Yorktown, Virginia

Yorktown is a town located in York County, Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 203. It is the county seat of York County⁶.

Geography Yorktown is located at 37°14'4" North, 76°30'35" West (37.234352, -76.509844)¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.7 km² (0.6 mi²). 1.7 km² (0.6 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.

Demographics As of the census of 2000, there are 203 people, 117 households, and 45 families residing in the town. The population density is 122.5/km² (314.9/mi²). There are 129 housing units at an average density of 77.8/km² (200.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 92.12% White, 5.91% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. 0.00% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 117 households out of which 8.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.5% are married couples living together, 6.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 60.7% are non-families. 53.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 16.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 1.74 and the average family size is 2.63.

In the town the population is spread out with 9.4% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 32.5% from 45 to 64, and 23.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 48 years. For every 100 females there are 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 85.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town is $30,804, and the median income for a family is $74,000. Males have a median income of $26,964 versus $16,923 for females. The per capita income for the town is $24,748. 0.0% of the population and 0.0% of families are below the poverty line.

History

Geography makes Yorktown a strategic place in control of the rivers of Virginia and access to the Chesapeake Bay.

Yorktown was founded in 1691 as a port for shipping tobacco to Europe.

Yorktown was the base of British General Charles Cornwallis during the 1781 Battle of Yorktown, the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War. Nine buildings still survive from this period, as well as many of the earthworks[?] dug by the besieging American and French forces. There is also a memorial to the French war dead of the Battle.

Yorktown was also used as the base for the Federal Army of the Potomac under General George McClellan in the 1862 Peninsular Campaign[?].

Currently two military installations are located at Yorktown:

• Naval Station Yorktown, which serves as the point at which United States Navy vessels load and unload ordnance. There have been reports nuclear weapons are stored there.
• Coast Guard Station Yorktown, which serves as a training school for the United States Coast Guard.

Yorktown is also close to the United States Naval Base at Norfolk, Virginia and the shipyards at Newport News, Virginia.