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Keyser, West Virginia

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Keyser, West Virginia
City
Downtown Keyser in January 2014
Downtown Keyser in January 2014
Location of Keyser, West Virginia
Location of Keyser, West Virginia
CountryUnited States
StateWest Virginia
CountyMineral
Settled1852
Area
[1]
 • Total1.92 sq mi (4.97 km2)
 • Land1.92 sq mi (4.97 km2)
 • Water0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation
807 ft (246 m)
Population
 (2010)[2]
 • Total5,439
 • Estimate 
(2012[3])
5,337
 • Density2,832.8/sq mi (1,093.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
26726
Area code304
FIPS code54-43492[4]
GNIS feature ID1541180[5]

Keyser (/ˈkaɪ.zər/) is a city in and the county seat of Mineral County,[6] West Virginia, United States. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,439 at the 2010 census.

History

Welcome sign in January 2014

Keyser was originally called Paddy Town after Patrick McCarty, son of one of the original settlers. With the coming of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1852, the destiny of the area changed from a quiet rural community to a thriving industrial center. The name was changed to New Creek Station and then to New Creek. In 1861 the Civil War came rumbling through the valley. Fort Fuller was built on the present site of Potomac State College, and Fort Piano entrenchments were established on New Creek Mountain. Because of the importance of the railroad, the town changed hands 14 times.

When West Virginia became a state in 1863, there was some contention between Piedmont and New Creek over the location of the county seat. As an inducement to have the county seat located in New Creek, the Davis brothers donated land for the courthouse in 1867.

In 1874, the town was incorporated as Keyser after William Keyser, vice president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

The Thomas R. Carskadon House and Mineral County Courthouse are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[7]

Education

The old Keyser High School in January 2014

Keyser is the home of the Potomac State College of West Virginia University, a junior college that serves primarily as a feeder college to WVU's main campus in Morgantown.

File:Keyser - Elementary School.jpg
Primary School in Fall 2015

Keyser's public schools are part of the Mineral County school system. The schools in Keyser include Fountain Primary School, which covers Pre-Kindergarten through Fourth Grade; Keyser Middle School, which covers sixth through Eighth Grade; Keyser High School, which covers Ninth through Twelfth Grades; Mineral County Alternative School; and the Mineral County Tech Center, a vocational school. The mascot of Keyser High is the "Golden Tornado."

A new Keyser Primary School is scheduled to open on January 8, 2014.[citation needed] The new facility is located just north and adjacent to the campus that previously housed both the primary and middle Schools for the Keyser area. Once the old facility is vacated by the Keyser Primary School, it will remain in use by the Keyser Middle School.[citation needed]

File:Keyser Middle School.jpg
Middle School in Fall 2015

Media

The city and surrounding county are served by a daily newspaper, the Mineral Daily News-Tribune.

Geography

Keyser is located at 39°26′20″N 78°58′58″W / 39.43889°N 78.98278°W / 39.43889; -78.98278 (39.438851, -78.982663),[8] just east of the point where the Allegheny Front crosses the Potomac River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.92 square miles (4.97 km2), all land.[1]

Geology

The type locality of the Silurian/Devonian Keyser Formation, a limestone, is located in a quarry and roadcut east of the town.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18801,693—
18902,16527.9%
19002,56318.4%
19103,70544.6%
19206,00362.0%
19306,2484.1%
19406,177−1.1%
19506,3472.8%
19606,192−2.4%
19706,5866.4%
19806,569−0.3%
19905,870−10.6%
20005,303−9.7%
20105,4392.6%
2014 (est.)5,264[9]−3.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 5,439 people, 2,224 households, and 1,253 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,832.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,093.8/km2). There were 2,525 housing units at an average density of 1,315.1 per square mile (507.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 88.4% White, 8.6% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 2,224 households of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.7% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.88.

The median age in the city was 36.1 years. 19.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 19% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.8% were from 25 to 44; 24.7% were from 45 to 64; and 17.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

2000 census

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 5,303 people, 2,241 households, and 1,333 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,791.7 people per square mile (1,077.6/km²). There were 2,542 housing units at an average density of 1,338.2 per square mile (516.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.55% Euro American, 7.07% Black, 0.23% Brown, 0.40% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population.

There were 2,241 households out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.5% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the city the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 13.5% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $23,718, and the median income for a family was $32,708. Males had a median income of $29,034 versus $20,818 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,813. About 16.3% of families and 18.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.2% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.

Keyser is mentioned in the BBC television mini series The State Within (Season 1, Episode 1). British Ambassador Mark Brydon just landed from a round trip to the U.K. where he was told he will be nominated to a new position in the British Government. En route to the embassy, a plane that just departed explodes above the highway, killing all the passengers and a few people on the highway. Rapidly, the Secret Services pinpoint that it is a terrorist bombing and that the terrorist was of British nationality. British SAS are shown on a raid, the screen clearly labels the location "Keyser, West Virginia." One of their members is killed in a shoot out and dumped in a nearby stream located in the fictitious "Fairmont County, West Virginia." [11]

Notable people

References

  1. ^ a b "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
  2. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
  3. ^ "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
  4. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  7. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  8. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  9. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  10. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. ^ "The State Within - Episodes". BBC.
  12. ^ William Armstrong at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on November 18, 2015.
  13. ^ Hale, Dorothy J. (9 February 2009). The Novel: An Anthology of Criticism and Theory 1900-2000. John Wiley & Sons. p. 511. ISBN 978-1-4051-5107-8.
  14. ^ Abrams, Nancy (September 10, 1989). "Frank Lovece Makes a Living Writing About TV". The Dominion Post. Morgantown, West Virginia. Archived from the original on July 5, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
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