Nitro, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nitro, West Virginia
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Living Memorial Park in Nitro, WV
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| Motto(s):
Living Memorial to World War I
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Location of Nitro in Kanawha County, West Virginia.
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  West Virginia |
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| Counties | Kanawha, Putnam | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Municipal Government | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 5.82 sq mi (15.07 km2) | ||
| • Land | 5.24 sq mi (13.58 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.58 sq mi (1.49 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 594 ft (181 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,618 | ||
| • Estimate
(2021)
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6,518 | ||
| • Density | 1,215.53/sq mi (469.29/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
25143
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| Area code(s) | 304/681 | ||
| FIPS code | 54-59068 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1555228 | ||
Nitro is a city in West Virginia, located in both Kanawha and Putnam counties. Its name comes from a World War I plant that made nitrocellulose, a key part of smokeless gunpowder. In 2020, about 6,618 people lived there. Nitro is also part of the larger Charleston metropolitan area.
Contents
History of Nitro
Nitro became an official city in 1932. Its unique name comes from "nitrocellulose." This was the main ingredient for smokeless gunpowder. During World War I, the Nitro area was chosen to be a major American ammunition factory.
A person named Daniel C. Jackling helped build and run this factory. By the end of the war, the plant was making a huge amount of explosives every day. The United States government chose the name Nitro because of this large explosives plant. Today, the city is known as "a Living Memorial to World War I."
Geography of Nitro
Nitro is mainly located in Kanawha County. It sits at specific coordinates: 38.415281 degrees North and 81.831249 degrees West.
The city covers a total area of about 15.07 square kilometers (5.82 square miles). Most of this area, about 13.58 square kilometers (5.24 square miles), is land. The rest, about 1.49 square kilometers (0.58 square miles), is water.
Nitro is located across the Kanawha River from the city of St. Albans. It is also next to Cross Lanes, which is a smaller community.
Nitro's Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1940 | 2,983 | — | |
| 1950 | 3,314 | 11.1% | |
| 1960 | 6,894 | 108.0% | |
| 1970 | 8,019 | 16.3% | |
| 1980 | 8,074 | 0.7% | |
| 1990 | 6,851 | −15.1% | |
| 2000 | 6,824 | −0.4% | |
| 2010 | 7,178 | 5.2% | |
| 2020 | 6,618 | −7.8% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 6,518 | −9.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2014 Estimate |
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Nitro is part of a larger group of cities called the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). In 2010, this larger area had a population of 287,702 people. By 2013, the population for this area grew to 363,000.
2010 Census Information
In 2010, there were 7,178 people living in Nitro. These people lived in 3,250 households. The city had about 1,677 people per square mile.
Most of the people in Nitro were White (94.7%). Other groups included African American (2.3%), Native American (0.5%), and Asian (0.6%). About 1.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in Nitro was 40.5 years old. About 20.4% of residents were under 18 years old. About 17.3% were 65 years or older. The city had slightly more females (52.1%) than males (47.9%).
Education in Nitro
Students in Nitro do not all go to the same schools. This is because West Virginia school districts follow county lines. They do not follow city boundaries.
Students living in the Kanawha County part of Nitro attend these schools:
- Nitro Elementary School (public)
- Nitro High School (public)
There is no public middle school directly in Nitro. Middle school students in Kanawha County must ride the bus to Andrew Jackson Middle School in Cross Lanes. Students in the Putnam County part of Nitro go to Rock Branch Elementary, Poca Middle, and Poca High schools.
Environment and Industry
The area around the Kanawha River Valley, between Belle and Nitro, is known as the "Chemical Valley." In the mid-1900s, this area was a top producer of chemicals worldwide. During World War I, a large factory was built in Nitro. It made explosives and chemicals for the war.
This factory was built on a large piece of land near the Kanawha River. The war ended just as the factory started running. After the war, chemical companies were invited to use the factory. It had good connections for power, transportation, and housing for workers. People hoped it would become a major center for making chemicals.
Past industrial activities have affected the Kanawha River and nearby water. Because of this, some sites in Nitro needed environmental cleanup. For example, the Fike/Artel Chemical Site was placed on a special list called the National Priorities List in 1983. This list helps clean up dangerous waste sites.
Another site, the Solutia Inc. Nitro Plant, is also being investigated. This plant also made explosives during World War I. Later, other industries used the site. Efforts are being made to clean up any improper waste. Other companies like Great Lakes Chemicals Company and Union Carbide Corp. have also been part of cleanup programs.
In the past, Nitro was known for a distinct chemical smell. This was due to all the manufacturing. However, less manufacturing happens now. This has greatly reduced air pollution issues in the area.
Cleanup Efforts
In 2012, a company called Monsanto agreed to help clean up contamination around a plant in Nitro. This plant had made a chemical called Agent Orange. Monsanto agreed to pay for cleaning affected homes and for medical monitoring of people.
Notable People from Nitro
Many interesting people have connections to Nitro:
- Lew Burdette, a famous Major League Baseball player, was born in Nitro in 1926.
- Country singer Kathy Mattea went to Nitro High School. She grew up nearby in Cross Lanes.
- J. R. House played for several MLB teams. He was a record-setting quarterback at Nitro High in the late 1990s.
- The famous actor Clark Gable worked at an "Explosive Plant C" in Nitro in 1918.
- Major League Baseball umpire Larry Barnett was born in Nitro in 1945.
See also
In Spanish: Nitro (Virginia Occidental) para niños
