Williamsburg | |
|---|---|
_September_2012.jpg) The Williamsburg Governor's Palace in 2012 | |
 Flag  Seal  Coat of arms | |
 Location in theCommonwealth of Virginia | |
  Williamsburg  Williamsburg | |
| Coordinates:37°16′15″N76°42′25″W / 37.27083°N 76.70694°W /37.27083; -76.70694 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| Founded | 1699 |
| Named after | William III of England[1] |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Doug Pons |
| • Vice Mayor | Pat Dent |
| Area | |
• Total | 9.10 sq mi (23.57 km2) |
| • Land | 8.94 sq mi (23.15 km2) |
| • Water | 0.16 sq mi (0.42 km2) |
| Elevation | 49 ft (15 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 15,425 |
| • Density | 1,726/sq mi (666.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 23185-23188 |
| Area codes | 757, 948 |
| FIPS code | 51-86160[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1498551[5] |
| Website | williamsburgva |
Williamsburg is anindependent city inVirginia, United States. It had a population of 15,425 at the2020 census.[6] Located on theVirginia Peninsula, Williamsburg is in the northern part of theHampton Roads metropolitan area. It is bordered byJames City County on the west and south andYork County on the east.
In 1632, English settlers foundedMiddle Plantation as a fortified settlement on high ground between theJames andYork rivers and farther inland than their headquarters atJamestown. The city of Williamsburg was established at the site of Middle Plantation in 1699. It functioned as the capital of theColony and Commonwealth of Virginia from 1699 to 1780 and became the center of political events in Virginia leading to theAmerican Revolution. TheCollege of William & Mary, established in Middle Plantation in 1693, is the second-oldest institution of higher education in the United States. Of the ninecolonial colleges in the U.S., it is the only one located in theAmerican South. Its alumni include three U.S. presidents as well as many other important figures in the nation's early history.
The city's tourism-based economy is driven byColonial Williamsburg, the city's restored Historic Area. Along with nearbyJamestown andYorktown, Williamsburg forms part of theHistoric Triangle, which annually attracts more than four million tourists.[7] Modern Williamsburg is also acollege town, inhabited in large part by William & Mary students, faculty and staff.
Kingdom of Great Britain 1699–1776
United States 1776–1861
Confederate States 1861–1865
Before English settlers arrived atJamestown to establish theColony of Virginia in 1607, the area that would become Williamsburg formed part of the territory of thePowhatan Confederacy. By the 1630s, English settlements had grown to dominate the lower (eastern) portion of theVirginia Peninsula, and Powhatan tribes had abandoned their nearby villages. Between 1630 and 1633, after the war that followed theIndian massacre of 1622, English colonists constructed a defensive palisade across the peninsula and a settlement namedMiddle Plantation as a primary guard-station along the palisade.[8]
Jamestown, the original capital of Virginia Colony, burned down during the events ofBacon's Rebellion in 1676. Once GovernorWilliam Berkeley had regained control, temporary government headquarters were established about 12 miles (19 km) away on the high ground at Middle Plantation, pending the rebuilding of the Statehouse at Jamestown. The members of theHouse of Burgesses discovered that the "temporary" location was both safer and more pleasant than Jamestown, which was humid and plagued with mosquitoes.
A school of higher education had long been an aspiration of the colonists. An early attempt atHenricus failed after theIndian massacre of 1622; the location at the outskirts of the developed part of the colony had left it vulnerable to attack. In the 1690s, the colonists again tried to establish a school. They commissioned ReverendJames Blair, who spent several years in England lobbying, and finally obtained a royal charter for the desired new school. It was to be named theCollege of William & Mary in honor of the monarchs of the time. When Blair returned to Virginia, the new school was founded in a safe place, Middle Plantation, in 1693. Classes began in temporary quarters in 1694, and construction soon started on the College Building, a precursor to theWren Building.
Four years later, in 1698, the rebuilt Statehouse in Jamestown burned down again, this time accidentally. The government again "temporarily" relocated to Middle Plantation, and in addition to the better climate now also enjoyed use of the college's facilities. The college students made a presentation to the House of Burgesses, and it was agreed in 1699 that the colonial capital would move to Middle Plantation permanently. A village was laid out and Middle Plantation was renamed Williamsburg in honor of KingWilliam III of England, befitting the town's newly elevated status.
After Williamsburg's designation as the colony's capital, immediate provision was made for construction of a capitol building and for platting the city according toTheodorick Bland's survey. His design utilized the college's extant sites and the almost newBruton Parish Church as focal points, and placed the new Capitol building opposite the college, withDuke of Gloucester Street connecting them.
Alexander Spotswood, who arrived in Virginia aslieutenant governor in 1710, had several ravines filled and streets leveled, and assisted in erecting additional college buildings, a church, and a magazine for the storage of arms. In 1722, Williamsburg was granted aroyal charter as a "city incorporate", which is now believed to be the oldest charter in the United States.[9]
Middle Plantation was included inJames City Shire when it was established in 1634, as the colony reached a total population of approximately 5,000. (James City and Virginia's other shires changed their names a few years later; James City Shire then became known asJames City County). The middle ground ridge-line was essentially the dividing line withCharles River Shire, which was renamedYork County after KingCharles I (r. 1625–1649) fell out of favor with the citizens of England. As Middle Plantation (and later Williamsburg) developed, the boundaries were adjusted slightly. For most of the colonial period, the border between the two counties ran down the center of Duke of Gloucester Street.
For almost a century after the 1776 formation both of the Commonwealth of Virginia and of the United States, despite practical complications, the town remained divided between the two counties.
Williamsburg was the site of the first attemptedcanal in the United States. In 1771,Lord Dunmore, who was Virginia's lastRoyal Governor, announced plans to connectArcher's Creek, which leads to theJames River, withQueen's Creek, leading to theYork River. It would have formed a water route across theVirginia Peninsula, but was not completed. Remains of this canal are visible at the rear of the grounds behind theGovernor's Palace inColonial Williamsburg.[10]
In the 1770s, the first purpose-builtpsychiatric hospital in the United States, the Public Hospital for Persons of Insane and Disordered Minds, was founded in the city. Known in modern times asEastern State Hospital, it was established by Act of theVirginia colonial legislature on June 4, 1770. The Act to "Make Provision for the Support and Maintenance of Ideots, Lunaticks, and other Persons of unsound Minds" authorized the House of Burgesses to appoint a 15-man Court Of Directors to oversee the hospital's operations and admissions. In 1771, contractor Benjamin Powell constructed a two-story building on Francis Street near the college, capable of housing 24 patients. The design included "yards for patients to walk and take the Air in" as well as provisions for a fence to keep the patients out of the town.
TheGunpowder Incident began in April 1775 as a dispute between Dunmore and Virginia colonists over gunpowder stored in the Williamsburg magazine. Fearing rebellion, Dunmore ordered royal marines to seize gunpowder from the magazine. Virginia militia led byPatrick Henry responded to the "theft" and marched on Williamsburg. A standoff ensued, with Dunmore threatening to destroy the city if attacked by the militia. The dispute was resolved when payment for the powder was arranged. This was an important precursor[citation needed] in the run-up to theAmerican Revolution. Following theDeclaration of Independence from Britain, theAmerican Revolutionary War broke out in 1776.
On July 25, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed at Williamsburg and received with "applause under discharge of cannon and firing of small arms with illuminations [fireworks] in the evening".
During the war, Virginia's capital was moved again, in 1780, this time toRichmond at the urging of then-GovernorThomas Jefferson, who feared Williamsburg's location made it vulnerable to a British attack. Williamsburg remained a venue for many important conventions during the war.
Williamsburg ceased to be the capital of the new Commonwealth of Virginia in 1780 and went into decline, although not to the degree of Jamestown. Another factor was travel. In the 18th and early 19th-century, transportation in the colony was largely bycanals and navigablerivers. As it had been built on "high ground", Williamsburg was not sited on a major water-route, unlike many early U.S. communities. The railroads that began to be built in the 1830s also did not yet come through the city.
Despite Williamsburg's loss of the business activity involved in government, the College of William & Mary continued and expanded, as did the Public Hospital for Persons of Insane and Disordered Minds. The latter became known asEastern State Hospital.
At the outset of theAmerican Civil War (1861–1865), enlistments in theConfederate Army depleted the College of William & Mary's student body and on May 10, 1861, the faculty voted to close the college for the duration of the war. TheCollege Building served as a Confederate barracks and later as a hospital before being burned by Union forces in 1862.[11][12]
The Williamsburg area saw combat in the spring of 1862 during thePeninsula Campaign, a Union effort to take Richmond from the east from a base atFort Monroe. Throughout late 1861 and early 1862, the small contingent of Confederate defenders was known as the Army of the Peninsula, led by GeneralJohn B. Magruder. He successfully created ruses to fool the invaders as to the size and strength of his forces, and deterred their attack. The subsequent slow Union movement up the peninsula gained valuable time for defenses to be constructed at the Confederate capital at Richmond.[citation needed]
In early May 1862, after holding off Union troops for over a month, the defenders withdrew quietly from theWarwick Line (stretching across the Peninsula betweenYorktown andMulberry Island). As GeneralGeorge McClellan's Union forces crept up the Peninsula to pursue the retreating Confederate forces, a rear-guard force led by GeneralJames Longstreet and supported by GeneralJ. E. B. Stuart's cavalry blocked their westward progression at the Williamsburg Line. This was a series of 14 redoubts east of town, with earthenFort Magruder (also known as Redoubt # 6) at the crucial junction of the two major roads leading to Williamsburg from the east. College of William & Mary PresidentBenjamin S. Ewell oversaw the design and construction. He owned a farm in James City County, and had been commissioned as an officer in the Confederate Army after the college closed in 1861.[13]
At theBattle of Williamsburg on May 5, 1862, the defenders succeeded in delaying the Union forces long enough for the retreating Confederates to reach the outer defenses of Richmond.
A siege of Richmond ensued, culminating in theSeven Days Battles (June to July 1862). McClellan's campaign failed to capture Richmond. Meanwhile, on May 6, 1862, Williamsburg had fallen to the Union. The college'sBrafferton building operated for a time as quarters for the commanding officer of the Union garrison occupying the town. On September 9, drunken soldiers of the5th Pennsylvania Cavalry set fire to the College Building,[14] allegedly to prevent Confederate snipers from using it for cover. Williamsburg underwent much damage during the Union occupation, which lasted until September 1865.[15]
In 1881,Collis P. Huntington'sChesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) built itsPeninsula Extension through the area, eventually establishing six stations in Williamsburg and the surrounding area. The Peninsula Extension was good news for the farmers and merchants of the Virginia Peninsula, and they generally welcomed the railroad, which aided passenger travel and shipping. Williamsburg allowed tracks to be placed down Duke of Gloucester Street and even directly through the ruins of the capitol building. (They were later relocated, and Collis Huntington's real-estate arm,Old Dominion Land Company, donated the site to the forerunner of theAssociation for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities.)
The railroad's main purpose was shipping eastboundWest Virginiabituminous coal toNewport News. Using the newcoal piers, coal was loaded aboard largecolliers in the harbor ofHampton Roads for shipment to New England and to export destinations worldwide.[16]
Due in no small part to President Ewell's efforts, education continued at the College of William & Mary, although teaching was temporarily suspended for financial reasons from 1882 to 1888. Ewell's efforts to restore the school and its programs during and afterReconstruction became legendary in Williamsburg and at the college,[citation needed] and were ultimately successful, with funding both from the U.S. Congress and from the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 1888, the college secured $10,000 from the General Assembly of the Commonwealth and established a normal school to educate teachers; in 1906, the General Assembly modified the college charter, took ownership of the college buildings and grounds, and assumed primary responsibility for funding it. Ewell remained in Williamsburg as President Emeritus of the college until his death in 1894.
Beginning in the 1890s, C&O land agent Carl M. Bergh, a Norwegian-American who had earlier farmed in the midwestern states, realized that eastern Virginia's gentler climate and depressed post-Civil War land prices would be attractive to his fellow Scandinavians who were farming in other northern parts of the country. He began sending out notices and selling land. Soon there was a substantial concentration of relocated Americans of Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish descent in the area. The location earlier known as Vaiden's Siding on the railroad just west of Williamsburg inJames City County was renamedNorge. These citizens and their descendants found the local conditions favorable, and many became leading merchants, tradespersons, and farmers in the community. These transplanted Americans brought some new blood and enthusiasm to the old colonial capital area.
In the early 20th century, Williamsburg remained a sleepy small town. Some newer structures were interspersed with colonial-era buildings, but the town was much less progressive than Virginia's other, busier communities of similar size. Some local lore indicates that the residents liked it that way, as described in longtimeVirginia Peninsula journalist, author and historianParke S. Rouse Jr.'s work. On June 26, 1912, theRichmond Times-Dispatch published an editorial that dubbed Williamsburg "Lotusburg," for "Tuesday was election day in Williamsburg but nobody remembered it. The clerk forgot to wake the electoral board, the electoral board could not arouse itself long enough to have the ballots printed, the candidates forgot they were running, the voters forgot they were alive."[17]
But even if such complacency existed, one Episcopal priest dreamed of expanding and changing Williamsburg's future to give it a new major purpose, turning much of it into a massiveliving museum. In the early 20th century, the Reverend Dr.W. A. R. Goodwin of Williamsburg'sBruton Parish Church championed one of the nation's largest historic restorations. Initially, Goodwin just aimed to save his historic church building. This he had accomplished by 1907, in time for the 300th anniversary of the founding of theEpiscopal Church in Virginia. But upon returning to Williamsburg in 1923 after serving a number of years in upstate New York, he realized that many of the other remaining colonial-era buildings were also in deteriorating condition.
Goodwin dreamed of a much larger restoration along the lines of what he had accomplished with his church. Of modest means, he sought support and financing from a number of sources before successfully attracting the interest and major financial support ofStandard Oil heir and philanthropistJohn D. Rockefeller Jr. and his wifeAbby Aldrich Rockefeller. Their combined efforts createdColonial Williamsburg, restoring much of downtown Williamsburg and developing a 301-acre (1.22 km2) Historic Area celebrating the patriots and early history of the colonial-era.
As of 2022[update], Colonial Williamsburg is Virginia's largest tourist attraction by attendance and the cornerstone of theHistoric Triangle, with Jamestown andYorktown joined by theColonial Parkway. In the 21st century, Williamsburg has continued to update and refine its attractions. There are more features designed to attract modern children and to offer better and additional interpretation of the black American experience in the town. A century after Goodwin's work began, Colonial Williamsburg remains a work in progress.
In addition to Colonial Williamsburg, the city's railroad station was restored to become an intermodal passenger facility. In nearby James City County, thec. 1908C&O Railway combination passenger and freight station atNorge was preserved and, with a donation fromCSX Transportation, relocated in 2006 to a site at the Williamsburg Regional Library's Croaker Branch. Other landmarks outside the historic area includeCarter's Grove andGunston Hall.
In 1932, aCatholic church was built to minister to students at theCollege of William & Mary.Old Saint Bede was made anational shrine, dedicated toOur Lady of Walsingham.
On October 22, 1976, the third of three debates between Republican PresidentGerald Ford and Democratic challengerJimmy Carter in the1976 presidential election was held atPhi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall at theCollege of William & Mary, during which both candidates, perhaps in tribute to the historic venue and theUnited States Bicentennial celebration, spoke of a "new spirit" in America.
The9th G7 summit took place in Williamsburg in 1983. The participants discussed the growing debt-crisis, arms control and greater cooperation between the Soviet Union and theG7 (subsequently the G8). At the end of the meeting,Secretary of StateGeorge P. Shultz read to the press a statement confirming the deployment of American Pershing II-nuclear missiles in West Germany later in 1983.[18]
On May 3, 2007, Britain'sQueen Elizabeth II visited Jamestown and Williamsburg.[19] She had previously visited Williamsburg in 1957.[20] Many world leaders,[21][citation needed] including PresidentGeorge W. Bush, visited Jamestown to mark its 400th anniversary. The celebration began in part in 2005 with events leading up to the anniversary, and was celebrated statewide throughout 2007, though the official festivities took place during the first week of May.[22]
On February 5, 2009, PresidentBarack Obama took his first trip aboardAir Force One to aHouse Democrats retreat in the city to attend and address their "Issues Conference".[23][24]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 9.1 square miles (23.6 km2), of which 8.9 square miles (23.1 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km2) (1.8%) is water.[25]
Williamsburg stands upon a ridge on theVirginia Peninsula between theJames andYork Rivers.Queen's Creek andCollege Creek partly encircle the city.James City County is to the west and south andYork County to the north and east. As with all cities in Virginia, Williamsburg is legally independent of both counties.
The city is on theI-64 corridor, 45 miles (72 km) southeast ofRichmond and about 37 miles (60 km) northwest ofNorfolk. It is in the northwest corner ofHampton Roads, the nation's37th-largest metropolitan area, with a population of 1,576,370. Within Hampton Roads, Norfolk is recognized as the central business district, while the Virginia Beachseaside resort district and Williamsburg are primarily tourism centers.
Williamsburg is in thehumid subtropical climate zone, with cool to mild winters, and hot, humid summers. Due to the inland location, winters are slightly cooler and spring days slightly warmer than in Norfolk, though lows average 3.2 °F (1.8 °C) cooler here due to the substantialurban buildup to the southeast. Snowfall averages 4.3 inches (11 cm) per season, and the summer months tend to be slightly wetter.[26] With a period of record dating only back to 1951, extreme temperatures range from −7 °F (−22 °C) onJanuary 21, 1985, to 104 °F (40 °C) on August 22, 1983, and June 26, 1952.[27]
| Climate data for Williamsburg, Virginia (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1951–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 81 (27) | 83 (28) | 90 (32) | 96 (36) | 98 (37) | 104 (40) | 103 (39) | 104 (40) | 103 (39) | 96 (36) | 85 (29) | 82 (28) | 104 (40) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 49.1 (9.5) | 52.3 (11.3) | 59.8 (15.4) | 70.0 (21.1) | 77.2 (25.1) | 84.4 (29.1) | 88.5 (31.4) | 86.5 (30.3) | 80.5 (26.9) | 71.0 (21.7) | 61.1 (16.2) | 52.6 (11.4) | 69.4 (20.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 39.8 (4.3) | 42.2 (5.7) | 49.1 (9.5) | 58.9 (14.9) | 67.1 (19.5) | 74.9 (23.8) | 79.3 (26.3) | 77.6 (25.3) | 71.8 (22.1) | 61.1 (16.2) | 51.0 (10.6) | 43.4 (6.3) | 59.7 (15.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 30.6 (−0.8) | 32.0 (0.0) | 38.5 (3.6) | 47.7 (8.7) | 57.0 (13.9) | 65.3 (18.5) | 70.2 (21.2) | 68.7 (20.4) | 63.1 (17.3) | 51.3 (10.7) | 40.9 (4.9) | 34.1 (1.2) | 49.9 (9.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −7 (−22) | 1 (−17) | 10 (−12) | 22 (−6) | 31 (−1) | 37 (3) | 48 (9) | 44 (7) | 38 (3) | 21 (−6) | 15 (−9) | 0 (−18) | −7 (−22) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.77 (96) | 3.05 (77) | 4.25 (108) | 3.98 (101) | 3.89 (99) | 4.16 (106) | 5.92 (150) | 5.68 (144) | 5.40 (137) | 4.21 (107) | 3.13 (80) | 3.80 (97) | 51.24 (1,301) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.7 (4.3) | 1.6 (4.1) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.7 (1.8) | 4.3 (11) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 10.6 | 9.7 | 10.6 | 10.3 | 11.3 | 10.7 | 12.0 | 10.8 | 10.2 | 8.8 | 9.1 | 10.6 | 124.7 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.6 |
| Source:NOAA[27][26] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 1,402 | — | |
| 1850 | 877 | — | |
| 1860 | 1,113 | 26.9% | |
| 1870 | 1,392 | 25.1% | |
| 1880 | 1,480 | 6.3% | |
| 1890 | 1,831 | 23.7% | |
| 1900 | 2,044 | 11.6% | |
| 1910 | 2,714 | 32.8% | |
| 1920 | 2,462 | −9.3% | |
| 1930 | 3,778 | 53.5% | |
| 1940 | 3,942 | 4.3% | |
| 1950 | 6,735 | 70.9% | |
| 1960 | 6,832 | 1.4% | |
| 1970 | 9,069 | 32.7% | |
| 1980 | 9,870 | 8.8% | |
| 1990 | 11,530 | 16.8% | |
| 2000 | 11,998 | 4.1% | |
| 2010 | 14,068 | 17.3% | |
| 2020 | 15,425 | 9.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[28] 1790-1960[29] 1900-1990[30] 1990-2000[31] 2010-2020[3] | |||
During theRevolutionary era,African Americans made up over 50% of Williamsburg's population.[32]
Williamsburg was 78% White and 13% Black at the 2000 census,[33] and 71% White and 14% Black at the 2010 census.[34] The 2020 census indicated a dramatic demographic shift in the city, reporting that Williamsburg was 48% White and 37% Black.[3] Census data shows almost all of the Black population growth occurring inCensus blocks containingWilliam & Mary dorms, but data from theState Council of Higher Education for Virginia shows no growth in the number of Black students in William & Mary dorms during the 2010s.[35] University of Virginia researchers believe that the high Black population figure was not due to an actual demographic shift but instead due to "theBureau’s decision to swap some census respondents’ identities with other respondents for privacy protection", a phenomenon known asdifferential privacy.[35][36]
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2000[33] | Pop 2010[34] | Pop 2020[3] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 9,352 | 9,952 | 7,370 | 77.95% | 70.74% | 47.78% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 1,593 | 1,918 | 5,648 | 13.28% | 13.63% | 36.62% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 31 | 35 | 20 | 0.26% | 0.25% | 0.13% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 546 | 802 | 497 | 4.55% | 5.7% | 3.22% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 6 | 4 | 25 | 0.05% | 0.03% | 0.16% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 15 | 23 | 53 | 0.13% | 0.16% | 0.34% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 153 | 393 | 597 | 1.28% | 2.79% | 3.87% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 302 | 941 | 1,215 | 2.52% | 6.69% | 7.88% |
| Total | 11,998 | 14,068 | 15,425 | 100.00% | 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.
As of the 2010 census,[4] there were 14,068 people, 3,619 households, and 1,787 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 1,404.1 people per square mile (542.1 people/km2). There were 3,880 housing units at an average density of 454.1 per square mile (175.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 74.0%White, 14.0%Black or African American, 0.3%Native American, 5.7%Asian, 0.0%Pacific Islander, 2.5% fromother races, and 3.5% fromtwo or more races. 6.7% of the population wereHispanics or Latinos of any race.
There were 3,619 households, out of which 16.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.2% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.6% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.66.
The age distribution was: 9.6% under the age of 18, 46.0% from 18 to 24, 17.7% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,093, and the median income for a family was $52,358. Males had a median income of $28,625 versus $26,840 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $18,483. 18.3% of the population and 9.3% of families were below thepoverty line. Out of the total population, 29.7% of those under the age of 18 and 5.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
A high proportion of Williamsburg residents derive a significant percentage of their annual income from investments, either in addition to or in lieu of income from work. This is because many retirees relocate to Williamsburg and typically draw income from investments such as401(k) plans and the like.
The tourist volume of Colonial Williamsburg has attracted many related businesses to the area. Notable among these wasAnheuser-Busch, which established large operations inJames City County andYork County just outside the city. The company operates a largebrewery there. It also used to operate twotheme parks near the brewery,Busch Gardens Williamsburg, andWater Country USA, but both properties were sold to private investors after foreign brewerInBev took over Anheuser-Busch in 2010. Anheuser-Busch also previously operated a commerce park,McLaw's Circle, andKingsmill on the James, a gated residential neighborhood that contains a resort of the same name.
Williamsburg has anoutlet mall,Williamsburg Premium Outlets. A second outlet mall,Williamsburg Outlet Mall, closed in December 2013.Williamsburg Pottery Factory also has outlet stores.
Williamsburg is often associated with the largerAmerican South. People who grew up in theHampton Roads area have a uniqueTidewater accent that differs from a stereotypicalSouthern accent. Vowels have a longer pronunciation than in a regular southern accent. For example, "house" is pronounced "hoose" in the Tidewater accent.[37]
Tourist sites includeColonial Williamsburg, aliving history museum depicting the lifestyles and culture of the 18th-century colonial period. Within this area isVirginia's first capitol building, theGovernor's Palace,Bruton Parish Church (the oldest continually operating church in the United States), thePeyton Randolph House (home of Peyton Randolph, the first President ofContinental Congress) andthe College of William & Mary.
Other sites include the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum,The Williamsburg Winery, theWilliamsburg Botanical Garden, theNational Center for State Courts and theVirginia Musical Museum. Williamsburg has twotheme parks,Busch Gardens Williamsburg andWater Country USA.Presidents Park was an educational attraction that displayed outdoor statue heads and biographies of 43 presidents.[38][39] In 2010,Presidents Park closed due to financial issues.[40]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1880 | 108 | 46.15% | 126 | 53.85% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1884 | 177 | 60.41% | 116 | 39.59% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1892 | 120 | 49.38% | 122 | 50.21% | 1 | 0.41% |
| 1896 | 90 | 43.48% | 113 | 54.59% | 4 | 1.93% |
| 1900 | 88 | 34.38% | 161 | 62.89% | 7 | 2.73% |
| 1904 | 37 | 26.06% | 103 | 72.54% | 2 | 1.41% |
| 1908 | 48 | 28.24% | 120 | 70.59% | 2 | 1.18% |
| 1912 | 11 | 7.91% | 113 | 81.29% | 15 | 10.79% |
| 1916 | 21 | 17.80% | 97 | 82.20% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1920 | 62 | 27.19% | 166 | 72.81% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 31 | 13.60% | 196 | 85.96% | 1 | 0.44% |
| 1928 | 98 | 24.02% | 310 | 75.98% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 99 | 19.60% | 387 | 76.63% | 19 | 3.76% |
| 1936 | 96 | 19.63% | 389 | 79.55% | 4 | 0.82% |
| 1940 | 168 | 31.05% | 367 | 67.84% | 6 | 1.11% |
| 1944 | 211 | 31.45% | 454 | 67.66% | 6 | 0.89% |
| 1948 | 334 | 39.34% | 312 | 36.75% | 203 | 23.91% |
| 1952 | 797 | 62.12% | 483 | 37.65% | 3 | 0.23% |
| 1956 | 775 | 62.60% | 362 | 29.24% | 101 | 8.16% |
| 1960 | 721 | 59.10% | 486 | 39.84% | 13 | 1.07% |
| 1964 | 906 | 43.29% | 1,171 | 55.95% | 16 | 0.76% |
| 1968 | 1,156 | 46.73% | 991 | 40.06% | 327 | 13.22% |
| 1972 | 1,786 | 57.46% | 1,274 | 40.99% | 48 | 1.54% |
| 1976 | 1,654 | 51.77% | 1,468 | 45.95% | 73 | 2.28% |
| 1980 | 1,344 | 45.51% | 1,199 | 40.60% | 410 | 13.88% |
| 1984 | 1,913 | 56.23% | 1,469 | 43.18% | 20 | 0.59% |
| 1988 | 1,648 | 50.91% | 1,534 | 47.39% | 55 | 1.70% |
| 1992 | 1,349 | 36.27% | 1,856 | 49.91% | 514 | 13.82% |
| 1996 | 1,560 | 43.43% | 1,820 | 50.67% | 212 | 5.90% |
| 2000 | 1,777 | 47.70% | 1,724 | 46.28% | 224 | 6.01% |
| 2004 | 2,064 | 47.78% | 2,216 | 51.30% | 40 | 0.93% |
| 2008 | 2,353 | 34.67% | 4,328 | 63.77% | 106 | 1.56% |
| 2012 | 2,682 | 34.62% | 4,903 | 63.28% | 163 | 2.10% |
| 2016 | 1,925 | 25.24% | 5,206 | 68.27% | 495 | 6.49% |
| 2020 | 1,963 | 28.52% | 4,790 | 69.59% | 130 | 1.89% |
| 2024 | 2,119 | 26.84% | 5,613 | 71.10% | 162 | 2.05% |
Williamsburg is part ofVirginia's 1st congressional district, represented by RepublicanRob Wittman, who was first elected in 2007.
When Williamsburg received its charter in 1722, it had portions in both James City and York County. In 1870, theVirginia General Assembly changed the boundaries so that it was entirely within James City County.
A year later, a new state constitution created the political entity known as anindependent city, which is not located in any county. Williamsburg subsequently incorporated as a city in 1884 and separated from James City County,[9] but continues to share several constitutional officers with James City County. The city also operates a jointschool division with James City County, under a voluntary agreement that leaders revisit at planned intervals.
As an independent city, Williamsburg has had acouncil-manager form of government since 1932. Thecity council elects the mayor, who presides over council meetings and serves as the city's Chief Elected Official. The city council consists of five members who serve staggered, four-year terms. It hires acity manager, comparable to a corporation'schief executive officer, who is usually a professionally trained public administrator and is charged with implementing the council's policies and directives and has broad administrative authority with strict rules prohibiting political interference in administrative matters.[42]
As of 2020[update], Williamsburg's mayor is Douglas Pons, and the vice mayor is W. Pat Dent. Other city council members are Barbara Ramsey, Ted Maslin and Caleb Rogers.[43] The city manager is Andrew O. Trivette.[44]
The city now shares all constitutional officers, courts, and theWilliamsburg-James City County Public Schools system (WJCC) with adjacentJames City County, and is thecounty seat.[45] Until 1998, the city had its own Sheriff's Office. It was consolidated with the James City County Sheriff's Office, becoming Williamsburg-James City County Sheriff's Office.[46]
As acollege town, Williamsburg's large student population has also resulted in a few conflicts with the city government. For example, in addressing concerns of property values and noise complaints near campus, the council has undertaken initiatives to reduce student off-campus residential presence in the city by instituting a maximum occupancy rule of three unrelated persons for single-family dwellings,[47] as well as a plan to buy rental houses with taxpayer dollars and resell them with the stipulation that the new owners must occupy them.[48] Until July 1, 2007, the voting registrar, David Andrews, had interpreted Virginia law to exclude a high percentage of students, arguing that students should be registered where their parents live. The new voter registrar, Win Sowder, said she is registering students as she would "any other resident of the city. If they're living in the dorms for eight months out of the year, and have an address located within the city limits on a Virginia driver's license, they're entitled to register to vote."[49]In presidential elections, Williamsburg was aRepublican-leaning city for most of the time from the 1950s to the 1980s. Between 1948 and 1988, it supported aDemocratic presidential nominee only once, inLyndon Johnson's1964 landslide victory over RepublicanBarry Goldwater. This changed in the 1990s when DemocratBill Clinton won Williamsburg in both of his presidential campaigns. Due in part toGreen Party candidateRalph Nader's strong showing as a left-wing protest candidate in the college town, RepublicanGeorge W. Bush secured a very narrow plurality in2000.
DemocratJohn Kerry won the city by a single-digit margin over Bush in2004. In the elections since then, Williamsburg has swung heavily to the Democrats, and has become one of the most Democratic areas of Hampton Roads and Virginia. DemocratBarack Obama swept Williamsburg by 29-point margins in both the2008 and2012 elections. In the2016 election, DemocratHillary Clinton beat RepublicanDonald Trump in Williamsburg by 45 points. Trump won 25% of the vote, the worst showing for a Republican in the city in over a century. Four years later, the city gave an equally massive victory toJoe Biden, who carried the county with 69% of the vote, the best showing for a Democrat sinceFranklin D. Roosevelt. The city swung even further to the left in 2024, defying national trends, givingKamala Harris over 71% of the vote.[50]
TheWilliamsburg-James City County Public Schools operates the following schools in Williamsburg:Matthew Whaley School, Berkeley Middle School, James Blair Middle School,Lafayette High School, andWarhill High School.[citation needed]
There are several private schools that also serve the Williamsburg and James City Country area, includingWilliamsburg Christian Academy, a ChristianInternational Baccalaureate School,Walsingham Academy, aprivateCatholic school serving pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, Williamsburg Montessori School, and Providence Classical School.
The city has been the home tothe College of William & Mary since its founding in 1693, making it America's second-oldest college (afterHarvard University). Technically a university, William & Mary was also the first U.S. institution to have aRoyal Charter, and the only one to havecoat-of-arms from theCollege of Arms in London. The campus adjoins theHistoric District, and theWren Building at the head of Duke of Gloucester Street was one of the earliest restored byW. A. R. Goodwin and the family ofJohn D. Rockefeller Jr. as they began creating Colonial Williamsburg. Over 70% of the college's students either work part-time or volunteer in the community. Students contribute over 300,000 hours of volunteer service to Williamsburg annually.[51]
Williamsburg is primarily served by two newspapers,The Virginia Gazette andWilliamsburg-Yorktown Daily.[52]
TheGazette is a biweekly, published in Williamsburg, and was the first newspaper to be published south of thePotomac River, starting in 1736.[citation needed] Its publisher wasWilliam Parks, who had similar ventures in Maryland.[53][54] After his death in 1750, Parks's shop foreman William Hunter restarted the paper in 1751.[55]
TheDaily Press, published in nearbyNewport News, covers local, regional, and national news. TheCollege of William & Mary has two student newspapers, the student-fee-supported campus newspaperThe Flat Hat and the independent campus newspaperThe Virginia Informer.[56] William & Mary studentsproduce many other publications and run their own radio station,WCWM.Hampton Roads Magazine is a bimonthly regional magazine for Williamsburg and the Hampton Roads area.[57] Williamsburg is served by a variety of AM and FM radio stations, including two based directly within city limits;WTYD andWBQK.
Williamsburg is served by theNorfolk–Portsmouth–Newport Newsdesignated market area (DMA), the nation's 42nd-largest, with 712,790 homes (0.64% of the total U.S.).[58]
Williamsburg is located adjacent toInterstate 64 andU.S. Route 60, which connect the city withRichmond to the northwest andNorfolk to the southeast.State Route 199, officially named the Humelsine Parkway after a former Colonial Williamsburg president, surrounds the city in a semicircle.State Route 5 links the city with theJames River Plantations along the north shore of theJames River,Interstate 295 and Richmond.State Route 31 provides a route to Jamestown and the toll-freeJamestown Ferry. TheColonial Parkway provides a bucolic low-speed link to Jamestown and Yorktown, passing under Colonial Williamsburg in a tunnel. With the exception of buses, commercial vehicles are not allowed on the Parkway.[59]
The community's public bus system,Williamsburg Area Transit Authority (WATA), has its central hub at the transportation center. A network of disabled-accessibletransit bus routes serve the city,James City County, and most portions ofYork County adjacent to the Williamsburg area, with hourly service seven days a week, and half-hourly service on select routes during peak weekday hours. The routes operated by WATA include a loop around the William & Mary campus while classes are in session. The system also providesparatransit services and operates replica trolley buses at theYorktown Riverfront attraction.[60] WATA connects with the much largerHampton Roads Transit (HRT) bus system atLee Hall in northwestern Newport News and at the Williamsburg Transportation Center.[61]Walking is a major mode of transportation in Williamsburg, with approximately one-fifth of people walking to work between 2006 and 2010.[62]Walk Score, a website which algorithmically determines how friendly communities are to walkers, describes the city as "very walkable".[63] With few exceptions, motorized traffic is not allowed on Duke of Gloucester Street, which passes through Colonial Williamsburg and the shopping district of Merchant's Square.[64] The city is also increasingly bicycle-friendly, having built 48 miles of bicycle facilities in the area since 1992.[65] Upon completion, theVirginia Capital Trail will provide a paved off-road path to Richmond for bicyclists and pedestrians via the Colonial Parkway.
The primary airport for the Virginia Peninsula is theNewport News/Williamsburg International Airport in Newport News, a twenty-minute drive from Williamsburg.[66]Norfolk International Airport andRichmond International Airport also serve passengers from the city.Amtrak serves Williamsburg with three trains a day stopping at theAmtrak Station. The line runs west along theVirginia Peninsula toRichmond and points beyond. A high-speed rail connection at Richmond to both theNortheast Corridor and theSoutheast High Speed Rail Corridor are also under study.[67] Intercity bus services are provided byGreyhound.
Waller Mill Reservoir is the main water source for Williamsburg. A 350-acre lake holding 1.5 billion gallons of water, it has been in operation since 1945. The City owns a large percentage of the surrounding watershed. During drought, this source may be supplemented by groundwater from a well at Waller Mill and from raw (untreated) water from Newport News Waterworks under a long-term agreement.[68]
The City provides wastewater services for residents and transports wastewater to the regional Hampton Roads Sanitation District treatment plants.[69]
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