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Buffalo, West Virginia
Official seal of Buffalo, West Virginia
Seal
Location of Buffalo in Putnam County, West Virginia.
Location of Buffalo in Putnam County, West Virginia.
Country United States
State West Virginia
County Putnam
Area
 • Total 1.65 sq mi (4.26 km2)
 • Land 1.40 sq mi (3.63 km2)
 • Water 0.25 sq mi (0.64 km2)
Elevation
568 ft (173 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 1,211
 • Estimate 
(2021)
1,208
 • Density 900.00/sq mi (347.52/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
25033
Area code(s) 304
FIPS code 54-11284
GNIS feature ID 1536615

Buffalo is a town in Putnam County, West Virginia, United States. It is located along the Kanawha River. In 2020, about 1,211 people lived there. Buffalo is part of the larger Huntington–Ashland metropolitan area.

History of Buffalo

Early Inhabitants

Long ago, many different ancient cultures lived in the Kanawha River Valley, including the area where Buffalo is now. Scientists have found Clovis points here. These are special stone tools that show people lived in this area over 10,000 years ago.

One of the last groups of ancient people were the Fort Ancient people. They had villages like Buffalo and Marmet. These villages were still active when Europeans first explored the area.

Native American Tribes

Later, historic tribes lived here. The Huron tribe came from the Great Lakes region. The Conoy (also called Kanawha) tribe also lived here.

These tribes were eventually moved out of the central valley by the Iroquois. The Iroquois were a powerful group from what is now Western New York. Many Conoy people moved to the west side of the Chesapeake Bay. Later, they moved north to Pennsylvania and joined with other tribes.

How Buffalo Got Its Name

The town of Buffalo was named after the American buffalo. These large animals used to roam freely in this area a long time ago.

Geography of Buffalo

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The United States Census Bureau says the town covers about 1.65 square miles (4.26 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 1.40 square miles (3.63 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.25 square miles (0.64 square kilometers), is water.

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop.
1860 268
1870 321 19.8%
1880 351 9.3%
1890 238 −32.2%
1900 364 52.9%
1910 384 5.5%
1920 300 −21.9%
1930 316 5.3%
1940 338 7.0%
1950 333 −1.5%
1960 396 18.9%
1970 831 109.8%
1980 1,034 24.4%
1990 969 −6.3%
2000 1,171 20.8%
2010 1,236 5.6%
2020 1,211 −2.0%
2021 (est.) 1,208 −2.3%
Source:

2010 Census Information

In 2010, there were 1,236 people living in Buffalo. They lived in 518 households, and 344 of these were families.

Most people in Buffalo were White (97.4%). A small number were African American, Native American, or Asian. Some people were also of mixed race or Hispanic or Latino.

About 28% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (51%) were married couples. About 13% of households had someone living alone who was 65 or older.

The average age in Buffalo was about 42.8 years old. About 21% of residents were under 18.

Economy of Buffalo

A very large factory, Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia, is located in Buffalo. This factory is huge, covering over one million square feet. It makes parts for cars, specifically automobile engines and transmissions.

Notable People from Buffalo

  • Virginia Mae Brown: She was an important civil servant and lawyer.
  • Kathie Hess Crouse: She is a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, which is part of the state government.
  • William Hope Harvey: He was a lawyer, author, politician, and businessman.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Buffalo (Virginia Occidental) para niños

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