Upshur County, West Virginia

Upshur County, West Virginia
Location in the state of West Virginia
West Virginia's location in the U.S.
Founded	1851
Seat	Buckhannon
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	355 sq mi (919 km²) 355 sq mi (919 km²) 0 sq mi (0 km²), 0.03%
Population  - (2000)  - Density	23,404 65/sq mi (25/km²)
Website	www.upshurcounty.org/

Upshur County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 24,254. [1]. Its county seat is the City of Buckhannon. Upshur County was formed in 1851 from Randolph, Barbour, and Lewis Counties and named for Abel Parker Upshur, a distinguished statesman and jurist of Virginia. Upshur served as United States Secretary of State and Secretary of the Navy under President John Tyler.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 355 square miles (919 km²), of which 355 square miles (919 km²) is land and 0 square miles (0 km²) (0.03%) is water. The county falls within the United States National Radio Quiet Zone.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 33
• U.S. Highway 119
• West Virginia Route 4
• West Virginia Route 20

Magisterial districts

Upshur County's six districts were formed on July 31, 1863:

• Banks District, named for Nathaniel Prentiss Banks.
• Buckhannon District, named for the county seat, the City of Buckhannon.
• Meade District, named for General George Gordon Meade.
• Union District, named for military soldiers serving the Union cause.
• Warren District, named for Gouverneur Kemble Warren.
• Washington District, named for President George Washington.

Adjacent counties

• Harrison County (north)
• Barbour County (northeast)
• Randolph County (southeast)
• Webster County (south)
• Lewis County (west)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	7,292		—
1870	8,023		10.0%
1880	10,249		27.7%
1890	12,714		24.1%
1900	14,696		15.6%
1910	16,629		13.2%
1920	17,851		7.3%
1930	17,944		0.5%
1940	18,360		2.3%
1950	19,242		4.8%
1960	18,292		−4.9%
1970	19,092		4.4%
1980	23,427		22.7%
1990	22,867		−2.4%
2000	23,404		2.3%

The Upshur County Courthouse, designed by architect Harrison Albright,^{[citation needed]} pictured in Buckhannon in 2006

As of the census of 2000, there were 23,404 people, 8,972 households, and 6,352 families residing in the county. The population density was 66 people per square mile (25/km²). There were 10,751 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile (12/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.19% White, 0.62% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 0.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,972 households out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out with 22.60% under the age of 18, 12.60% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $26,973, and the median income for a family was $32,399. Males had a median income of $29,020 versus $18,087 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,559. About 16.00% of families and 20.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.30% of those under age 18 and 10.50% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Economy includes coal mining and timber, as well as higher education - the Upshur County seat of Buckhannon is home to the small, private, liberal arts institution West Virginia Wesleyan College. The West Virginia State Wildlife Center in French Creek also generates some income as a popular tourist attraction. Upshur County also unintentionally gained some international notoriety during the Sago Mine disaster coal mine explosion on January 2, 2006, in the Sago Mine in Sago, near the Upshur County seat of Buckhannon. The blast and ensuing aftermath trapped 13 miners for nearly two days, only one of whom survived. It was the worst mining disaster in the US since a 2001 disaster in Alabama killed 13 people, and the worst disaster in West Virginia since a 1968 incident that killed 78 people.

Cities and towns

Incorporated communities

• City of Buckhannon

Unincorporated communities

Abbott Adrian Alexander Alton Arlington Atlas Beans Mill Canaan Carter Craddock Daysville Deanville Eden Ellamore Evergreen Excelsior Five Forks

Freeman French Creek Frenchton Gaines Gale Goodwin Gormley Goshen Gould Hampton Heavener Grove Hemlock Hinkleville Hodgesville Holly Grove Hoover Town Imperial

Ingo Ivy Kanawha Head Kedron Kesling Mill Lorentz McCuetown Midvale Nebo Newlonton Overhill Palace Valley Post Mill Queens Red Rock Reger Rock Cave

Rocky Ford Ruraldale Sago Sand Run Selbyville Shahan South Buckhannon Swamp Run Tallmansville Tenmile Tennerton Teter Vegan White Oak Wilsontown Yokum Zion

Notable natives

• Professor Maurice Brooks (1900–1993), noted biologist, naturalist and educator; born in, and long-time resident of, French Creek
• Jayne Anne Phillips, (b. July 1952), novelist and short story writer, born in Buckhannon

• Stephen Coonts (born July 19 , 1946) novelist. American thriller and suspense novelist; born and grew up in Buckhannon

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Upshur County, West Virginia
• Sago Mine disaster
• West Virginia Wesleyan College
• West Virginia State Wildlife Center

Some tourist attractions

Strawberry festival West Virginia's largest Yard sale

External links

• Buckhannon-Upshur Chamber of Commerce
• Upshur County Board of Education
• Upshur County Development Authority
• Upshur County Public Library
• Upshur County Historical Society
• The Record Delta newspaper
• West Virginia Strawberry Festival
• Upshur County WVGenWeb