Middleway, West Virginia Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Middleway, West Virginia
Census-designated place
Middleway, West Virginia Location in West Virginia Show map of West Virginia Middleway, West Virginia Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	West Virginia
County	Jefferson
Area
• Total	1.123 sq mi (2.91 km²)
• Land	1.123 sq mi (2.91 km²)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km²)
Elevation	509 ft (155 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	441
• Density	392.7/sq mi (151.62/km²)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
GNIS feature ID	2586853

Middleway is a small community in Jefferson County, West Virginia. It is located in the lower Shenandoah Valley. In 2020, about 482 people lived there. It is known as a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it is a special area identified by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistics.

History of Middleway
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History of Middleway

Founding the Town of Smithfield

On January 15, 1786, the Virginia General Assembly passed a law. This law officially created the town of Smithfield. The new town was built on land owned by John Smith II and William Smith.

How Middleway Got Its Name

A post office was opened in Smithfield in 1806. But there was another town called Smithfield in the state. To avoid confusion, a new name was needed for this Smithfield. The town had become a busy center for trade between several other towns. Because of its central location, the post office became known as "Middleway."

Middleway is still a small village today. It has kept many of its old, historic buildings. The Middleway Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This means its important historic buildings are protected.

Early Settlements and Growth

The area where Middleway grew was first explored in 1729. John Smith I and his sons, John Smith II and Rees Smith, visited the land. By 1734, they had built a grist mill and a hemp mill there. A grist mill grinds grain into flour. A hemp mill processes hemp plants.

In the 1790s, people tried to make the town bigger. This effort was called the Smithfield Promotion. It did help the town grow for a while. However, after that, its growth slowed down.

The Legend of Wizard Clip

Middleway has also been known by the names "Wizard Clip" or "Clip." People from the town were sometimes called "Clippers." This comes from a famous legend from the 1790s.

The story tells of a traveler who stayed with Adam Livingston and his family. During the night, the traveler became very ill and died. He asked for a priest, but Livingston did not want a Catholic priest in his home.

After the stranger was buried, strange things started to happen. Chickens would lose their heads and legs. All the dishes in the house would fall to the floor. The most common strange event was a constant clipping sound. It sounded like scissors cutting things. This is how the legend got its name. Anyone who entered the house would find their clothes cut into pieces. Sometimes the cuts were shaped like half-moon crescents.

Livingston had a dream about a priest. He found Father Dennis Cahill, a Catholic priest, in Shepherdstown. This was the same priest from his dream. Father Cahill helped to get rid of the strange spirit. After this, the family became Catholic. They often heard a voice without a body. This voice would give them advice, tell them to pray, and encourage them to be better Catholics.