Charles Town (West Virginia)

Charles Town was founded by Charles Washington , George Washington's younger brother. Charles Washington was born in 1738 at Hunting Creek in Stafford County (now Fairfax County ) Virginia . From April to October 1780, he represented Jefferson County. Charles Washington Manor Happy Retreat was founded in 1780. In 1786, Charles paves the city streets on 80 acres of land adjacent to the estate, calling them the names of his brothers and the deceased wife Milred. He donated four corner plots of land at the intersection of George Street and Washington Street for public buildings of the city and the district, provided that the city becomes a separate center of the new district, separated from Berkeley . In January 1787, the city was officially recorded by the General Assembly of Virginia .

Jefferson County was formed in 1801. The district court building was built on one of the land plots (lots) donated by Charles Washington.

In 1844, the first issue of the Spirit of Jefferson newspaper was released.

On October 16, 1859, abolitionist John Brown and his followers raided the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry , seven miles east of Charles Town. The uprising was crushed, John Brown was tried in the Jefferson County Courthouse, accusing him of treason to Virginia, killing white people and inciting black people to riot. December 2, 1859, he was hanged in Charles Town on the Gibson-Todd House indicated in the National Register of Historic Places .

During the first two years of the American Civil War , as the line of clashes between the Union and the Confederates was constantly changing, Charles Town changed hands. In 1863, the Allied forces occupied the city completely.

In 1883, the Valley Telephone Company began operations in West Virginia, including Jefferson County. The main office of the company was in Charles Town.

In 1922, William Blizzard, leader of the striking miners, was charged with high treason and murder for participating in a war against state and federal forces in the Mingo and Logan counties. He was tried at the Jefferson County Court in Charles Town and acquitted.

In 1933, the city hippodrome was built. It was built on land owned by the local equestrian association of the English. Charles Town Horse Show Association . In 1999, a reconstruction was carried out at the hippodrome, the gaming center was supplemented by installing slot machines, which increased the flow of visitors from Baltimore and Washington.

In 1975, a new English hospital was opened . Jefferson Memorial Hospital , she replaced the old English. Charles Town General Hospital . The hospital is now subordinate to the University of West Virginia Hospital, in 2013 it was renamed the Jefferson Medical Center . Jefferson Medical Center .

Now part of the University of West Virginia Hospital (WVUH-East) chain of healthcare facilities, and was renamed the Jefferson Medical Center in 2013.

In 2006, a non-profit corporation English. Friends of Happy Retreat , acquired the option to purchase the former home of Charles Washington. The goal of this organization is to preserve Happy Retreat estates.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city ​​has a total area of ​​15.05 km² and it is all land.

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

The climate of the city is characterized as subtropical monsoon . It has wet summers and rather mild winters. Precipitation is relatively uniform throughout the year, providing a constant feed of plant moisture, lush vegetation.

As of 2010, according to the US Census in Charles Town, the population was 5,259, there were 2011 households and 1289 families. The population density was 349.5 people per km². The density of home ownership is 150.9 per km².

Racial Composition: 76.9% White , 13.3% Black , 0.3% Native American, 2.1% Asians, 0.1% Hawaiians or Oceans, 3.7% Other Races, 3.6% descendants of two or more races.

As of 2000, the median income per household in the city was $ 32538, family income $ 43547. Men have an average income of $ 30,917, while women have $ 22,241. The average per capita income is $ 18,104. 13.2% of families or 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 20.3% of youth under the age of 18 and 13.4% of adults over the age of 65.

• U.S. Geographic Names Information System: Charles Town (West Virginia )