Despard, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Despard, West Virginia
|
|
|---|---|
Location of Despard, West Virginia
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Harrison |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.5 sq mi (3.8 km2) |
| • Land | 1.5 sq mi (3.8 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,043 ft (318 m) |
| Population
(2010)
|
|
| • Total | 1,004 |
| • Density | 669/sq mi (264/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 304 |
| FIPS code | 54-21316 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1554296 |
Despard is a small community in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States. It's known as a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's an area identified by the government for collecting population data. In 2010, about 1,004 people lived there.
Back in the early 1900s, Despard was home to a very large factory called the Jackson Sheet and Tin Plate Company. After 1905, it became known as the Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate Company, or simply the "Tin Plate Mill." This factory was the biggest manufacturing business in north-central West Virginia at the time.
Contents
History of Despard
In July 1901, a company called the Jackson Sheet and Tin Plate Company was started. It had a lot of money, $300,000, and was created by several business people from Cleveland, Columbus, and Clarksburg.
This company was later sold to two partners from Pittsburgh, James R. Phillips and Ernest T. Weir. They changed the name to Phillips Sheet & Tinplate Co. After a short time, Ernest T. Weir took charge of the company. This tin mill eventually became the first part of what is now the famous Weirton Steel Company.
Summit Park and the Tin Plate Mill
There was an area in Despard called Summit Park. People also called it Greektown or, more often, Tinplate or Tin Plate. This was a community where many immigrants, especially from Greece and other countries, came to live. They were recruited to work at the Weirton Steel Mill, making tin products.
The Weirton Steel Mill closed its doors in October 1936. After that, other factories moved into the buildings and continued to use them for manufacturing.
Geography of Despard
Despard is located in West Virginia at specific coordinates: 39°16′57″N 80°18′48″W / 39.282369°N 80.313338°W.
The United States Census Bureau says that Despard covers a total area of about 1.5 square miles (3.8 square kilometers). All of this area is land, meaning there are no large lakes or rivers within its boundaries.
People of Despard
Based on the census from 2000, there were 1,039 people living in Despard. These people lived in 392 different homes, and 286 of those were families.
Population Details
- The community had about 707 people per square mile (273 people per square kilometer).
- There were 431 housing units, which are places where people can live.
- Most of the people in Despard were White (96.73%).
- A smaller number were African American (2.31%) or from other backgrounds.
- About 0.29% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Households and Families
- Out of the 392 homes, about 32.7% had children under 18 living there.
- More than half (52.3%) were married couples living together.
- About 13.8% of homes had a female head of the household without a husband.
- About 27.0% were non-family households, meaning people living alone or with roommates.
- Around 25.3% of all homes were made up of just one person.
- About 11.0% of homes had someone aged 65 or older living alone.
- The average home had about 2.65 people, and the average family had about 3.14 people.
Age Distribution
The population in Despard was spread out by age:
- 26.3% were under 18 years old.
- 7.5% were between 18 and 24 years old.
- 29.5% were between 25 and 44 years old.
- 23.1% were between 45 and 64 years old.
- 13.7% were 65 years old or older.
The average age in Despard was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were about 92.8 males.
See also
In Spanish: Despard (Virginia Occidental) para niños
