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Henrico County, Virginia

Coordinates: 37°33′N 77°24′W / 37.55°N 77.40°W / 37.55; -77.40
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Not to be confused with Henry County, Virginia.

Henrico County
County
The Old Henrico County Courthouse in Richmond.
The Old Henrico County Courthouse in Richmond.
Flag of Henrico County
Flag
Official seal of Henrico County
Seal
Map of Virginia highlighting Henrico County
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Map of the United States highlighting Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°33′N 77°24′W / 37.55°N 77.40°W / 37.55; -77.40
Country United States
State Virginia
Founded1611[1]
Named afterHenricus
SeatLaurel
Largest cityTuckahoe
Government
 • ManagerJohn Vithoulkas
Area
[2]
 • Total
245 sq mi (630 km2)
 • Land237.65 sq mi (615.5 km2)
 • Water7.35 sq mi (19.0 km2)  3 (approx)[2]%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
334,389
 • Density1,400/sq mi (530/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts4th, 1st
Websitehenrico.us

Henrico County /hɛnˈraɪkoʊ/, officially the County of Henrico, is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 334,389[3] making it the fifth-most populous county in Virginia. Henrico County is included in the Greater Richmond Region. There is no incorporated community within Henrico County; therefore, there is no incorporated county seat either. Laurel, an unincorporated CDP, serves this function.

Named after the settlement of Henricus, Henrico was first incorporated as the City of Henrico. In 1634, Henrico was reorganized as Henrico Shire, one of the eight original Shires of Virginia.[1] It is one of the United States' oldest counties. The City of Richmond was officially part of Henrico County until 1842, when it became a fully independent city.[4]

The present-day Henrico County curves around the City of Richmond, surrounding it to the west, the north, and the east. The county is bounded by the Chickahominy River to the north and the James River and Richmond to the south.[5]

Richmond International Airport is located in the eastern portion of Henrico County in Sandston. Top private employers in the county include Capital One, Bon Secours, and Elevance Health.[6]

History

[edit]

In 1611, Thomas Dale founded the Citie of Henricus on a peninsula in the James River that is now called Farrar's Island.[7] Henricus was named for Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, but it was destroyed during the Indian massacre of 1622, during which local Native American warriors of the Powhatan confederacy attacked the English settlers to drive them from the area.[8]

Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales

In 1634, Henrico Shire was one of the eight original Shires of Virginia established in the Virginia Colony.[1] Since then, 10 counties and three independent cities have been formed from the original territory of Henrico Shire.[4]

County/City Year Founded
Goochland County 1728
Albemarle County 1744
Chesterfield County 1749
Cumberland County 1749
Amherst County 1761
Buckingham County 1761
Fluvanna County 1777
Powhatan County 1777
Nelson County 1807
City of Richmond 1842
Appomattox County (part) 1845
City of Charlottesville 1888
City of Colonial Heights 1948

In 1776, Richard Adams and Nathaniel Wilkenson participated in the Fifth Virginia Convention, which voted to send delegates to the Continental Congress to propose separation from the British. That proposal led to the Declaration of Independence.During the Revolutionary War, when Benedict Arnold's invading army occupied Richmond in January 1781, the Henrico militia was called to active duty. During the brief British occupation of Richmond, many Henrico court records were destroyed. Three months later when Arnold's men, now part of British forces led by General William Phillips, approached Richmond for a second time, the British were stopped by the sight of local militiamen and American Continental troops led by a young Frenchman, the Marquis de Lafayette. Outnumbered, Lafayette abandoned Richmond when General Charles Cornwallis occupied the town in June 1781. Cornwallis then retired to Williamsburg and later to Yorktown. After being surrounded there by General George Washington and his French allies, Cornwallis surrendered, effectively ending the American Revolution.[9]

Since becoming independent in 1842, the City of Richmond has successfully annexed portions of Henrico five times.[10] Chesterfield County annexed the site of Henricus in 1922.[4]

Henrico was badly hurt in the Civil War. During the Reconstruction era, Virginia Estelle Randolph was a pioneer educator and humanitarian who lived from 1874 to 1958. She opened the old Mountain Road School in 1892 and was named the first Jeanes Supervisor Industrial Teacher in Henrico County Schools in 1908. She conducted the first Arbor Day program in Virginia.

The USS Henrico was a Bayfield-class attack transport involved in World War Two and subsequent conflicts.[11]

Richmond attempted to completely merge with Henrico in 1961, but 61% of the votes in a referendum in Henrico county voted against the merger.[12] In 1965, Richmond attempted to annex 145 square miles of Henrico County. However, after a lengthy court battle, the city was given permission to annex only 17 square miles. Since the city would have had to reimburse Henrico a hefty $55 million, Richmond opted against annexing the 17 square miles.[2][12]

In 1981, the Virginia General Assembly placed a moratorium on all annexations throughout the state.[13] Henrico's borders have not changed since Richmond's 1942 annexation.

Varina Farms Plantation
Cannons at the site of the Battle of Malvern Hill

The original county seat was at Varina, at the Varina Farms plantation across the James River from Henricus. Colonist John Rolfe built this plantation, where he lived with his wife, Pocahontas.[14] Henrico's government was located at Varina from around 1640 until 1752.[2]

In 1752, Henrico relocated its seat to a more central location inside the city of Richmond, between Church Hill and what is now Tobacco Row. The county seat remained at 22nd and Main St in Richmond even after the city's government became fully independent of the county in 1842.[4] It was not until 1974 when the county moved out of the Henrico County Courthouse to a complex in the western portion of the county at the intersection of Parham Road and Hungary Springs Road in Laurel.[2]

In addition to the 1974 complex, in 1988 the county opened its Eastern Government Center to be more convenient to county residents in the eastern portion of the county. It is located on Nine Mile Road.[2]

American Civil War battle sites

[edit]

During the Civil War, in 1862 Henrico County was the site of numerous battles during the Peninsula Campaign, including:

Additional significant battles took place in 1864 during the Overland Campaign prior to and during the Siege of Petersburg, which led to the fall of Richmond. Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart was mortally wounded in Henrico County at the Battle of Yellow Tavern on May 12, 1864.

Transportation

[edit]

Henrico County is one of only two counties in Virginia that maintains its own roads, with the other being Arlington County. This special status was due to the existence of county highway departments prior to the creation in 1927 of the state agency that is now VDOT; and the assumption by that agency in 1932 of local roads in most counties. (Henrico and Arlington were grandfathered and allowed to continue pre-existing arrangements.) The control of the roads system is considered a powerful advantage for community urban planners, who can require developers to contribute to funding needed for road needs serving the planners' and developers' projects.

Henrico County is the site of Richmond International Airport. It hosts an Amtrak rail passenger station, Richmond Staples Mill Road station. It purchases public bus route services from Greater Richmond Transit Company, an FTA-funded public service company that is owned equally by the City of Richmond and neighboring Chesterfield County.

After Reconstruction, Henrico County used convict leasing to build roads in 1878.[15]

Some old roads continue to be in use today, such as Horsepen Road, Three Chopt Road, and Quiocassin Road.

Major highways

[edit]

Interstates

[edit]

US Highways

[edit]

State routes

[edit]

Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 245 square miles (630 km2), of which 234 square miles (610 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (4.6%) is water.[16]

Adjacent counties

[edit]

National protected area

[edit]

Climate

[edit]

Henrico County is located within the humid subtropical climate zone and has hot and humid summers with moderately cold winters. Henrico County on average has 8 snow days. Henrico County has 88 days when the low falls below freezing, 50 days when the high exceeds 90 degrees, and 8 days when the high does not exceed freezing.

Climate data for Tuckahoe, Virginia (1980-2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 46.9
(8.3) 		50.8
(10.4) 		59.4
(15.2) 		70.1
(21.2) 		77.4
(25.2) 		85.1
(29.5) 		88.5
(31.4) 		87.1
(30.6) 		80.9
(27.2) 		70.7
(21.5) 		60.7
(15.9) 		50.1
(10.1) 		69.0
(20.5)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 25.2
(−3.8) 		27.4
(−2.6) 		33.6
(0.9) 		42.9
(6.1) 		51.8
(11.0) 		61.3
(16.3) 		65.6
(18.7) 		64.4
(18.0) 		56.8
(13.8) 		45.1
(7.3) 		36.0
(2.2) 		28.1
(−2.2) 		44.8
(7.1)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.2
(81) 		2.9
(74) 		3.9
(99) 		3.3
(84) 		3.9
(99) 		3.5
(89) 		4.3
(110) 		4.2
(110) 		3.7
(94) 		3.3
(84) 		3.6
(91) 		3.4
(86) 		43.2
(1,101)
Source: USA.com[17]

Source: Climate-data.org

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
179012,000—
180014,88624.1%
181019,68032.2%
182023,66720.3%
183028,79721.7%
184033,07614.9%
185043,57231.7%
186061,61641.4%
187066,1797.4%
188082,70325.0%
1890103,39425.0%
190030,062−70.9%
191023,437−22.0%
192018,972−19.1%
193030,31059.8%
194041,96038.4%
195057,34036.7%
1960117,339104.6%
1970154,36431.6%
1980180,73517.1%
1990217,88120.6%
2000262,30020.4%
2010306,93517.0%
2020334,3898.9%
2023 (est.)334,760[18]0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[19]
1790–1960[20] 1900–1990[21]
1990–2000[22] 2000-2010[23]
2010-2020[24]

2020 census

[edit]
Henrico County, Virginia – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2010[25] Pop 2020[24] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 174,799 167,030 56.95% 49.95%
Black or African American alone (NH) 89,449 96,332 29.14% 28.81%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 844 888 0.27% 0.27%
Asian alone (NH) 19,956 32,175 6.50% 9.62%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 112 127 0.04% 0.04%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 792 1,955 0.26% 0.58%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) 5,982 13,797 1.95% 4.13%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 15,001 22,085 4.89% 6.60%
Total 306,935 334,389 100.00% 100.00%

2010 Census

[edit]

As of the census[26] of 2010, there were 306,935 people, 127,111 households, and 69,846 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,252 people per square mile (483 people/km2). As of 2019, there were 139,274 housing units at an average density of 568 units per square mile (219 units/km2). In 2018, the racial makeup of the county was 57% (185,772) White, 29.5% (96,112) Black or African American, 0.2% (728) Native American, 8.2% (26,557) Asian, 0.03% (95) Pacific Islander, 0.98% (3,106) from other races, and 3.1% (10,232) from two or more races. About 5.5% (17,959) of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.[27]

The largest ancestry groups in Henrico County are: Black or African American (25%), English American (14%), German (11%), Irish (10%) and Italian (4%)[28]

In 2000, there were 108,121 households, out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.30% were married couples living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.40% were non-families. 28.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 19, 7.80% from 20 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.5 years. For every 100 females there were 90.11 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.60 males.

In 2019, the median income for a household in the county was $68,024, and the median income for a family was $91,956. The per capita income for the county was $40,222. 9% of the population were below the poverty line.[29]

Government and politics

[edit]
United States presidential election results for Henrico County, Virginia[30]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 62,882 34.65% 115,040 63.39% 3,567 1.97%
2020 63,440 34.64% 116,572 63.65% 3,140 1.71%
2016 59,857 36.60% 93,935 57.44% 9,744 5.96%
2012 70,449 43.42% 89,594 55.22% 2,198 1.35%
2008 67,381 43.48% 86,323 55.70% 1,262 0.81%
2004 71,809 53.82% 60,864 45.62% 745 0.56%
2000 62,887 55.04% 48,645 42.58% 2,720 2.38%
1996 54,430 53.37% 41,121 40.32% 6,441 6.32%
1992 56,910 52.27% 36,807 33.81% 15,151 13.92%
1988 62,284 69.29% 26,980 30.02% 623 0.69%
1984 63,864 74.74% 21,336 24.97% 248 0.29%
1980 50,505 66.85% 21,023 27.83% 4,023 5.32%
1976 45,405 65.82% 21,729 31.50% 1,847 2.68%
1972 52,536 84.87% 8,420 13.60% 948 1.53%
1968 34,212 62.52% 8,600 15.71% 11,914 21.77%
1964 29,286 69.59% 12,779 30.37% 17 0.04%
1960 19,446 66.52% 9,626 32.93% 163 0.56%
1956 12,702 60.20% 5,032 23.85% 3,367 15.96%
1952 10,682 66.62% 5,339 33.30% 14 0.09%
1948 2,092 42.09% 2,321 46.70% 557 11.21%
1944 1,263 29.16% 3,056 70.56% 12 0.28%
1940 2,005 33.27% 3,993 66.25% 29 0.48%
1936 1,285 26.12% 3,610 73.39% 24 0.49%
1932 1,291 33.32% 2,458 63.43% 126 3.25%
1928 1,887 58.31% 1,349 41.69% 0 0.00%
1924 416 25.92% 1,052 65.55% 137 8.54%
1920 338 23.26% 1,078 74.19% 37 2.55%
1916 140 16.47% 690 81.18% 20 2.35%
1912 93 7.91% 952 81.02% 130 11.06%
1908 215 25.41% 627 74.11% 4 0.47%
1904 248 21.25% 890 76.26% 29 2.49%
1900 1,049 31.87% 2,189 66.51% 53 1.61%
1896 1,817 43.16% 2,332 55.39% 61 1.45%
1892 1,849 42.43% 2,374 54.47% 135 3.10%
1888 2,326 57.60% 1,712 42.40% 0 0.00%
1884 2,174 55.25% 1,755 44.60% 6 0.15%
1880 1,032 46.65% 1,180 53.35% 0 0.00%

Henrico County is managed by an appointed county manager who answers directly to the board of supervisors. The current county manager is John A. Vithoulkas.

The Board of Supervisors are:

  • Brookland District – Dan Schmitt (R)
  • Fairfield District – Roscoe Cooper III (D)
  • Three Chopt District – Misty Whitehead (D)
  • Tuckahoe District – Jody Rogish (D)
  • Varina District – Tyrone E. Nelson (D)

In 2014, Henrico County won 'Best in Government' from Richmond Magazine.[31]

There are several elected constitutional officers.

  • Clerk of the Circuit Court – Heidi S. Barshinger (R)
  • Commonwealth's Attorney – Shannon Taylor (D)
  • Sheriff – Alisa Gregory (D)

There are also several legislative representatives.

In the U.S. House of Representatives:

In the Virginia Senate:

In the Virginia House of Delegates:

National politics

[edit]

From the 1950s until the early 2000s, Henrico County was solidly Republican in presidential elections, and was considered a classic bastion of suburban conservatism. However, Barack Obama won the county in 2008, becoming the first Democrat to do so since Harry Truman in 1948, and it has voted for the Democratic nominee in every subsequent presidential election. Mirroring the shift towards Democrats seen in many affluent suburban counties across the country, Joe Biden won Henrico County by nearly 30 points in 2020.

Kamala Harris won the county in 2024.[32]

Law enforcement

[edit]

The Henrico County Sheriff's Office and Henrico County Police are Henrico County's county-level law enforcement agencies. Thomas Dale led the county militia and was the first law enforcement officer in the county: the sheriff's department considers him the first sheriff of Henrico County.[33] The county police were founded in 1915. In 1938, the board of supervisors put the police under the direct control of the county manager, rather than under the sheriff.[34]

Henrico County Jail, circa 1861

The elected Sheriff's primary duties are managing the jail, court security, and the service of civil process. In 1880, the first courthouse and jail was constructed and housed the Sheriff's Office and Jail until 1980. In 1980, in the need for a more technological advanced and more spacious area, the Jail West at the Henrico County Government Complex was constructed. In 1996, Henrico's Sheriff's Office opened Jail East in New Kent County.[33]

The Henrico County Police Division is fully accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies and Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission.[34]

Fire and EMS

[edit]
Henrico Fire Logo

The Division of Fire is responsible for fire suppression, emergency medical services at both the Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) levels, hazardous materials response, technical rescue, water rescue, fire prevention, fire investigation, public education, disaster preparedness and emergency management. The Henrico County Fire Department includes 548 members, of whom 526 are sworn firefighters. The division is rated ISO class 1.[35]

The department has multiple specialty teams.[36]

  • The HAZMAT team/Hazardous Incident Team (HIT) was founded in 1981. In 1987, an agreement was signed with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management that placed the team under a regional response contract; if an incident occurs in Central Virginia during a time when the team is not otherwise engaged in the county, it will respond outside of the county; this is in exchange for training and reimbursement for out-of-county response costs. Most members are trained to the Specialist level, and the rest are trained to the Technician level. The team is located at Station 13, 18, and 21.[36]
  • The Search, Rescue, and Dive (SRT) was initially formed in the early 1980s as the Tactical Rescue Team, responsible for high-angle and water rescue. The responsibility of high-angle rescue was later given to truck companies with aerial ladder trucks, and the team wen mostly inactive for several years, until the team gained a ground search responsibility in 1988 and police department gave up its dive capabilities and the team began training its own divers in 1990. The team conducts ground search, swift-water rescue, and dive rescue operations. The team operates two DIB inflatable rescue sleds for swift-water rescue and a 32' Munson landing craft fire boat with a 2000 GPM fire pump. The team is part of the Marine Incident Response Team through a partnership with the Port of Virginia.[36]
  • The Technical Rescue Team (TRT) was founded in 1990 to handle collapse rescue and rescue involving extensive high-angle ropes work. The team now handles confined spaces, high angle rescue (vertical rope operations), low angle rescue (horizontal or near-horizontal rope operations), trench collapse, structure collapse, vehicle extrication, and heavy equipment extrication. It also has expertise in surface and swift-water rescues, along with the SRT. It is based out of Station 1, and all of the personnel at that station are members of the team. In 2004, the team began collaborating with Chesterfield County on regional response, and is now part of the Central Virginia Technical Rescue Team with Richmond, Hanover, and Chesterfield. The team also participates with FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Virginia Task Force 2 (VATF-2) based in Virginia Beach.[36]
  • The Robotics Response Team is located at station 19 and supports the department's operations with aerial drones. All members are FAA-certified sUAS pilots.[36]
  • The Incident Support Team is located at Station 15 and responds to all major incidents and in support of other specialty teams.[36]

The department was awarded the 2024 Governor's Fire Service Award by Glenn Youngkin, who, in a press release, praised it for its work in training and regional partnerships, particularly in supporting statewide training events.[37]

EMS

[edit]

Henrico County does not charge for its ambulance services, nor do Lakeside Volunteer Rescue Squad (LVRS) or Tuckahoe Volunteer Rescue Squad (TVRS), which both help to provide medical services in the County.[38] TVRS was founded in 1953, has about 80 active members in 2 stations, and has 5 ALS ambulances, an ALS Quick Response Vehicle (QRV), and a utility truck.[39][40] LVRS was founded in 1958, has about 50 active members in one station, and operates 3 ambulances, a QRV, and an all-terrain EMS cart.[41]

In 2020, Henrico began operating some BLS ambulances, whereas before all ambulances were staffed at the ALS level. This was partially because 60% of Henrico's EMS calls only needed a BLS response.[42]

In 2023, Henrico began sending BLS ambulances to certain, whereas before all calls would receive an initial ALS response. Because the majority of Henrico Fire's EMS calls end up needing only BLS services, dispatching ALS providers to every call created burnout and incentivized some members to transfer to other firehouses to avoid this issue, decreasing unit cohesion. Thus, to fix this issue and better distribute ALS resources to where they are most needed, the department decided to reduce ALS staffingl. 6 ambulances were reduced to BLS capability and ALS shifts were reduced by about 60 per month. Training was provided to help increase BLS members' ability to take charge on calls. Additionally, now, if a call comes in with an ALS designation but a BLS ambulance is closer, the BLS ambulance will respond along with a non-transporting ALS unit.[43]

In 2023, Henrico decided to use its personnel to staff a TVRS ambulance with Henrico equipment during the peak hours of 7 am to 6 pm to better allocate resources.[43]

Fire stations and apparatus

[edit]

Reference[44]

Station Apparatus Address Image Notes
Azalea 1 Engine 301 (combination suppression and heavy rescue unit), Truck 301 (part of TRT), Medic 301 (part of TRT), Heavy Rescue 301 (TRT tractor-trailer), Fuel 301 110 Azalea Avenue, Henrico, VA 23222 Opened in 1971; all members part of TRT.
Darbytown 2 Engine 302, Medic 302, Brush 302, EMS 302, the division’s marine units, Search and Rescue Dive Team 2400 Darbytown Road, Henrico, VA 23231 One of two stations housing the SRT.[36]
Highland Springs 3 Engine 303, Medic 303, Ambulance 389, Battalion Chief 302 1310 East Washington St, Henrico, VA 23075 Opened in 2013 to replace the original on Nine Mile Road.
Varina 4 Engine 304, Medic 304, Tanker 304, Brush 304 8112 Strath Road, Henrico, VA 23231 Opened in 1964.
Lakeside 5 Engine 305, Medic 305, Battalion Chief 303 6911 Lakeside Avenue, Henrico, VA 23228
Fire Medic 305 (formerly labeled Fire Medic 5)
 Original converted in 1941 from the sanctuary of Lakeside Presbyterian Church; rebuilt twice, in 1961 and 2009.
Eastover Gardens 6 Engine 306, Truck 306, Medic 306 4600 South Laburnum Avenue, Henrico, VA 23231 Originally founded as the Williamsburg Road Auxiliary Volunteer Fire Department; later renamed to the Eastover Gardens Volunteer Fire Department; later renamed to Station 16 after the sanitation district.
Glenwood Farms 7 Engine 307, Medic 307, Air Utility 307 2701 East Laburnum Avenue, Henrico, VA 23223 Opened in 2013 directly adjacent to location of original firehouse.
Tuckahoe 8 Engine 308, Attack Pumper 308, Reserve Engine 8000 Patterson Avenue, Henrico, VA 23229 Original went into service on October 29, 1949; replaced on October 8, 2011.
Regency 9 Engine 309, Medic 309, Ambulance 388 9401 Quioccasin Road, Henrico, VA 23238 Original built in 1964; replaced in 2013.
Crestview 10 Engine 310, Truck 310, Safety 301 6313 Horsepen Road, Henrico, VA 23226 Original opened in 1962; first fire station in the county to have a truck company, named Aerial 1; rebuilt in 2016.
North Run 11 Engine 311, Medic 311 1754 Hungary Road, Henrico, VA 23228 Opened in 1964.
West End Manor 12 Engine 312, Truck 312, Medic 312, EMS 301 3803 West End Drive, Henrico, VA 23294
Originally opened in 1975; completely renovated in 2011.
Gayton 13 Engine 313, Medic 313 (part of the HIT team; HAZMAT Medic and medical standby), Rescue 313 (part of the HIT team; carries atmospheric monitoring and spill and leak control equipment) 12491 Church Road, Henrico, VA 23233
Opened in 1986; completely renovated in May 2013, where it earned LEED Gold certification; part of the HIT team.[36]
Elko 14 Engine 314, Tanker 314, Medic 314 5210 Technology Boulevard, Henrico, VA 23150 Opened in 1988; internally known as the "Elko Outpost."
Glen Allen 15 Engine 315, Tanker 315, Brush 315, Medic 315, Mass Casualty Incident Support Team, Incident Support Unit (ISU 300; consists of a bus-type vehicle, trailers pulled by a pickup, and two off-road vehicles), Special Event Trailer 3820 Mountain Road, Henrico, VA 23060 Opened in 1990; home of the Western Shelter and Incident Support Team.
Shady Grove 16 Engine 316, Medic 316, Brush 316 5381 Shady Grove Road, Henrico, VA 23059 Opened in 1993.
Mooreland Farms 17 Engine 317, SR4, SR1, other boats, Search and Rescue Dive Team 110 North Gaskins Road, Henrico, VA 23238 Opened in 1993.
Glendale 18 Engine 318, Tanker 318, Brush 318, Rescue 318 (part of the HIT team; carries atmospheric monitoring and spill and leak control equipment) 4410 Darbytown Road, Henrico, VA 23231 Opened in 2002; 10,330 sqft area; part of the HIT team.[36]
Short Pump 19 Engine 319, Medic 319, Truck 319, Robotics Response Team 12324 Kain Road, Henrico, VA 23060 Opened in spring 2018; one of two stations housing the SRT.[36]
Staples Mill 20 Engine 320, Medic 320 8521 Willis Road, Henrico, VA 23228 Opened in 2023.
Magnolia Ridge 21 Engine 321, Rescue 321 (part of the HIT team; carries atmospheric monitoring, PPE, and advanced spill and leak control equipment), District Chief 310, HazMat 1 (communication equipment, detection and monitoring equipment, and a reference library), HazMat 2 (protective clothing, changing room for 6 people, and decontamination equipment), HazMat 3 (tools, absorbents, and other necessary equipment) 1201 Virginia Center Parkway, Henrico, VA 23059 Opened in 2007; main home of the HIT team.[36]
Westerre 22 Engine 322, Truck 322, Medic 322, Battalion Chief 301 3790 Westerre Parkway, Henrico, VA 23233 Opened in 2004.
Bungalow City 23 Engine 323, Medic 323 5618 Nine Mile Road, Henrico, VA 23223 Opened February 12, 2025; construction cost of $14.5 million was funded by 2016 bond referendum; construction began in August 2023.

Economy

[edit]
An advertisement for Philip Morris, now known as Altria, which is headquartered in Henrico.

Altria Group (formerly Philip Morris) had its corporate headquarters in an unincorporated area in Henrico County.[45] In 2003 Philip Morris announced that it would move its headquarters from New York City to Virginia. The company said that it planned to keep around 750 employees in its former headquarters. Brendan McCormick, a spokesperson for Philip Morris, said that the company estimated that the move would save the company over $60 million each year.[46] This relocation was made with the help of the Henrico County Economic Development Authority and the Greater Richmond Partnership,[47] regional economic development organizations who also helped locate Aditya Birla Minacs, Alfa Laval, Genworth Financial, and Blue Bell Ice Cream to the county.

Top employers

[edit]

According to the county's 2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[48] the top employers in the county are:

# Employer # of employees Community
1 Henrico County Public Schools (Henrico County Government) 5,000–9,999
2 Capital One 5,000–9,999
3 Henrico County Government 1,000–4,999 Laurel
4 Henrico Doctors' Hospital 1,000–4,999
5 Anthem 1,000–4,999
6 Bank of America 1,000–4,999
7 Wells Fargo 1,000–4,999 Innsbrook
8 Walmart 1,000–4,999
9 United States Postal Service (The US Government) 1,000–4,999 Sandston
10 Genworth Financial 1,000–4,999
11 Kroger 1,000–4,999
12 SunTrust Banks 500–999
13 Apex Systems 500–999
14 Markel 500–999
15 Virginia Department of Social Services (Commonwealth of Virginia Government) 500–999
16 Dominion Resources 500–999
17 Verizon Virginia 500–999
18 J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College 500–999

Cost of living

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March 2012 cost of living index in Henrico County: 86.5 (less than average, U.S. average is 100)[49]

Education

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The school division known as Henrico County Public Schools consists of 45 elementary schools, 13 middle schools, 10 high schools and two technical centers within one school division. In 2001, HCPS began distributing Apple iBooks to every high school student. In 2003, they extended the program to middle schools. In 2005, the HCPS School Board decided to replace the iBooks with Dell's Inspiron 600M at the high school level. In 2006, the HCPS School Board decided to continue using Apple iBooks at the middle school level, purchasing nearly 13,000 laptops in a contract worth $15.8 million. In 2010, HCPS School Board opened a new middle school, Holman Middle School, and opened a new high school, Glen Allen High School.

Communities

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There are no existing incorporated towns, and no new municipalities can be created within the county. Henrico was the third Virginia county (after Arlington and Fairfax counties) to be affected by a state law that prohibits the creation of any new towns or cities within the boundaries of a county with a population density of 1,000 or more per square mile.[50]

Census-designated places

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Other communities

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Former towns

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Prior to 1870, the Town and later City of Richmond was located within Henrico County. Under a new Virginia state constitution in 1870, and as further clarified by the rewritten one in 1902, Richmond became an independent city.

At the end of the 19th century and in the early 20th century, several small incorporated towns were chartered by Acts of Assembly, primarily in areas of the county near to, but outside of, the city limits. As listed by the secretary of the Commonwealth, these included:

  • Barton Heights, incorporated 1896, annexed by the City of Richmond in 1914[51][52]
  • Fairmount, incorporated 1902, annexed by the City of Richmond in 1914[51]
  • Ginter Park, annexed by the City of Richmond
  • Highland Park, annexed by the City of Richmond in 1914[51]
  • North Richmond, annexed by the City of Richmond

Notable people

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Trivia

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A soybean field in eastern Henrico County, VA. Though the county is one of Virginia's largest suburban localities, parts of it also remain under cultivation.

For many years, the United States Postal Service considered most of Henrico County to be unincorporated Richmond, and the majority of locations in the county had a Richmond address. However, in 2008 county residents won the right to recognize Henrico County as the locality to which they pay the majority of their taxes. As of October 1, 2008, the primary mailing address for the majority of the county was officially changed to Henrico. It was estimated that the county would recover $5 million in misdirected tax dollars due to the address change.[53] This move has set a precedent causing many other localities in Virginia who are officially recognized by the United States Postal Service as the nearest major city to consider petitioning the United States Postal Service for their own official mailing address bearing the name of the locality to which residents actually pay their taxes.

Henrico County is the location of Richmond Raceway, which is home to NASCAR Cup Series races twice a year.

Henrico County is the county that handles hazardous material spills and related problems (with three HAZMAT Teams) for the entire Central Virginia Region. Partly because of this, Central Virginia has total interoperability of Emergency Communications (Police, Fire, Recreation and Parks, Volunteer Rescue Squads, etc.) between the cities and more than ten counties.

William Byrd II, the founder of Richmond, was born in Henrico.

Henrico County has the highest bond rating (Triple, triple-A) from the three bond rating agencies in the United States, which means Henrico is known nationwide for its solid fiscal responsibility.[54]

Henrico County residents are served by the Henrico Area Mental Health and Developmental Services, which has a CARF three-year accreditation.[55] All fees for services rendered are based on financial need, providing mental health and recovery support services to thousands who otherwise would not be able to afford this due to their own limited financial resources. Nobody is denied service due to an inability to pay.[56]

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden was founded in 1984 and has 80 acres (320,000 m2). It is one of only two independent public botanical gardens in Virginia, and designated a state botanical garden. A public place for the display and scientific study of plants, it features a glass conservatory, rose garden, healing garden, and accessible-to-all children's garden.[57]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Henrico County. "Henrico Becomes a Shire". Archived from the original on May 10, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Henrico County Public Schools. "Henrico and the Land Around Us" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 28, 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  3. ^ "Henrico County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d Henrico Historical Society. "Henrico History".
  5. ^ "See this map". Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  6. ^ Virginia Employment Commission. "Virginia Community Profile: Henrico County" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  7. ^ Henrico County. "Henricus". Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  8. ^ Henricus Historical Park. "1611 Settlement". Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  9. ^ "Henrico's Beginnings". Henrico County VA.
  10. ^ Richmond Department of IT. "Annexation History Map". Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  11. ^ "History of the USS Henrico - Henrico County, Virginia". henrico.us. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Kollatz, Harry (November 19, 2012). "Irreconcilable Differences". Retrieved November 2, 2014.
  13. ^ Adkins, Sandy. "Countdown to Jamestown #9" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  14. ^ Henrico County. "Varina Magisterial District". Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  15. ^ Virginia (1878). Acts Passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia. pp. 436–442.
  16. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  17. ^ "Climatological Information for Tuckahoe, Virginia", USA.com, 2003. Web: [1].
  18. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  19. ^ "Census of Population and Housing from 1790". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  20. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  21. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  22. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  23. ^ U.S. Census Bureau. "Henrico County Quickfacts". Archived from the original on June 7, 2011.
  24. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Henrico County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
  25. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Henrico County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
  26. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  27. ^ "ACS DEMOGRAPHIC AND HOUSING ESTIMATES". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  28. ^ "Henrico County, VA - Henrico County, Virginia - Ancestry & family history - ePodunk". www.epodunk.com. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  29. ^ "QuickFacts Henrico County". US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  30. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  31. ^ "Best & Worst: Game Changers". Richmond Magazine. August 21, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  32. ^ "Election Results". enr.elections.virginia.gov. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  33. ^ a b "History of the Henrico Sheriff's Office". Henrico County, Virginia. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  34. ^ a b "Police - About Us". Henrico County, Virginia. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  35. ^ "Fire - Henrico County, Virginia". henrico.us.
  36. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Specialty Teams - Henrico County, Virginia". henrico.gov. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  37. ^ "Henrico Division of Fire earns 2024 Governor's Fire Service Award". Henrico Citizen. February 22, 2025. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
  38. ^ "FAQ | Tuckahoe Volunteer Rescue Squad". tuckahoerescue.org. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  39. ^ "History | Tuckahoe Volunteer Rescue Squad". tuckahoerescue.org. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  40. ^ "Operations | Tuckahoe Volunteer Rescue Squad". tuckahoerescue.org. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  41. ^ "About Us". Lakeside Volunteer Rescue Squad. April 4, 2020. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  42. ^ Henrico County VA (March 16, 2020), BLS Ambulances, retrieved March 30, 2025
  43. ^ a b "Henrico Fire to begin staffing Tuckahoe Volunteer Rescue Squad station". Henrico Citizen. October 12, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  44. ^ "Fire Stations - Henrico County, Virginia". henrico.gov. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  45. ^ "Contact Us Archived 2009-10-11 at the Wayback Machine." Altria Group. Retrieved on October 19, 2009.
  46. ^ "Philip Morris to Move Headquarters from New York City to Richmond, Va.." New York Daily News. March 5, 2003. Retrieved on October 19, 2009.
  47. ^ Lyne, Jack. "Philip Morris Relocating NYC Headquarters to Native Virginia Area". Site Selection. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  48. ^ "County of Henrico CAFR" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  49. ^ "Henrico County, Virginia (VA)". City-Data.com. Onboard Informatics. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  50. ^ "Code of Virginia § 58.1–3260". Commonwealth of Virginia. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  51. ^ a b c "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 25, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  52. ^ "--Richmond: A Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary". www.nps.gov. Archived from the original on September 24, 2008. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  53. ^ "Henrico Virginia". Retrieved May 29, 2008.
  54. ^ "Henrico Finance Department, Accounting Division". Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  55. ^ "CARF". Henrico County. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  56. ^ "Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services". Archived from the original on March 18, 2011. Retrieved March 7, 2011.
  57. ^ "Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Factsheet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 12, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
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