Jodie, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jodie, West Virginia
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 Jodie, West Virginia
Location in West Virginia
Jodie, West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Fayette |
| Elevation | 705 ft (215 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
26690
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| Area code(s) | 304 & 681 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1554812 |
Jodie, also known as Imboden, is a small, unincorporated community in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. An unincorporated community is a place where people live together, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.
Jodie is located along the Gauley River, near where a stream called Rich Creek flows into it. It's about 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of a larger place called Gauley Bridge. Even though Jodie is in Fayette County, it uses the ZIP code 26690, which is usually for Nicholas County. Jodie used to have its own post office, but it closed on July 23, 2005.
Contents
History of Jodie, West Virginia
How Jodie Started
The first homes in Jodie were built in the late 1800s. These houses were made by companies that cut down trees for wood, also known as logging companies. They needed places for their workers to live.
Changing Names and Growth
The first post office in the community opened in 1894. At that time, the town was named Imboden. Later, in 1910, the name was changed to Jodie. This new name was a nickname for a local politician named Joseph H. Gaines, who was a congressman.
In 1912, a train company called the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway built a train station in the community. They named this station Bryce.
Jodie as a Coal Town
Around 1915, the Gauley Mountain Coal Company turned Jodie into a coal town. A coal town was a community built and owned by a coal mining company. The company used the houses that the logging companies had already built. They also built more homes to make Jodie look like it does today.
The coal company also built a store, a movie theater, and a boarding house for the people living in Jodie. A boarding house is like a hotel where people can rent a room and get meals. These buildings are no longer there.
In the mid-1940s, the houses in Jodie were sold to the people who lived in them. Less than ten years later, the local coal mines closed down. This meant that many people had to travel to other places to find jobs.
Community Life in Jodie
Jodie is home to two churches where people can gather. One is the Jodie Baptist Church, which is located near the river. The other is the Jodie Church of God, found in a part of town called "New-Town."
The community's cemetery, where people are buried, is named Rich Creek.
Every summer, Jodie holds an event called the Jodie Reunion. This special gathering welcomes both people who live in Jodie now and those who used to live there. It's a time for everyone to come together and celebrate their connection to the community.
Getting Around Jodie
Past Transportation
Years ago, Jodie was connected to West Virginia Route 39 by a ferry that crossed the Gauley River. A ferry is a boat that carries people and vehicles across a body of water.
In the early 1950s, the ferry stopped running. After that, people in Jodie had to use an old train bridge that had been changed so cars could drive on it. This bridge was originally built in 1926 by the C&O railroad.
Modern Bridge
This changed in the mid-2000s when a new bridge was finished. This modern bridge is called the C.D. Coleman Bridge. It made it much easier for residents to travel to and from Jodie.
