Falling Spring, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Falling Spring, West Virginia
Renick
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Renick Farmhouse which is located south of Renick
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Location of Falling Spring in Greenbrier County, West Virginia.
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Greenbrier |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.53 sq mi (1.37 km2) |
| • Land | 0.52 sq mi (1.33 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,087 ft (636 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 171 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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168 |
| • Density | 392.23/sq mi (151.46/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
24966 (Renick)
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| Area code(s) | 304 |
| FIPS code | 54-26692 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2390175 |
Falling Spring is a small town in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. It is also known as Renick, which is the name of its post office. In 2020, the town had a population of 171 people.
Contents
History of Falling Spring
Early Settlement and Growth
Falling Spring was first settled in 1769. A man named Major William Renick moved here from Augusta County, Virginia. He settled on a large piece of land, about 1,000 acres, in the northern part of Greenbrier County. This area was about 16 miles north of Lewisburg.
A church called Spring Creek Presbyterian Church was started in 1783. Its first pastor was Rev. John McCue. The original church building was located about 2.5 miles south of Renick.
Education in the Town
A school was opened in Falling Spring in 1796. Later, in 1928, the public school system built Renick High School. This building is now used as Renick Junior High School.
Railroad and Businesses
Around 1900, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway built a train track right through the middle of town. This track followed the Greenbrier River. Because of the railroad, many new businesses started to appear. In 1901, Pitts and Colley built a big store next to the train station.
The Bank of Renick was started in 1909. Rev. J.S. Wickline was its first and only president. For a while, this bank was thought to be one of the best banks in the Greenbrier Valley area. Today, the old railroad line is a popular walking and biking path called the Greenbrier River Trail.
The Post Office Name Change
The Falling Spring post office opened in the early 1800s. In 1913, the postal service changed its name to "Renick." This was done to avoid confusion with mail going to another community named Falling Spring, Virginia. The Renick post office is still open today. It delivers mail to Falling Spring and nearby communities like Auto and Friars Hill.
Geography and Climate
Town Area
Falling Spring covers a total area of about 0.53 square miles. Most of this area, about 0.52 square miles, is land. A very small part, about 0.01 square miles, is water.
Local Climate
The weather in Falling Spring has hot and humid summers. The winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is known as a humid subtropical climate. On climate maps, it is often shown as "Cfa."
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 270 | — | |
| 1920 | 263 | −2.6% | |
| 1930 | 355 | 35.0% | |
| 1940 | 388 | 9.3% | |
| 1950 | 307 | −20.9% | |
| 1960 | 265 | −13.7% | |
| 1970 | 255 | −3.8% | |
| 1980 | 240 | −5.9% | |
| 1990 | 191 | −20.4% | |
| 2000 | 209 | 9.4% | |
| 2010 | 211 | 1.0% | |
| 2020 | 171 | −19.0% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 168 | −20.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2010
According to the census from 2010, there were 211 people living in Falling Spring. These people lived in 82 households, and 61 of these were families. The town had about 406 people per square mile.
Most of the people in town were White (94.3%). A small number were African American, Native American, or from other backgrounds. About 0.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
There were 82 households in total. About 28% of these households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (61%) were married couples living together.
The average age of people in the town was 41.5 years old. About 22.7% of residents were under 18. About 11.8% were 65 years old or older. The town had slightly more females (54%) than males (46%).
See also
In Spanish: Falling Spring (Virginia Occidental) para niños
