Lunenburg County | |
|---|---|
 Lunenburg County Courthouse | |
 Seal | |
| Motto: The Old Free State | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofVirginia | |
 Virginia's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:36°57′N78°14′W / 36.95°N 78.24°W /36.95; -78.24 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Virginia |
| Founded | 1746 |
| Named after | Brunswick-Lüneburg |
| Seat | Lunenburg |
| Largest town | Victoria |
| Area | |
• Total | 432 sq mi (1,120 km2) |
| • Land | 432 sq mi (1,120 km2) |
| • Water | 0.7 sq mi (2 km2) 0.2% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 11,936 |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 5th |
| Website | www |
Lunenburg County is acounty located in theCommonwealth ofVirginia. As of the2020 census, the population was 11,936.[1] Itscounty seat isLunenburg.[2]
Lunenburg County was established on May 1, 1746, fromBrunswick County. The county is named for the formerDuchy of Brunswick-Lünenburg[3] in Germany, because one of the titles also carried by Britain'sHanoverian kings was Duke of Brunswick-Lünenburg. Bedford, Charlotte, Halifax, and Mecklenburg Counties were later formed from Lunenburg County. It is nicknamed "The Old Free State" because during the buildup of the Civil War, it let Virginia know the county would break off if the state did not join The Confederacy.[4]
Among the earliest settlers of the county was William Taylor, born inKing William County, Virginia. He was the son of Rev. Daniel Taylor, a Virginia native andAnglican priest educated atTrinity College, Cambridge University[5] in England, and his wife Alice (Littlepage) Taylor. William Taylor married Martha Waller, a daughter ofBenjamin Waller ofWilliamsburg, Virginia.[6]
In 1760 Taylor purchased three adjoining tracts of land in Lunenburg County totaling 827 acres (3.35 km2). Taylor soon became one of the county's leading citizens, representing Lunenburg in theVirginia House of Burgesses from 1765 until 1768.[7] In that capacity, Taylor voted in 1765 to support statesmanPatrick Henry'sVirginia Resolves in 1765.[8] Taylor served as County Clerk for 51 years (1763–1814).
Taylor was succeeded as County Clerk by his son William Henry Taylor, who held the office for another 32 years—from 1814 until 1846. Another son, GeneralWaller Taylor, represented Lunenburg in the Virginia legislature, then moved toVincennes, Indiana. There he became a judge and subsequentlyAdjutant General of theUnited States Army under GeneralWilliam Henry Harrison in theWar of 1812. General Waller Taylor later served as one of the firstUnited States senators from the newly created state of Indiana from 1816 to 1825. He died on a visit home to see his relatives in Lunenburg County in 1826.[9]
During much of theAmerican Civil War, the family of Missionary BishopHenry C. Lay lived in Lunenberg County, where Mrs. Lay (the former Eliza Withers Atkinson) grew up. Both of Bishop Lay's brothers served as Confederate colonels, and Mrs. Lay's uncle,Thomas Atkinson was bishop of North Carolina.
Cases surrounding an 1895 Lunenburg County murder are the subject of historianSuzanne Lebsock's book,A Murder in Virginia: Southern Justice on Trial.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 432 square miles (1,120 km2), of which 432 square miles (1,120 km2) is land and 1 square mile (2.6 km2) (0.16%) is water.
US 360 (Eastbound Only – Three-Sixty Hwy)
SR 40 (Lunenburg County Rd; joins SR 49 and becomes Courthouse Rd; Court St and Main St in Victoria; K-V Rd; Main St and S Broad St in Kenbridge, Blackstone Rd)
SR 49 (Falls Rd; joins SR 40 in Victoria and becomes Main St; Courthouse Rd
SR 137 (E 5th Ave; S Hill Rd; Dundas Rd)
SR 138 (E 5th Ave; S Hill Rd)| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 8,959 | — | |
| 1800 | 10,381 | 15.9% | |
| 1810 | 12,265 | 18.1% | |
| 1820 | 10,662 | −13.1% | |
| 1830 | 11,957 | 12.1% | |
| 1840 | 11,055 | −7.5% | |
| 1850 | 11,692 | 5.8% | |
| 1860 | 11,983 | 2.5% | |
| 1870 | 10,403 | −13.2% | |
| 1880 | 11,535 | 10.9% | |
| 1890 | 11,372 | −1.4% | |
| 1900 | 11,705 | 2.9% | |
| 1910 | 12,780 | 9.2% | |
| 1920 | 15,260 | 19.4% | |
| 1930 | 14,058 | −7.9% | |
| 1940 | 13,844 | −1.5% | |
| 1950 | 14,116 | 2.0% | |
| 1960 | 12,523 | −11.3% | |
| 1970 | 11,687 | −6.7% | |
| 1980 | 12,124 | 3.7% | |
| 1990 | 11,419 | −5.8% | |
| 2000 | 13,146 | 15.1% | |
| 2010 | 12,914 | −1.8% | |
| 2020 | 11,936 | −7.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790–1960[11] 1900–1990[12] 1990–2000[13] 2010[14] 2020[15] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010[14] | Pop 2020[15] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 7,730 | 7,016 | 59.86% | 58.78% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 4,451 | 3,773 | 34.47% | 31.61% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 37 | 32 | 0.29% | 0.27% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 25 | 25 | 0.19% | 0.21% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 3 | 5 | 0.02% | 0.04% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 9 | 31 | 0.07% | 0.26% |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 189 | 465 | 1.46% | 3.90% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 470 | 589 | 3.64% | 4.93% |
| Total | 12,914 | 11,936 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 13,146 people, 4,998 households, and 3,383 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 people per square mile (12 people/km2). There were 5,736 housing units at an average density of 13 units per square mile (5.0 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 59.12%White, 38.58%Black orAfrican American, 0.16%Native American, 0.21%Asian, 0.05%Pacific Islander, 0.75% fromother races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 1.79% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 4,998 households, out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.50% were married couples living together, 13.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.30% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 25.80% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 113.80 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 115.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $27,899, and the median income for a family was $34,302. Males had a median income of $26,496 versus $20,237 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,951. About 14.90% of families and 20.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.30% of those under age 18 and 22.80% of those age 65 or over.
Lunenburg County Public Schools operates the following schools:
There are no private or independent schools in Lunenburg County, and no colleges or universities are located there.Kenston Forest School in Nottoway County, approximately 20 minutes away, offers the closest K-12 private education available to Lunenburg County residents.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 3,594 | 61.07% | 2,253 | 38.28% | 38 | 0.65% |
| 2020 | 3,537 | 58.95% | 2,418 | 40.30% | 45 | 0.75% |
| 2016 | 3,204 | 57.36% | 2,227 | 39.87% | 155 | 2.77% |
| 2012 | 2,969 | 51.78% | 2,684 | 46.81% | 81 | 1.41% |
| 2008 | 2,900 | 51.33% | 2,703 | 47.84% | 47 | 0.83% |
| 2004 | 2,858 | 54.49% | 2,362 | 45.03% | 25 | 0.48% |
| 2000 | 2,510 | 54.67% | 2,026 | 44.13% | 55 | 1.20% |
| 1996 | 2,063 | 46.26% | 1,995 | 44.73% | 402 | 9.01% |
| 1992 | 2,227 | 45.34% | 2,082 | 42.39% | 603 | 12.28% |
| 1988 | 2,530 | 56.27% | 1,870 | 41.59% | 96 | 2.14% |
| 1984 | 2,713 | 59.94% | 1,754 | 38.75% | 59 | 1.30% |
| 1980 | 2,045 | 49.44% | 1,958 | 47.34% | 133 | 3.22% |
| 1976 | 1,816 | 49.73% | 1,739 | 47.62% | 97 | 2.66% |
| 1972 | 2,464 | 69.14% | 1,044 | 29.29% | 56 | 1.57% |
| 1968 | 1,181 | 29.44% | 1,180 | 29.41% | 1,651 | 41.15% |
| 1964 | 1,847 | 62.04% | 1,128 | 37.89% | 2 | 0.07% |
| 1960 | 838 | 35.22% | 1,451 | 60.99% | 90 | 3.78% |
| 1956 | 580 | 24.80% | 1,111 | 47.50% | 648 | 27.70% |
| 1952 | 837 | 35.27% | 1,528 | 64.39% | 8 | 0.34% |
| 1948 | 251 | 14.61% | 1,126 | 65.54% | 341 | 19.85% |
| 1944 | 184 | 13.21% | 1,205 | 86.50% | 4 | 0.29% |
| 1940 | 144 | 10.60% | 1,213 | 89.26% | 2 | 0.15% |
| 1936 | 77 | 5.62% | 1,291 | 94.23% | 2 | 0.15% |
| 1932 | 92 | 7.38% | 1,141 | 91.50% | 14 | 1.12% |
| 1928 | 314 | 20.75% | 1,199 | 79.25% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 130 | 12.55% | 686 | 66.22% | 220 | 21.24% |
| 1920 | 208 | 20.08% | 818 | 78.96% | 10 | 0.97% |
| 1916 | 110 | 11.74% | 814 | 86.87% | 13 | 1.39% |
| 1912 | 66 | 10.51% | 508 | 80.89% | 54 | 8.60% |
Places adjacent to Lunenburg County, Virginia | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofLunenburg County, Virginia,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Geographic | |
| Other | |
