Buckhannon, West Virginia Facts for Kids

Buckhannon is a city in West Virginia, United States. It is the only city in Upshur County and is also its county seat (the main town for county government). The city is located along the Buckhannon River.

In 2020, about 5,299 people lived in Buckhannon. The city is known for being home to West Virginia Wesleyan College. It also hosts the West Virginia Strawberry Festival every year in May.

History of Buckhannon

Early Settlers and Founding

The story of Upshur County began with the settlement of the Buckhannon River Valley. In 1761, two English soldiers, Samuel and John Pringle, left their post at Fort Pitt (which is now Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). They traveled south along the Monongahela and Tygart Valley rivers. They then went up what is now called the Buckhannon River.

In 1764, they arrived in the area that is now Upshur County. They lived for three years inside a huge hollow American sycamore tree. They survived by hunting game and catching fish. One day, one of the brothers left to get more ammunition. He found out that the war had ended.

After he returned, they moved to other settlements. John later went to Kentucky. Samuel, however, came back to the river valley with his wife, Charity Pringle, her brother, and some friends. One of these friends was John Jackson, whose grandson was Stonewall Jackson.

The City of Buckhannon was officially created on January 15, 1816. It was named after the river. Some people believe both were named after an early missionary named John Buchannon. The city was given its official charter by the Virginia General Assembly in 1852.

Buckhannon During the Civil War

Buckhannon was part of Virginia until June 20, 1863. On that date, West Virginia became a separate state during the American Civil War. Because Buckhannon was located near the center of the new state, it was considered a possible capital city. In 1866, lawmakers thought about making Buckhannon the capital. However, they decided the river was not wide enough for the amount of trade they wanted.

Courthouse and City Development

The first courthouse in Buckhannon was built in 1854. This building was very important. It also served as an opera house and the town hall. In 1891, electricity was installed in the building, replacing the old oil lamps. However, the building caught fire within six months of getting electricity. It was torn down in 1898.

A new courthouse was started in 1899 and finished in 1901. It was designed in a style called Classical Revival. This building is still used today. A new part was added in 1995, matching the same style. Inside the main building's cornerstone, there is a time capsule. It is filled with items from the late 1800s.

Sago Mine Disaster

On January 2, 2006, a tragic event happened near Buckhannon. This was the Sago Mine Disaster. An explosion in a coal mine killed 12 miners, but one miner survived. Officials believed that a lightning strike caused the explosion. This event was widely covered by news teams from all over the country and the world. They stayed in the area for several days to report on the rescue and recovery efforts.

Geography and Climate

Location of Buckhannon

Buckhannon is located in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. The city covers an area of about 2.83 square miles (7.33 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Buckhannon's Climate

The climate in Buckhannon has mild differences between its high and low temperatures. There is also enough rainfall throughout the year. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Buckhannon has a marine west coast climate. This type of climate is often shown as "Cfb" on climate maps.

Population and People

Buckhannon's Population Over Time

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	427	—
1870	475	11.2%
1880	761	60.2%
1890	1,403	84.4%
1900	1,589	13.3%
1910	2,225	40.0%
1920	3,785	70.1%
1930	4,374	15.6%
1940	4,450	1.7%
1950	6,016	35.2%
1960	6,386	6.2%
1970	7,261	13.7%
1980	6,820	−6.1%
1990	5,909	−13.4%
2000	5,725	−3.1%
2010	5,639	−1.5%
2020	5,299	−6.0%
2021 (est.)	5,265	−6.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2020, the census showed that 5,186 people lived in Buckhannon. There were 2,084 households in the city. Most of the people living in Buckhannon were White (90%). About 3.2% were African American, and 1% were Asian American. About 2.6% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in the city was 37.8 years. About 14.5% of the city's population was under 18 years old.

Education in Buckhannon

West Virginia Wesleyan College

The public schools in Buckhannon are managed by Upshur County Schools. Buckhannon is also home to West Virginia Wesleyan College. This is a private college that offers a wide range of subjects.

High Schools

Buckhannon-Upshur High School
Fred W. Eberle Technical Center

Middle Schools

Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School

Elementary Schools

Buckhannon Academy Elementary School
French Creek Elementary School
Hodgesville Elementary School
Rock Cave Elementary School
Tennerton Elementary School
Union Elementary School
Washington District Elementary School

Media Outlets

Buckhannon has several local radio and television stations. Some of these stations can reach nearby towns like Weston, WV, Elkins, WV, and Morgantown, WV.

Radio Stations

WBRB 101.3 FM
WFBY 93.5 FM
WBUC 1460 AM
WVPW 88.9 FM
WVWC 92.1 FM

Local Television and Newspaper

Buckhannon also has a local cable television station, Channel 3. This channel is available to Suddenlink cable users. It shows a community bulletin board with local ads and events. It also features religious and family-friendly programs. The main newspaper in Buckhannon is the Record Delta.

Notable People from Buckhannon

Many interesting people have come from Buckhannon, including:

Kyle Andrews, a jazz drummer
Stephen Coonts, a writer of thriller novels
Scott Munson Cutlip, a pioneer in public relations education
Charley Harper, an American Modernist artist
Weijia Jiang, a White House correspondent for CBS News
Jean Lee Latham, an American writer
Pare Lorentz, a famous documentary filmmaker
Irene McKinney, who was the Poet Laureate of West Virginia
Jayne Anne Phillips, a Pulitzer-Prize winning novelist
Kimberly A. Reed, former Chairman of the Export–Import Bank of the United States
Chris Wallace, a general manager for the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team

In Other Media

Buckhannon is mentioned in the song "Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon". This song is part of a song cycle by the band Chicago from their 1970 album Chicago II. The writer of the song, James Pankow, misspelled the town's name.

Buckhannon, West Virginia facts for kids

Contents