Northumberland County, Virginia

Northumberland County is a located on the  in the, a  in the. As of, the population is 12,259. Its is. The county is located on the peninsula and is part of the  winemaking.

History
The county was created by the in 1648 during a period of rapid population growth and geographic expansion. Settlement began in this area of the around 1635. Originally known as the Indian district, the first appearance of the name Northumberland in the colonial records was in 1644. The following year, served as the first burgess for the territory in the  which met at the capital of the  at.

The size of the county was drastically reduced in 1652 and 1653 as and, respectively, were carved out of Northumberland County.

Geography
According to the, the county has a total area of 740 (286 ). 498 km² (192 mi²) of it is land and 242 km² (93 mi²) of it (32.68%) is water. The county is located between the and.

Demographics
As of the of 2000, there were 12,259 people, 5,470 households, and 3,785 families residing in the county. The was 25/km² (64/mi²). There were 8,057 housing units at an average density of 16/km² (42/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 72.18%, 26.58% or , 0.15% , 0.20% , 0.33% from , and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.93% of the population were or  of any race.

There were 5,470 households out of which 20.11% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.30% were living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.80% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.70.

In the county, the population was spread out with 18.60% under the age of 18, 4.80% from 18 to 24, 20.20% from 25 to 44, 30.10% from 45 to 64, and 26.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 91.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,129, and the median income for a family was $49,047. Males had a median income of $30,151 versus $24,116 for females. The for the county was $22,917. 12.30% of the population and 8.10% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 17.00% are under the age of 18 and 10.70% are 65 or older.

Reedville, menhaden fishing industry
is a small town in eastern Northumberland County on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Reedville is home to the  fishing industry. It is named for Captain (1827-1888), who is credited with bringing the menhaden fishing industry and the tremendous wealth which resulted from it to Reedville and to Northumberland County. Reedville, a town of approximately 500, was once known as the wealthiest town in the due to the large sums of money produced by the menhaden industry. [needs citation]

Years ago, dozens of fish processing factories, most recently Omega Protein Corporation (successor to Zapata Haynie, Reedville Oil and Guano Company and Haynie Products Company) and Standard Products Company, dotted the Northumberland coastline near Reedville and adjacent fishing communities.

Today, Omega Protein remains as the largest industrial organization in the area. Omega, with a fleet of large ocean-going fish harvesting vessels, supported by a number of spotter aircraft, is a major industry in the area and on the eastern seaboard. Menhaden, once caught, are cooked in large mass and processed for further use in various applications including as a protein additive for poultry feed.

Located at the eastern terminus of, Reedville is a popular place to begin fishing charters and trips to in the Bay, Reedville is also a tourist destination itself, steeped in the history of the menhaden fishing industry. The Millionaire's Row of Victorian-era mansions and several watercraft of the each listed on the.

Trivia
Northumberland County has two ; one in, an unincorporated town in the western section of the county, and one in. Callao is also the site of Northumberland's only Virginia store. , the public school system, has three schools; an, a , and a. The high school, with grades 9-12, has approximately 400 students. The high school's athletic colors are green and gold and the mascot is an Indian; athletic teams are known as the "Indians".

Northumberland County is served by volunteer organizations. There are two fire departments; Fairfields Volunteer Fire Department with stations in Reedville and Burgess in the eastern section of the county, and Callao Volunteer Fire Department with a station in Callao in the western section of the county. services are provided by the Northumberland County in Reedville, Mid-County Rescue Squad in, and Callao Rescue Squad in Callao. Smith Point Sea Rescue is a maritime rescue assistance organization that operates from Reedville.

Northumberland County's law enforcement activities are the responsibility of the county. The county does not have a police department. The Sheriff is a constitutional officer (the Virginia constitution mandates that every local government have a sheriff) who is elected every four years.

Northumberland County has five districts who elect supervisors. One district has an majority. The supervisors, elected every four years, comprise the who are the county's governing body. The county has five members, one representing each district, as well. The members of the school board are elected officials.

Northumberland County has two courthouses; an building constructed before the  and a new building constructed in the late 1990s behind the older structure. The county courts (Circuit Court, General District Court, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court) and the Clerk of the Circuit Court, a constitutional officer, are located in the new building. The Commissioner of Revenue and the Treasurer, both constitutional officers, have offices in the older building.

Towns

 * in extends into southeastern Northumberland County.

There are no incorporated towns in the county. Significant unincorporated villages include: