Masontown, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Masontown, West Virginia
|
|
|---|---|
Ralphsnyder Decagonal Barn
|
|
Location of Masontown in Preston County, West Virginia.
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Preston |
| Incorporated | 1905 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.28 sq mi (0.72 km2) |
| • Land | 0.28 sq mi (0.72 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,801 ft (549 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 510 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
|
533 |
| • Density | 1,935.25/sq mi (746.97/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
26542
|
| Area code(s) | 304 |
| FIPS code | 54-52228 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1555063 |
Masontown is a small town located in western Preston County, West Virginia, United States. In 2020, about 510 people lived there. It is part of the larger Morgantown metropolitan area.
Contents
History of Masontown
Masontown was first planned out in 1856. The town got its name from William Mason, who was an important merchant in the early days.
A special building called the Ralphsynder Decagonal Barn is located near Masontown. This barn was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 because of its unique history and design.
Geography and Location
Masontown is located at coordinates 39°33′7″N 79°48′1″W / 39.55194°N 79.80028°W. This means it's in a specific spot on the map.
The town covers a total area of about 0.28 square miles (0.72 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no water. For several years, Masontown was also home to the All Good Music Festival, a popular event.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 520 | — | |
| 1920 | 831 | 59.8% | |
| 1930 | 924 | 11.2% | |
| 1940 | 869 | −6.0% | |
| 1950 | 941 | 8.3% | |
| 1960 | 841 | −10.6% | |
| 1970 | 868 | 3.2% | |
| 1980 | 1,052 | 21.2% | |
| 1990 | 737 | −29.9% | |
| 2000 | 647 | −12.2% | |
| 2010 | 546 | −15.6% | |
| 2020 | 510 | −6.6% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 533 | −2.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
How Many People Live Here?
According to the 2010 census, 546 people lived in Masontown. There were 255 households and 149 families. The town had about 1950 people per square mile.
The average age of people in Masontown was 42.5 years. About 17.6% of the residents were under 18 years old. Also, 19% of the people were 65 years or older. The town had slightly more females (51.3%) than males (48.7%).
Education in Masontown
West Preston Middle School is a local school in Masontown. It has two main buildings. In 2012, the school was 95 years old! The principal at that time was James Hoit.
The school was first built in 1918. Citizens of Masontown helped raise money for it by selling pies. It started as Masontown High School. Later, it joined with Arthurdale High School to become Valley High School. The school then added a second building, which was first an elementary school. Eventually, both buildings became part of one big high school.
After Preston High School was built, the Masontown school became a middle school. A new middle school was planned to be built in 2015, thanks to a special vote in 2010 that allowed the project to go forward.
See also
In Spanish: Masontown (Virginia Occidental) para niños
