Английская Википедия:Charles Town, West Virginia

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Charles Town is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States.[1] The population was 6,534 at the 2020 census. The city is named for its founder Charles Washington, youngest brother of President George Washington. It is part of the northwestern fringes of the Washington metropolitan area.

History

18th century

Файл:Happy Retreat WV1.jpg
The Happy Retreat estate was owned and developed by Charles Washington

"Charlestown" was established by an act of the Virginia General Assembly in January 1787.[2] However, for about two decades, confusion arose because the same name was also used for a town established in Ohio County at the mouth of Buffalo Creek, and authorized in the 1791 term of that local court. That area in 1797 became known as Brooke County, with that "Charlestown" as its county seat until a December 27, 1816 act of the Virginia General Assembly changed its name to Wellsburg, to honor a trader and his son.[3]

Charles Washington, the founder of Charles Town, was born in Hunting Creek, now Fairfax County, Virginia, on May 2, 1738. He was the youngest full brother of George Washington. He came to what is today Jefferson County between April and October 1780. The estate of Charles Washington, Happy Retreat, was erected in 1780. In 1786, on 80 acres (320,000 m2) of his adjoining land, Charles laid out the streets of Charles Town,[4] naming many of them after his brothers and one after his wife, Mildred. He donated the four corner lots at the intersection of George and Washington Streets for public buildings of the town and county, provided the town become the seat of the county separated from Berkeley County.

In 1794, James Madison married "Dolly" Todd at Harewood, the home of George Steptoe Washington, son of George Washington's brother Colonel Samuel Washington, just outside Charles Town.

19th century

Файл:Charles Town Methodist Church. St. Thomas Lutheran Church. Baptist Church. Zion Episcopal Church. Charles Town Presbyterian Church (77400).jpg
Five churches in Charles Town

Jefferson County was formed in 1801 as Charles Washington had anticipated. The county court house stands on one of the lots he donated, as did the jail until 1919, when it was demolished and replaced by the Post Office.

Charles Washington died sometime between July and September, 1799, only a short while before the death of his brother George. Charles' and his wife Mildred's grave sites near Evitts Run have recently been located and surrounded by a stone wall.

In 1844, the first issue of the Spirit of Jefferson newspaper was published in Charles Town by James W. Beller. It is the oldest newspaper in the state still (2020) being published.

On October 16, 1859, abolitionist John Brown and his followers raided the Federal arsenal at nearby Harpers Ferry, Шаблон:Convert east of Charles Town. The insurrection was quickly put down and John Brown and his six captured associates were tried in the Jefferson County Courthouse for treason, murder, and fomenting a slave insurrection; all were found guilty and were hanged at the location occupied today by the Gibson-Todd House. Brown's trial and execution brought the national press and many other visitors to Charles Town. During the six weeks between Brown's arrest (October 19) and his execution (December 2) Charles Town was an armed military camp; hundreds of soldiers were stationed there to prevent a rescue of Brown, and a cannon was placed in front of the courthouse. See Virginia v. John Brown.

During the first two years of the Civil War, the front lines of the Union and Confederate armies in the area fluctuated and the town frequently changed hands during the military engagements in the surrounding areas, with the town first occupied by Confederate troops, then Union troops, then back to Confederate until 1863 when Union troops occupied the town for the remainder of the war.

In 1883, the Valley Telephone Company was incorporated in West Virginia and began installing telephone lines throughout Jefferson County. The company's main office was in Charles Town.

A writer in 1898 commented as follows:

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20th century

Файл:Charles Town City Hall WV1.jpg
Charles Town City Hall, part of the Downtown Charles Town Historic District

In 1922, Bill Blizzard, a leader of striking coal miners during the Battle of Blair Mountain, was charged with treason and murder for engaging in warfare against state and federal troops in Mingo and Logan Counties. He was tried in the Jefferson County courthouse in Charles Town and was found not guilty.

The Charles Town Race Track first opened in 1933. It was built on land purchased from the Charles Town Horse Show Association. In 1999, the Charles Town Race Track underwent major renovation which included a large addition to house video slot machines. It was renamed Charles Town Races & Slots. It became the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races on July 2, 2010.

In 1975, the Jefferson Memorial Hospital in neighboring Ranson opened, replacing Charles Town General Hospital. It became part of the West Virginia University Health System and was renamed Jefferson Medical Center in 2013.[5]

21st century

Charles Town's population has more than doubled since 2000, due in part to annexation of housing subdivisions that have been developed on land around the original city.[6]

Geography and climate

Charles Town is located in the lower Shenandoah Valley at Шаблон:Coord (39.284237, -77.856211).[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Шаблон:Convert, all land.[8]

Charles Town is located 73 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. and 75 miles west of Baltimore.

Due to its low elevation for West Virginia, Charles Town is on the northern extent of the Humid Subtropical climate zone, having cool to mildly cold winters and hot and humid summers. Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, providing lush, abundant plant growth.

Demographics

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2010 census

As of the census[9] of 2010, there were 5,259 people, 2,011 households, and 1,289 families living in the city. The population density was Шаблон:Convert. There were 2,270 housing units at an average density of Шаблон:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 76.9% White, 13.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.7% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.0% of the population.

There were 2,011 households, of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.9% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.19.

The median age in the city was 35.5 years. 26.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31.4% were from 25 to 44; 22.5% were from 45 to 64; and 12.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.

2000 census

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 2,907 people, 1,285 households, and 732 families living in the city. The population density was Шаблон:Convert. There were 1,396 housing units at an average density of Шаблон:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 78.91% White, 17.54% African American, 0.10% Native American, 1.03% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 1.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.55% of the population.

There were 1,285 households, out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.0% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,538, and the median income for a family was $43,547. Males had a median income of $30,917 versus $22,241 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,104. About 13.2% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education

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Transportation

Файл:2019-08-17 12 46 27 View north along U.S. Route 340 (Charles Town Bypass) from the overpass for West Virginia State Route 115 (South George Street-Charles Town Road) in Charles Town, Jefferson County, West Virginia.jpg
US Route 340 approaching West Virginia Route 9 in Charles Town

Charles Town is served primarily by two main highways, U.S. Route 340 and West Virginia Route 9, which run concurrently for a short stretch in the vicinity of Charles Town. US 340 travels in a general southwest to northeast direction, connecting Charles Town to locations in the eastern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia to the southwest. To the northeast, US 340 provides direct access to Harpers Ferry and Frederick. WV 9 traverses the region with a northwest-to-southeast orientation, connecting Charles Town to Martinsburg and Leesburg. Additional highways serving Charles Town include West Virginia Route 51 and West Virginia Route 115.

Notable people

See also

References

Шаблон:Reflist

External links

Шаблон:Wikivoyage Шаблон:Commons category Шаблон:AmCyc Poster

Шаблон:Portal bar Шаблон:John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry Шаблон:Jefferson County, West Virginia Шаблон:West Virginia municipalities Шаблон:Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia Шаблон:West Virginia county seats

Шаблон:Authority control

  1. Шаблон:Cite web
  2. Шаблон:Cite web
  3. Nancy L. Caldwell, A History of Brooke County, (Brooke County Historical Society 1975), p. 4
  4. Шаблон:Cite web
  5. Шаблон:Cite web
  6. Шаблон:Cite news
  7. Шаблон:Cite web
  8. Шаблон:Cite web
  9. Шаблон:Cite web
  10. Ошибка цитирования Неверный тег <ref>; для сносок GR2 не указан текст