Virginia Counties - King William County

King William County is located on the Middle Peninsula in Virginia, and includes the incorporated town of West Point. It is bordered by King and Queen County to the north and Hanover and New Kent Counties to the south. It is connected to the Hampton Roads area via Route 30, as well as the Northern Neck Peninsula via Route 360, and is easily accessible from the major east coast byways of I-95, I-295, and I-64. King William is serviced by the Richmond International Airport, located about 30 minutes away. Washington DC, the Shenandoah Mountains, and Virginia Beach are all located within a two hour drive of King William.

King William County was founded in 1702 from the Pamunkey neck section of King and Queen County. The County Courthouse was built in 1725, and is currently the oldest continually operating courthouse in the United States. It is constructed in imitation of the capitol buildings of Colonial Williamsburg, and one of the few remaining examples of this Colonial style. Old St. John's Church, constructed in 1734, is a very well preserved example of colonial architecture, with only minor structural changes to the original building. The interior furnishings have been restored to period-appropriate style, and the church serves today as a popular site for weddings and other gatherings.

Chelsea Plantation, constructed in the early 18th century, is an extremely well preserved example of Georgian architecture. Nearly five acres of lawn with extensive English Boxwood gardens, overlooking the Mattaponi River, surround the elegant manor house, which served as a staging ground for General LaFayette's groups during the Revolutionary War. In 1764, Thomas Jefferson himself attended a wedding on the grounds of Chelsea Plantation. King William is also home to many historic homes and estates spanning the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, including Elsing Green, Horn Quarter, Mount Columbia, and Burlington.

King William celebrates its proud history and local traditions with an annual Spring Festival, commemorating the "birthday" of King William County each April. Thousands of local residents gather for a day of festivities, including a community-wide picnic, live local music, community booths and vendors, children's rides, and classic car and truck shows.