Gassaway, West Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gassaway, West Virginia
Town
Elk Street (West Virginia Route 4) in downtown Gassaway in 2007
Flag
Location of Gassaway in Braxton County, West Virginia.
Country	United States
State	West Virginia
County	Braxton
Mayor	Richard Roach
Area
• Total	1.22 sq mi (3.15 km2)
• Land	1.16 sq mi (2.99 km2)
• Water	0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2)
Elevation	860 ft (262 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	769
• Estimate  (2021)	755
• Density	732.47/sq mi (282.77/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	26624
Area code(s)	304
FIPS code	54-30220
GNIS feature ID	1539355
Website	https://local.wv.gov/Gassaway/Pages/about.aspx

Gassaway is a town in Braxton County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 769 at the 2020 census. Gassaway was incorporated in 1905 and named for Henry Gassaway Davis, the Democratic Party's nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1904. The center of population of West Virginia is located approximately 7 miles (11 km) north of Gassaway.

History

The town was originally created at the ends of two divisions of the Coal and Coke Railway, one originating in Charleston and the other originating in Elkins. Because of its central location, the area was an ideal place to build shops to facilitate the transition between the relatively flat Charleston division, which could operate with standard equipment, and the more hilly Elkins division of the Coal & Coke which required heavier engines. The town was laid out in 1904, and over the next decade, businesses and infrastructure such as hotels, a bank, stores, schools, a hospital, office buildings and churches appeared to serve the growing population. By 1915, the Coal & Coke Railway Company had completed work on a depot to facilitate passenger service to the town. The Gassaway Depot still stands today and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.

Geography

Gassaway is located at 38°40′15″N 80°46′13″W / 38.67083°N 80.77028°W / 38.67083; -80.77028 (38.670712, -80.770413), along the Elk River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.22 square miles (3.16 km²), of which 1.16 square miles (3.00 km²) is land and 0.06 square miles (0.16 km²) is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to freezing winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Gassaway has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 908 people, 434 households, and 228 families living in the town. The population density was 782.8 inhabitants per square mile (302.2/km²). There were 496 housing units at an average density of 427.6 per square mile (165.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.6% White, 0.1% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.1% of the population.

There were 434 households, of which 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.5% were non-families. 41.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.84.

The median age in the town was 44.5 years. 19.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.3% were from 25 to 44; 28.1% were from 45 to 64; and 21.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.

Notable person

• George Cogar, computer scientist; born in Gassaway
• Lonnie Thompson, paleoclimatologist; born in Gassaway

See also

In Spanish: Gassaway (Virginia Occidental) para niños