Windsor, Virginia

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Windsor, VA


Founded	1902
State	Virginia
County	Isle of Wight
Mayor	Marvin A. Crocker, Jr.
http://www.windsor-va.gov/

Windsor is an incorporated town in Isle of Wight County in the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia. It is located near the crossroads of U.S. Route 460 and U.S. Route 258. The population was 916 at the 2000 census. However, due to recent annexation of a portion of Isle of Wight County, the town of Windsor grew to a population of over 3000 people.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Trivia
4 Demographics
5 External links

[edit] History

Windsor was originally in Warrosquyoake Shire which was created in 1634 in the Virginia Colony by the Virginia House of Burgesses and King Charles I of England. Warrosquyoake was named for the friendly local Native Americans, but changed a short time later to honor the Isle of Wight, a location in the English Channel. The spelling and pronunciation of the revised name were both more practical for the European colonists.

Popular legend has it that a Southampton County native, William Mahone (1826-1895), builder of the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad (now Norfolk Southern), and his cultured wife, Otelia Butler Mahone (1837-1911), daughter of the late Dr. Robert Butler, who was raised in Smithfield, traveled along the newly completed Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad naming stations. Otelia was reading Ivanhoe a book written by Sir Walter Scott. From his historical Scottish novels, Otelia chose the place name of Windsor, as well as those of Waverly and Wakefield. She tapped the Scottish Clan "McIvor" for the name of Ivor, a small town in neighboring Southampton County. When they could not agree, it is said that they invented a new name in honor of their dispute, which is how the tiny community of Disputanta was created. The N&P railroad was completed in 1858.

William Mahone became a Major General in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, and later, a Senator in the United States Congress. A large portion of U.S. Highway 460 between Petersburg and Suffolk is named in his honor.

Windsor sent the seven Roberts brothers to fight the Yankees in the Civil War. All of the Roberts brothers returned alive. A picture of the brothers can be viewed at the museum in Smithfield.

There is a monument in the center of the town which has names of some of the more interesting people who have a connection to the town. This monument is close to the four lane 35 MPH highway known as U.S. 460 where commerces travels down the highway back and forth to Norfolk and Richmond just like the Norfolk and Western trains did decades before.

[edit] Geography

Windsor is located at 36°48′40″N, 76°44′37″W (36.811175, -76.743658)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.2 km² (0.9 mi²), all land.

[edit] Trivia

Windsor's original name as given to it by the Native Americans was Carowaugh or Corrowaugh which is translated to mean "Frog Pond."
Although Windsor's icon, the historic railroad station, was torn down by the railroad late in the 20th century after years of disuse, it continues to be displayed on the town's automobile registration decals which are placed on windshields by residents.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 916 people, 389 households, and 269 families residing in the town. The population density was 416.1/km² (1,077.2/mi²). There were 422 housing units at an average density of 191.7/km² (496.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.74% White, 9.06% African American, 0.44% Native American, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.

There were 389 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,528, and the median income for a family was $44,167. Males had a median income of $34,205 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,999. About 5.9% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.4% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.