Gassaway, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gassaway, West Virginia
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Elk Street (West Virginia Route 4) in downtown Gassaway in 2007
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Location of Gassaway in Braxton County, West Virginia.
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| 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)
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| • Total | 769 | |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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755 | |
| • Density | 732.47/sq mi (282.77/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
26624
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| Area code(s) | 304 | |
| FIPS code | 54-30220 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 1539355 | |
| Website | https://local.wv.gov/Gassaway/Pages/about.aspx | |
Gassaway is a small town in Braxton County, West Virginia, United States. In 2020, about 769 people lived there. The town was officially started in 1905. It was named after Henry Gassaway Davis. He was a famous politician from West Virginia. He even ran for Vice President of the United States in 1904. Gassaway is also close to the very center of West Virginia.
Contents
History of Gassaway
Gassaway began as an important spot for the Coal and Coke Railway. This railway had two main lines. One came from Charleston and the other from Elkins. Gassaway was chosen because it was in the middle. It was a perfect place to build shops for the trains. Here, trains could switch between easy, flat tracks and hilly, harder tracks.
The town was planned in 1904. Over the next ten years, many new things appeared. Hotels, a bank, stores, schools, and even a hospital were built. These helped the growing number of people living there. By 1915, a train station was finished. This station helped people travel to and from Gassaway. The Gassaway Depot is still standing today. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. This means it is a very important historical building.
Geography of Gassaway
Gassaway is located in West Virginia. It sits right next to the Elk River. The town's exact spot is 38 degrees North and 80 degrees West.
The town covers about 1.22 square miles (3.15 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 1.16 square miles (2.99 square kilometers). A small part, about 0.06 square miles (0.16 square kilometers), is water.
Climate in Gassaway
The weather in Gassaway changes with the seasons. Summers are usually hot and humid. Winters can be mild or get very cold, sometimes freezing. Gassaway has what is called a humid subtropical climate. This means it gets a good amount of rain all year. It also has warm temperatures for much of the year.
Population of Gassaway
The number of people living in Gassaway has changed over the years. Here is how the population has grown and shrunk:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 1,086 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,518 | 39.8% | |
| 1930 | 1,618 | 6.6% | |
| 1940 | 1,429 | −11.7% | |
| 1950 | 1,306 | −8.6% | |
| 1960 | 1,223 | −6.4% | |
| 1970 | 1,253 | 2.5% | |
| 1980 | 1,225 | −2.2% | |
| 1990 | 946 | −22.8% | |
| 2000 | 901 | −4.8% | |
| 2010 | 908 | 0.8% | |
| 2020 | 769 | −15.3% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 755 | −16.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
People in Gassaway (2010)
In 2010, there were 908 people living in Gassaway. They lived in 434 homes. About half of these homes were families. The town had 496 housing units in total. Most people living in Gassaway were White. A small number of people were from other racial backgrounds.
The average age of people in Gassaway was about 44.5 years old. About one-fifth of the residents were under 18. Another one-fifth were 65 or older. The town had slightly more females than males.
Notable People from Gassaway
- George Cogar, a famous computer scientist, was born in Gassaway.
- Lonnie Thompson, a scientist who studies past climates, also grew up here.
See also
In Spanish: Gassaway (Virginia Occidental) para niños
