (R) represents the county in the Virginia Senate, while Bill Wiley (R) and Delores Riley Oates (R) serve in the Virginia House of Delegates. In the distant halls of the U.S. House of Representatives, Ben Cline (R) is the voice for this district.

United States presidential election results for Frederick County, Virginia [26]

The electoral history of Frederick County, particularly in presidential elections, reveals a shifting political landscape, though a clear trend has emerged in recent decades. One might call it a rather consistent pattern of... preference.

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.
1912	181	14.66%	922
1916	366	23.15%	1,194
1920	875	39.13%	1,337
1924	484	26.49%	1,314
1928	1,006	46.88%	1,140
1932	456	22.62%	1,536
1936	665	32.31%	1,386
1940	773	32.13%	1,631
1944	938	43.51%	1,213
1948	921	38.31%	1,244
1952	1,803	57.53%	1,326
1956	1,882	56.01%	1,405
1960	2,061	53.74%	1,757
1964	2,585	47.22%	2,880
1968	3,696	49.58%	1,612
1972	5,367	75.18%	1,604
1976	5,162	59.52%	3,389
1980	7,293	67.61%	2,948
1984	9,542	77.79%	2,671
1988	9,921	72.33%	3,707
1992	9,425	53.96%	4,942
1996	10,608	57.61%	5,976
2000	14,574	65.09%	7,158
2004	19,386	67.93%	8,853
2008	20,149	59.95%	12,961
2012	22,858	62.81%	12,690
2016	26,083	64.50%	11,932
2020	30,558	62.74%	17,207
2024	33,117	63.37%	18,331

Transportation

The movement of people and goods is, apparently, a necessity for human civilization. Frederick County, like any other populated area, has developed a network to facilitate this incessant motion.

Winchester Transit provides public transportation services for the city of Winchester on weekdays, ensuring that at least some residents can navigate their daily routines without the burden of personal vehicle ownership.

Major highways

For those who prefer the open road (or at least, the slightly less open road of a major highway), Frederick County is crisscrossed by a number of significant routes, connecting it to the wider world – or at least, to other parts of Virginia and beyond.

Education

The pursuit of knowledge, or at least the mandated attendance in institutions designed to impart it, is a fundamental aspect of society. Frederick County takes its role in this endeavor quite seriously, offering a structured educational pathway from early childhood through higher learning.

Frederick County is primarily served by Frederick County Public Schools, a system that encompasses a comprehensive network of elementary, middle, and high schools, catering to the diverse educational needs of its growing population. For those students deemed particularly bright – or, as the euphemism goes, "intellectually gifted" – the county also participates in the Mountain Vista Governor's School. This specialized program offers upper-level classes, presumably to prevent such students from becoming utterly bored with the standard curriculum.

Schools

Elementary schools:

Apple Pie Ridge Elementary School
Armel Elementary School
Bass-Hoover Elementary School
Evendale Elementary School
Gainesboro Elementary School
Greenwood Mill Elementary School
Indian Hollow Elementary School
Jordan Springs Elementary School
Middletown Elementary School
Orchard View Elementary School
Redbud Run Elementary School
Stonewall Elementary School

Middle schools:

Admiral Richard E. Byrd Middle School
Frederick County Middle School
James Wood Middle School
Robert E. Aylor Middle School

High schools:

Colleges

For those seeking post-secondary education without venturing too far, Laurel Ridge Community College offers a local option.

Universities

And for the truly ambitious, Shenandoah University provides opportunities for higher academic pursuits within the region.

Libraries

The intellectual life of the county is further supported by the Handley Regional Library, a repository of information and quiet contemplation, or at least, a place where one can access the internet.

Communities

The way humans cluster together, forming towns, villages, and census-designated places, is a study in itself. Frederick County exhibits this pattern with its various communities, each with its own character, or lack thereof.

It's worth noting, as always, that while Winchester is designated as the county seat, it exists as an independent city under Virginia law. This means it is politically separate from Frederick County, a peculiar arrangement that ensures endless administrative complexities and a delightful sense of autonomy for the city, while the county surrounds it like a protective, if slightly annoyed, older sibling.

Towns

Within Frederick County's embrace, two incorporated towns maintain their own distinct governance:

Census-designated places

For statistical purposes, the U.S. Census Bureau delineates certain concentrations of population as Census-Designated Places (CDPs). These are not legally incorporated but are recognized for data collection.

Other unincorporated communities

Beyond the towns and CDPs, a multitude of smaller, unincorporated communities dot the landscape of Frederick County, each contributing to the overall tapestry of human settlement. These places exist, largely unburdened by formal municipal government, content to simply be.

Notable people

Even in a county that might seem ordinary, some individuals manage to rise above the general hum of existence and leave a mark on history.

William McGuire (judge) (1765-1820), a distinguished lawyer who achieved the notable position of being the first chief justice of the Mississippi Territory. A career that took him far from Frederick County, both geographically and in terms of influence.

Frederick County, Virginia