Kingwood, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kingwood, West Virginia
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James Clark McGrew House, September 2013
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Location of Kingwood in Preston County, West Virginia.
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Preston |
| Settled | 1807 |
| Incorporated (town) | January 23, 1811 |
| Incorporated (city) | 1853 |
| Named for | A grove of tall, stately trees |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.43 sq mi (6.29 km2) |
| • Land | 2.43 sq mi (6.29 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,814 ft (553 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,980 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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3,090 |
| • Density | 1,258.02/sq mi (485.73/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
26537
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| Area code(s) | 304 |
| FIPS code | 54-44044 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1541229 |
Kingwood is a city in West Virginia, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Preston County. In 2020, about 2,980 people lived there.
Kingwood is located in the Allegheny Mountains, above the Cheat River valley. It is famous for hosting the Preston County Buckwheat Festival. This festival is known for its delicious buckwheat pancakes. Kingwood is also home to Hovatter’s Wildlife Zoo.
Contents
History of Kingwood
The area where Kingwood now stands was once a forest. It was owned by people like John Miller and Hugh Morgan. A main road called the Northwestern Turnpike passed through this area.
People started settling in Kingwood in the late 1790s and early 1800s. The town was officially created on January 23, 1811, by the Virginia General Assembly. In 1818, Kingwood became the county seat for the new Preston County. It became a chartered city in 1853. The town got its name from a beautiful group of tall, grand trees.
Two important places in Kingwood are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The James Clark McGrew House was added in 1993. The Kingwood Historic District was added in 1994.
Geography of Kingwood
Kingwood is located at 39°28.3′N 79°41.1′W / 39.4717°N 79.6850°W.
The city covers a total area of about 2.43 square miles (6.29 square kilometers). All of this area is land. Kingwood has a climate with warm summers. The average monthly temperatures range from about 28.7°F (-1.8°C) in January to 70.2°F (21.2°C) in July.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 365 | — | |
| 1900 | 700 | — | |
| 1910 | 800 | 14.3% | |
| 1920 | 1,417 | 77.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,709 | 20.6% | |
| 1940 | 1,676 | −1.9% | |
| 1950 | 2,186 | 30.4% | |
| 1960 | 2,530 | 15.7% | |
| 1970 | 2,550 | 0.8% | |
| 1980 | 2,877 | 12.8% | |
| 1990 | 3,243 | 12.7% | |
| 2000 | 2,944 | −9.2% | |
| 2010 | 2,939 | −0.2% | |
| 2020 | 2,980 | 1.4% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 3,090 | 5.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Kingwood's Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 2,939 people living in Kingwood. There were 1,291 households, which are groups of people living in one home. Most of the people living in Kingwood were White (97.3%).
About 19.6% of the people were under 18 years old. About 19.9% were 65 years or older. The average household had 2.28 people.
Culture and Fun Things to Do
Kingwood is famous for its annual Preston County Buckwheat Festival. This festival happens every year during the last weekend of September. Farmers started growing buckwheat during the Great Depression to help the local economy. The festival began in 1938 as a way to celebrate the end of the harvest season.
The festival is like a big county fair. It has animal shows and fun carnival rides. There are also parades for three days. Thousands of delicious buckwheat pancakes are made and eaten at the event.
Kingwood is also home to Hovatter's Wildlife Zoo. This zoo is also known as the West Virginia Zoo.
Education in Kingwood
Kingwood has three public schools. They are part of the Preston County School District:
- Kingwood Elementary School – for students in grades K-4
- Central Preston Middle School – for students in grades 5-8
- Preston High School – for students in grades 9-12
Famous People from Kingwood
Many notable people have come from Kingwood, West Virginia. Here are a few:
- Robert E. Lee Allen – He was a U.S. Representative for West Virginia.
- William G. Brown Sr. – He was a U.S. Representative for Virginia and West Virginia.
- William Gay Brown Jr. – He was also a U.S. Representative for West Virginia.
- William G. Conley – He was the 18th Governor of West Virginia.
- Robert E. Cowan – A lawyer and member of the Virginia House of Delegates.
- T. Stephen Crawford – A chemical engineer known for his research on coal.
- Jonathan P. Dolliver – He became a U.S. Senator for Iowa.
- Robert Halbritter – A member of the West Virginia House of Delegates and a judge.
- Izetta Jewel – An actress and someone who worked for women's rights.
- Trena King – A professional archer.
- James McGrew – A U.S. Representative for West Virginia and a founding father of the state.
- Melvin C. Snyder – A U.S. Representative for West Virginia and later a judge.
- Christopher Sperandio – An artist.
- David Sypolt – A member of the West Virginia Senate.
- William B. Zinn – A member of the Virginia and West Virginia House of Delegates and the West Virginia Senate. He was also a founding father of West Virginia.
Images for kids
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Home in the Kingwood Historic District, September 2013
See also
In Spanish: Kingwood (Virginia Occidental) para niños
