Fayette County, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fayette County
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Fayette County courthouse in Fayetteville
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Location within the U.S. state of West Virginia
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West Virginia's location within the U.S. |
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Country | United States |
State | West Virginia |
Founded | February 28, 1831 |
Named for | Marquis de la Fayette |
Seat | Fayetteville |
Largest city | Oak Hill |
Area | |
• Total | 668 sq mi (1,730 km2) |
• Land | 662 sq mi (1,710 km2) |
• Water | 6.8 sq mi (18 km2) 1.0%% |
Population
(2010)
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• Total | 46,039 |
• Estimate
(2019)
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42,406 |
• Density | 68.92/sq mi (26.610/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
Congressional district | 3rd |
Fayette County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 46,039. Its county seat is Fayetteville. It is part of the Beckley, WV Metropolitan Statistical Area in Southern West Virginia.
Contents
History
Fayette County was created by Act of the Virginia General Assembly, passed February 28, 1831, from parts of Greenbrier, Kanawha, Nicholas, and Logan counties. It was named in honor of the Marquis de la Fayette, who had played a key role assisting the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Virginia previously had a Fayette County, which was lost to form the new state of Kentucky. Accordingly, in the State records of Virginia, there will be listings for Fayette County from 1780–1792 and Fayette County from 1831-1863. Neither location is still located in Virginia and despite naming a county after him twice, Virginia no longer has a county named for the Marquis de la Fayette.
A substantial portion was subdivided from Fayette County to form Raleigh County in 1850. Fayette was one of 50 counties that broke off from the rest of Virginia and formed the new state of West Virginia during the American Civil War. In 1871, an Act of the West Virginia Legislature severed a small portion to form part of Summers County.
Fayette County was home to a disastrous mine explosion at Red Ash in March 1900, in which 46 miners were killed.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 668 square miles (1,730 km2), of which 662 square miles (1,710 km2) is land and 6.8 square miles (18 km2) (1.0%) is water. Plum Orchard Lake, a reservoir southwest of Oak Hill, is the second largest lake in West Virginia.
Major highways
- Interstate 64
- Interstate 77
- U.S. Route 19
- U.S. Route 60
- West Virginia Route 16
- West Virginia Route 39
- West Virginia Route 41
- West Virginia Route 61
- West Virginia Route 612
Adjacent counties
- Nicholas County (north)
- Greenbrier County (east)
- Summers County (southeast)
- Raleigh County (south)
- Kanawha County (west)
National protected areas
Demographics
Historical population | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1840 | 3,924 | — | |
1850 | 3,955 | 0.8% | |
1860 | 5,997 | 51.6% | |
1870 | 6,647 | 10.8% | |
1880 | 11,560 | 73.9% | |
1890 | 20,542 | 77.7% | |
1900 | 31,987 | 55.7% | |
1910 | 51,903 | 62.3% | |
1920 | 60,377 | 16.3% | |
1930 | 72,050 | 19.3% | |
1940 | 80,628 | 11.9% | |
1950 | 82,443 | 2.3% | |
1960 | 61,731 | −25.1% | |
1970 | 49,332 | −20.1% | |
1980 | 57,863 | 17.3% | |
1990 | 47,952 | −17.1% | |
2000 | 47,579 | −0.8% | |
2010 | 46,039 | −3.2% | |
2019 (est.) | 42,406 | −7.9% | |
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2019 |
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 46,039 people, 18,813 households, and 12,459 families living in the county. The population density was 69.6 inhabitants per square mile (26.9/km2). There were 21,618 housing units at an average density of 32.7 per square mile (12.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.5% white, 4.6% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 16.9% were German, 15.5% were Irish, 10.8% were English, and 9.5% were American.
Of the 18,813 households, 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.8% were non-families, and 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.87. The median age was 43.0 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,912 and the median income for a family was $42,077. Males had a median income of $39,301 versus $24,874 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,082. About 16.4% of families and 21.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.9% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
- Montgomery (part)
- Mount Hope
- Oak Hill
- Smithers (part)
Towns
- Ansted
- Fayetteville (county seat)
- Gauley Bridge
- Meadow Bridge
- Town of Pax
- Thurmond
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
- Agnew
- Alloy
- Alta
- Beckwith
- Boonesborough
- Brooklyn
- Brown
- Cannelton
- Carlisle
- Chimney Corner
- Clifftop
- Columbia
- Corliss
- Cunard
- Danese
- Dempsey
- Dothan
- Eagle
- Edmond
- Elkridge
- Fayette
- Greenstown
- Hamilton
- Harvey
- Hilton Village
- Hopewell
- Jodie
- Kanawha Falls
- Kingston
- Landisburg
- Lansing
- Layland
- Lochgelly
- Lookout
- McDunn
- Mahan
- Marvel
- Maywood
- Montgomery Heights
- Mossy
- Nallen
- North Page
- Nuttall
- Nuttalburg
- Oak Ridge
- Pine Grove
- Ramsey
- Red Star
- Robson
- Russellville
- Sanger
- Smithers
- Toney Creek
- Victor
- Whipple
- Winona
- Wriston
Economy
The county has a tradition of coal mining, which still serves as a primary source of employment in the area. A Georgia Pacific lumber mill has its home to the west of Mt. Hope, adjacent to U.S. Route 19. There exists a large metal alloy plant in Alloy. The Mount Olive Correctional Complex, West Virginia's only maximum security state prison, is also located in Fayette County. The economy has shifted significantly in recent years, with a large amount of money being spent in outdoor recreation and tourism.
Notable people
- George Cafego, All-American football player at University of Tennessee, first player selected in the 1940 NFL Draft
- DJ Cheese, first DMC World DJ Champion (1986)
- Walt Craddock, former professional baseball player
- Bob Elkins, character actor
- Randy Gilkey, singer, songwriter, and music producer
- Tunney Hunsaker, professional boxer and former police chief
- Julia Neale Jackson, mother of Stonewall Jackson
- Harley M. Kilgore, former member of the United States Senate
- Jason Kincaid, professional wrestler, former NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion
- John McClung, musician and performer of old-time music
- Charlie McCoy, musician and singer
- MacGillivray Milne, former governor of America Samoa
- Tom Pridemore, former safety from Ansted, West Virginia who played eight seasons in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons and served one term as a legislator
- Timothy Truman, writer, artist, musician
- Lonnie Warwick, professional football player
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Fayette (Virginia Occidental) para niños