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Kimball, West Virginia
Kimball in 2014
Kimball in 2014
Official logo of Kimball, West Virginia
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Location of Kimball in McDowell County, West Virginia.
Location of Kimball in McDowell County, West Virginia.
Country United States
State West Virginia
County McDowell
Area
 • Total 0.25 sq mi (0.66 km2)
 • Land 0.25 sq mi (0.66 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
1,509 ft (460 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 145
 • Density 580/sq mi (219.7/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
24853
Area code(s) 304
FIPS code 54-43780
GNIS feature ID 1541195
Website https://kimball.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Kimball is a town in McDowell County, West Virginia, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 145.

Kimball was incorporated in 1911 and named for Frederick J. Kimball, a railroad official. Kimball is the site of the first war memorial building erected in memory of the African-American veterans of World War I.

History

The Kimball mining disaster took place on July 18, 1919, at the Carswell coal mine in Kimball, killing six miners. Initial reports said that 221 men had been killed, but they were trapped by the explosion. A rescue party was able to dig through the wreckage, allowing 215 to return alive to the surface.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.25 square miles (0.65 km2), all land.

The town is on the Norfolk Southern Railway (former Norfolk and Western) network.

Economics

From 2005 when it opened until its closure in 2016, a Walmart superstore was the largest employer in the town. Before a Walmart opened on the site, the building was home to a Kmart on the property. opening on March 9, 1995. At the time Kimball was the smallest city in US with a Kmart (although it served shoppers normally from the bigger town of Welch. The store closed in 2003 following a bankruptcy & mass-closures.

Kimball is home to the Five Loaves and Two Fishes foodbank, which features a hydropanel water production system which can produce 950 gallons of clean drinking water monthly.

Media

The town is served by the thrice-weekly The Welch News out of the nearby county seat, Welch.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 1,630
1920 1,428 −12.4%
1930 1,467 2.7%
1940 1,580 7.7%
1950 1,359 −14.0%
1960 1,175 −13.5%
1970 962 −18.1%
1980 871 −9.5%
1990 550 −36.9%
2000 411 −25.3%
2010 194 −52.8%
2020 145 −25.3%
U.S. Decennial Census
2010 2020

2020 census

Kimball town, West Virginia – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 73 50 37.63% 34.48%
Black or African American alone (NH) 111 78 57.22% 53.79%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 0 1 0.00% 0.69%
Asian alone (NH) 0 0 0.00% 0.00%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 0 0.00% 0.00%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 0 2 0.00% 1.38%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) 10 11 5.15% 7.59%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0 3 0.00% 2.07%
Total 194 145 100.00% 100.00%

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 194 people, 78 households, and 52 families living in the town. The population density was 776.0 inhabitants per square mile (299.6/km2). There were 133 housing units at an average density of 532.0 per square mile (205.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 37.6% White, 57.2% African American, and 5.2% from two or more races.

There were 78 households, of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.1% were married couples living together, 26.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.3% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.08.

The median age in the town was 43 years. 23.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.6% were from 25 to 44; 28.9% were from 45 to 64; and 18.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 45.4% male and 54.6% female.

Notable people

  • Tracy Gravely - former Canadian Football League linebacker
  • Jean Battlo - West Virginia playwright, born and raised in Kimball

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Kimball (Virginia Occidental) para niños

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