Kimball, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kimball, West Virginia
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Kimball in 2014
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Location of Kimball in McDowell County, West Virginia.
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| 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)
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| • Total | 145 | |
| • Density | 580/sq mi (219.7/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
24853
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| 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. As of 2024, the town still has a municipal government, where the mayor also acts as the towns only police officer.
Contents
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.
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 |
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2020 census
| 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.
Economy
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.
Education
Kimball Negro High School served African American students until it was converted to a junior high school in the wake of integration.
Arts and culture
The Houston Coal Company Store is a one-story building constructed with dark red brick and covered by a hipped green tile roof, surrounded by a shaded yard. Arched windows and projecting wings along the facade introduce stylistic variation to the structure. Across Carswell Hollow Road, the owner's former residence, built with similar materials, incorporates Tudor-style influences. Both buildings were designed by a Cincinnati architect, reflecting a cohesive architectural approach.
Media
The town was once served three time's weekly by the now defunct The Welch News out of the nearby county seat, Welch.
Notable people
- Tracy Gravely - former Canadian Football League linebacker
- Jean Battlo - West Virginia playwright, born and raised in Kimball
See also
In Spanish: Kimball (Virginia Occidental) para niños
