Centerville, Tyler County, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Centerville, West Virginia
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Country | United States |
State | West Virginia |
County | Tyler |
Elevation | 764 ft (233 m) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
ZIP code |
26320
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Area code(s) | 304 & 681 |
GNIS feature ID | 1554098 |
Centerville (also known as Alma) is a small place in Tyler County, West Virginia, United States. It's called an unincorporated community. This means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government.
Centerville is located along West Virginia Route 18. It is about 5.4 miles (8.7 km) southeast of Middlebourne. Centerville has a post office with the ZIP code 26320. The post office uses the name Alma.
History of Centerville
The Centerville and Alma area is special because three streams meet there. These streams are McElroy Creek, Wheeler Run, and Conaway Run. They all flow into Middle Island Creek very close to each other.
The first known settler in this area was John McElroy. He gave his name to McElroy Creek. Early pioneers like him faced many challenges when settling new lands. By the late 1790s, more people began to settle in the area.
William Underwood (1780-1866) and his family moved to the area on March 23, 1812. He was given 2,000 acres of land along McElroy Creek. He was also appointed as a "constable" for the McElroy District. A constable is like a local police officer. In the same year, he became a Captain in the Virginia militia. A militia was a group of citizens who could be called upon to serve as soldiers in emergencies.
William Underwood also served as a "Justice of the Peace" for 37 years. A Justice of the Peace is a local official who handles small legal matters and performs duties like marriages. In April 1840, a famous person named John Brown visited "Squire" Underwood. John Brown later became well-known for his actions against slavery. He was in the area looking at land and properties.
See also
In Spanish: Centerville (condado de Tyler) para niños