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Madison, Virginia
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Madison is a town in and the county seat of Madison County, Virginia, United States.[5] The population was 205 at the 2020 census.[2]
Key Information
History
[edit]The Hebron Lutheran Church, The Homeplace, James City Historic District, Madison County Courthouse, Madison County Courthouse Historic District, and Woodbourne are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6]
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.2 square mile (0.6 km2), all land.

Transportation
[edit]The main highways serving Madison are U.S. Route 29 Business and Virginia State Route 231. Through the entirety of their trip through the town, both highways follow Main Street. US 29 Bus is the old alignment of U.S. Route 29, which now bypasses the town just to the southeast. US 29 extends southwest towards Charlottesville and northeast towards Washington, D.C. SR 231 extends southeast towards Orange and northwest towards Sperryville.
Demographics
[edit]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 461 | — | |
| 1890 | 353 | −23.4% | |
| 1940 | 281 | — | |
| 1950 | 308 | 9.6% | |
| 1960 | 301 | −2.3% | |
| 1970 | 299 | −0.7% | |
| 1980 | 267 | −10.7% | |
| 1990 | 307 | 15.0% | |
| 2000 | 210 | −31.6% | |
| 2010 | 229 | 9.0% | |
| 2020 | 205 | −10.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] | |||
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 210 people, 109 households, and 57 families living in the town. The population density was 961.4 people per square mile (368.6/km2). There were 115 housing units at an average density of 526.5 per square mile (201.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 71.90% White and 28.10% African American.
There were 109 households, out of which 22.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.7% were non-families. 44.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.93 and the average family size was 2.65.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.6% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 26.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 76.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,188, and the median income for a family was $43,750. Males had a median income of $34,500 versus $18,958 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,445. About 4.5% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 5.1% of those 65 or over.
Notable people
[edit]- Peter Early, U.S. Representative from and Governor of Georgia
- Robert Mallory, U.S. Representative from Kentucky
- Robert W. Malone, American physician and biochemist[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ a b "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2020 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Madison town, Virginia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "FACT FOCUS: Unfounded theory used to dismiss COVID measures". AP NEWS. January 8, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
External links
[edit]Madison, Virginia
View on GrokipediaHistory
County Formation and Town Establishment
Madison County was established from Culpeper County by an act of the Virginia General Assembly in December 1792, with the division taking effect in 1793.[5][7] This creation separated the southwestern portion of Culpeper, encompassing approximately 320 square miles of Piedmont terrain suited for tobacco and grain cultivation, as population growth and land speculation necessitated localized governance for property disputes and taxation.[8] The county derived its name from the Madison family, influential landowners who held extensive tracts along the Rapidan River and whose lineage included James Madison, a Virginia congressman at the time and future U.S. president.[3] This naming underscored the role of familial land proprietorship in territorial organization, as elite estates anchored economic and political influence amid frontier expansion.[9] Settlement in the region predated county formation, commencing around 1725 when German immigrants from the Second Germanna Colony relocated from Spotsylvania County to the Robinson River valley, establishing self-sustaining agrarian communities like Hebron.[4] These pioneers, primarily Lutheran farmers, prioritized fertile soils for mixed farming and livestock, forming tight-knit enclaves reliant on private land patents and church institutions for social cohesion rather than distant colonial administration.[10] The Town of Madison was formally established on January 6, 1800, by legislative act in response to a petition from over 100 county residents seeking a central hub for commerce and justice near the courthouse site.[2] Positioned at the intersection of key roads, the town facilitated trade in agricultural goods, reinforcing the county's dependence on land-based enterprise and local self-governance.[11]Civil War Involvement and Postwar Recovery
During the American Civil War, Madison County, Virginia, served as a theater for Confederate cavalry operations screening movements toward the Rappahannock River, hosting two engagements now commemorated on the Virginia Civil War Trails: the Battle of Jack's Shop on September 21–22, 1863, and the Battle of James City on October 10, 1863.[12] In the former, approximately 7,000 Union cavalry troopers under Brigadier Generals John Buford and Hugh Judson Kilpatrick advanced into the county to scout roads and fords for a potential offensive, only to face coordinated Confederate attacks from multiple directions by elements of Major General J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry division, resulting in Union withdrawal after sharp fighting involving dismounted troopers and artillery exchanges.[13] [14] The Battle of James City followed as Stuart's horsemen, maneuvering to intercept a Union wagon train during the Bristoe Campaign, clashed with pursuing Federal cavalry; Union charges were repelled by Confederate sharpshooters concealed in woods and supporting artillery fire, with the Federals retiring under cover of night after sustaining losses estimated in the dozens.[15] These actions, part of broader Confederate efforts to disrupt Union reconnaissance, inflicted limited casualties—fewer than 200 combined across both—but exposed local residents to foraging, requisitions, and transient troop presences by figures including Stuart and Stonewall Jackson's corps earlier in the war.[3] The conflicts disrupted Madison County's rural economy and infrastructure minimally compared to devastated Shenandoah Valley campaigns, with no recorded wholesale destruction of buildings or major population displacement, though skirmishes strained agricultural output amid wartime labor shortages and emancipation's early effects on enslaved populations comprising about 30% of residents by 1860.[16] Property damage from artillery and cavalry maneuvers affected farms along routes like the Blue Ridge Turnpike, but the county avoided sustained occupation, preserving much of its prewar social structure centered on smallholder farming. Postwar recovery emphasized restoration of private property rights, with former Confederate landowners retaining title to lands not confiscated under limited federal policies, enabling rapid rebuilding through individual initiative rather than extensive government intervention.[18] Agricultural resurgence focused on diversified crops like wheat and tobacco, adapting to free labor via tenant arrangements and family operations; by the 1870s, farm production had stabilized without reliance on large-scale federal aid, as evidenced by sustained output in Piedmont Virginia's mixed-economy model.[18] Local leaders, including Confederate veterans transitioning to state politics, facilitated this through community-driven efforts, maintaining the county's agrarian heritage amid Reconstruction's challenges.[16]Modern Developments
The Town of Madison was incorporated by order of the Madison County Circuit Court on December 8, 1931, formalizing its role as the county seat and the sole incorporated municipality in Madison County.[19] Governance occurs through a mayor, serving as chief executive with tie-breaking vote only, and a four-member council of qualified voters, all elected to staggered four-year terms; the town clerk manages daily operations, while a five-member planning commission advises on zoning and development to preserve local character.[16][6] Madison's population has exhibited stability consistent with rural preferences for low-density living, declining slightly from approximately 500 residents around 1900 to 210 in the 2000 U.S. Census and 205 in the 2020 U.S. Census, amid minimal growth incentives and resistance to urban-style expansion.[16][1] This continuity reflects broader patterns in Madison County, where conservative values prioritize self-reliance and limited regulation, as evidenced by the county's November 26, 2019, resolution declaring itself a Second Amendment sanctuary in opposition to state-level gun restrictions post-Democratic legislative gains.[20][21] In the 2020s, practical infrastructure enhancements underscore local problem-solving, including the Rapidan Service Authority's award of a construction contract on October 2, 2025, to upgrade and expand the Madison Wastewater Treatment Plant, doubling capacity from 80,000 to 160,000 gallons per day with work commencing post-January 1, 2026, at a capped cost of $8,960,344.[22][23] Such targeted investments address essential needs without expansive bureaucratic overlays, aligning with the town's tradition of measured, community-driven progress.[2]Geography and Environment
Location and Physical Features
Madison, Virginia, is situated in central Virginia as the county seat of Madison County, with geographic coordinates of approximately 38.38°N, 78.26°W.[24] The town lies at an elevation of 604 feet (184 meters) above sea level, positioned in the Piedmont physiographic province that transitions westward into the Blue Ridge Mountains.[24] This placement places Madison near the eastern foothills of the Blue Ridge, where the terrain shifts from rolling Piedmont hills to more rugged mountainous landscapes, with average county elevations around 1,001 feet (305 meters).[25] The topography includes fertile valleys and riverine features, notably the Rapidan River, which drains much of the county and supports hydrological connectivity to the Rappahannock River basin.[26] These elements, characterized by well-drained soils in valley floors conducive to crop cultivation, historically facilitated agricultural settlement by providing reliable water sources and arable land for self-sustaining farming communities.[27] Western portions of Madison County extend into forested Blue Ridge highlands, encompassing parts of Shenandoah National Park with dense woodland cover dominated by deciduous and mixed forests, enhancing ecological diversity and resource availability for rural economies.[25] Local GIS datasets confirm extensive forested acreage, approximately 60-70% of the county's land, interspersed with open fields optimized for pastoral and horticultural uses.[28]
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