Mason County, West Virginia
| Mason County, West Virginia | |
 Location in the state of West Virginia |
|
 West Virginia's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | 1804 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Point Pleasant |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
445 sq mi (1,153 km²) 432 sq mi (1,119 km²) 13 sq mi (34 km²), 2.91% |
| Population - (2010) - Density |
27,324 |
| Website | www.masoncounty.wv.gov |
Mason County, founded in 1804,[1] is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Before the Civil War, the county was located in the State of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 27,324.[2] Its county seat is Point Pleasant.[3] The county was named for George Mason[4] (1725–1792), one of the principal architects of the 1776 Virginia Constitution and known as "Father of the Bill of Rights".
Mason County is part of the Point Pleasant, WV-OH Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents |
Geography [edit]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 445 square miles (1,152 km²), of which 432 square miles (1,118 km²) is land and 13 square miles (34 km²) (2.91%) is water.
Major highways [edit]
U.S. Highway 35
West Virginia Route 2
West Virginia Route 62
West Virginia Route 87
West Virginia Route 817
Adjacent counties [edit]
- Meigs County, Ohio (north)
- Jackson County (east)
- Putnam County (southeast)
- Cabell County (southwest)
- Gallia County, Ohio (west)
National protected area [edit]
Demographics [edit]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1810 | 1,991 |
|
|
| 1820 | 4,868 | 144.5% | |
| 1830 | 6,534 | 34.2% | |
| 1840 | 6,777 | 3.7% | |
| 1850 | 7,539 | 11.2% | |
| 1860 | 9,173 | 21.7% | |
| 1870 | 15,978 | 74.2% | |
| 1880 | 22,293 | 39.5% | |
| 1890 | 22,863 | 2.6% | |
| 1900 | 24,142 | 5.6% | |
| 1910 | 23,019 | −4.7% | |
| 1920 | 21,459 | −6.8% | |
| 1930 | 20,788 | −3.1% | |
| 1940 | 22,270 | 7.1% | |
| 1950 | 23,537 | 5.7% | |
| 1960 | 24,459 | 3.9% | |
| 1970 | 24,306 | −0.6% | |
| 1980 | 27,045 | 11.3% | |
| 1990 | 25,178 | −6.9% | |
| 2000 | 25,957 | 3.1% | |
| 2010 | 27,324 | 5.3% | |
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 25,957 people, 10,587 households, and 7,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 60 people per square mile (23/km²). There were 12,056 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile (11/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.37% White, 0.50% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.47% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 10,587 households out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.60% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.50% were non-families. 25.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.70% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 26.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $27,134, and the median income for a family was $32,953. Males had a median income of $32,382 versus $17,074 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,804. About 16.60% of families and 19.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.30% of those under age 18 and 14.50% of those age 65 or over.
Communities [edit]
Incorporated cities and towns [edit]
- Hartford City (Town)
- Henderson (Town)
- Leon (Town)
- Mason (Town)
- New Haven (Town)
- Point Pleasant (City)
Unincorporated communities [edit]
Schools [edit]
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. (May 2013) |
There are 3 junior/senior high schools, 7 elementary schools and 1 primary school in Mason County.
- Point Pleasant Primary School
- Ashton Elemenrary School
- Beale Elementary School
- Leon Elementary School
- Mason Elementary School
- Point Pleasant Intermediate School
- Roosevelt Elementary School
- Hannan Junior/Senior High School
- Point Pleasant Junior/Senior High School
- Wahama Junior/Senior High School
- New Haven Elementary School
The superintendent of Mason County schools is Suzanne Dickens.
Mason County Fair [edit]
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This article does not cite any references or sources. (May 2013) |
The Mason County Fair, held at the Mason County Fair Grounds in Point Pleasant, is the largest county fair in West Virginia (in terms of attendance). It is held every year during the first week of August.
Mason County Fair Queens
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1963 - Linda Lathey |
1980 - Dee Ann Pickens |
1996 - Jennifer Nichole "Nicki" Huffman |
See also [edit]
- Chief Cornstalk Wildlife Management Area
- County (United States)
- Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area
- Kanawha River
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Mason County, West Virginia
- Ohio River
- Tu-Endie-Wei State Park
References [edit]
- ^ http://www.wvculture.org/history/wvcounties.html
- ^ United States Census Bureau-Mason County, West Virginia
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Jeff Miller (2007-11-20). "Origins of West Virginia Place Names". Jeff Miller. Retrieved 2008-08-23.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
External links [edit]
- Mason County Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Mason County Area Chamber of Commerce
- City of Point Pleasant
- Point Pleasant Internet Directory
- The Point Pleasant Register
- Mason County Fair
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Meigs County, Ohio | |
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| Gallia County, Ohio |  |
Jackson County | ||
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| Cabell County | Putnam County |
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