Boydton is a town in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, United States. The population was 431 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, and it is near Kerr Lake.
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Geography
Boydton is located at 36°40′05″N 78°23′20″W (36.667997, -78.389001).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.8Â square miles (2.1Â km2), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 430 people, 135 households, and 83 families residing in the town. The population density was 553.0 people per square mile (213.8/km2). There were 159 housing units at an average density of 201.0 per square mile (77.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 65.2% White, 33.9% African American, 1% from other races.
There were 135 households out of which 19.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 2% 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 2.92.
The population statistics indicated 87.7% of residents were 16 years and over with 85.6% 18 years or older, 80.7% 21 years and over and 19.3% 62 years and over. The median age was 39.9 years. The population was 58.9% male and 41.1% female.
The median income for a household in the town was $29,063, and the median income for a family was $38,125. Males had a median income of $25,417 versus $25,208 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,034. About 6.0% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 17.9% of those age 65 or over.
History
Boydton was founded in 1812 and is the original home of Randolph-Macon College, then very small, and which barely stayed in operation during the American Civil War as its focus abruptly changed from a Methodist seminary to military cadet training. In the difficult post-war Reconstruction years the trustees relocated the remote and struggling school to its present location in Ashland, Virginia, closer to railroad service.
Boydton/Clarksville was the terminus of the 19th-century "Boydton Plank Road" leading to Petersburg. This 80-mile (130-km) road was covered with wooden planks, making it superior to other roads which were just unpaved dirt and rutted.
The Boyd's Tavern is an 18th-century structure originally operated by merchant Alexander Boyd, a Scottish immigrant, which in recent years has been restored by his descendants and opened to public tours.
In 1952 the large Kerr Lake was created nearby, drawing many boaters, campers, and fishermen to the local area (see Clarksville, Virginia).
In addition to Boyd's Tavern, the Boydton Historic District and the Mecklenburg County Courthouse are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
Government and infrastructure
The United States Postal Service operates the Boydton Post Office in Boydton.
The Virginia Department of Corrections operates the Mecklenburg Correctional Center in unincorporated Mecklenburg County, near Boydton. On August 3, 1998, the male death row moved to its current location, the Sussex I State Prison, from the Mecklenburg Correctional Center.
Public school education is provided by Mecklenburg County Public Schools which is headquartered in the city.
Notable people
- Mark Alexander (1792â€"1883), born near Boydton, United States Congressman from Virginia
- William A. Burwell (1780â€"1821), born near Boydton, State Legislator and United States Congressman from Virginia, private secretary for President Thomas Jefferson.
- Henry Johnson (1850â€"1904) born in Boydton, Buffalo Soldier, US Army, Medal of Honor recipient.
- Nancy Byrd Turner (poet, editor and lecturer) (1880-1971) born in Boydton.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Boydton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
References
