Rainelle, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rainelle, West Virginia
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| Motto(s):
"A Town Built to Carry On"
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Location of Rainelle in Greenbrier County, West Virginia.
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Greenbrier |
| Incorporated | April 25, 1913 |
| Government | |
| • Type | City/Town |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.12 sq mi (2.89 km2) |
| • Land | 1.11 sq mi (2.88 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,395 ft (730 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,190 |
| • Density | 1,365.68/sq mi (527.34/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Zip code(s) |
25962
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| Area code(s) | 304/681 |
| FIPS code | 54-66652 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2391381 |
| Website | http://www.rainelle-wv.com |
Rainelle is a town in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. It is located at the base of Sewell Mountain and Sims Mountain. The Meadow River flows right through the town. You can get to Rainelle mainly by US 60 and WV 20. In 2020, about 1,190 people lived there.
Contents
History of Rainelle
The area where Rainelle is located was first called Sewell Valley. It was named after Stephen Sewell, who settled there in the 1750s. The community west of the Meadow River wanted to be named "Raine" after the Raine family. However, the Post Office Department did not approve this name. So, in 1909, they chose the name Rainelle instead.
Thomas W. Raine and his brother John moved to the area from Pennsylvania in 1906. They came to cut down a large forest of hardwood trees. These trees were used for building homes and other things. Their company, the Meadow River Lumber Company, was very important. It operated for 60 years and was once the biggest hardwood sawmill in the world! In 1970, the owners sold the company to Georgia-Pacific Corporation, which then took the sawmill down in 1975.
Rainelle has faced several natural disasters recently. Some of the most notable ones include a severe storm in 2012 called the June 2012 North American derecho, Hurricane Sandy, and a big flood in 2016. After the 2016 flood, many homes were damaged. Rebuilding and tearing down damaged buildings was still happening in 2020. New homes built with government help had to be placed higher up to avoid future floods.
Geography of Rainelle
Rainelle covers about 1.11 square miles (2.88 square kilometers) of land.
The Meadow River flows through the town towards the west. Eventually, it joins the Gauley River.
The Midland Trail, which is now part of U.S. Route 60, also runs through Rainelle.
Population of Rainelle
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 566 | — | |
| 1930 | 920 | 62.5% | |
| 1940 | 985 | 7.1% | |
| 1950 | 2,408 | 144.5% | |
| 1960 | 649 | −73.0% | |
| 1970 | 1,826 | 181.4% | |
| 1980 | 1,983 | 8.6% | |
| 1990 | 1,681 | −15.2% | |
| 2000 | 1,545 | −8.1% | |
| 2010 | 1,505 | −2.6% | |
| 2020 | 1,190 | −20.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 1,505 people living in Rainelle. Most of the people living in the town were White (96.9%). The average age of people in Rainelle was about 45 years old.
Famous People from Rainelle
- Rainelle is the hometown of Arnold Carter, a baseball player who pitched for the Cincinnati Reds.
Important Places in Rainelle
- The Rainelle Methodist Church is a special building in town. It is the largest structure in the world built entirely out of American Chestnut wood.
See also
In Spanish: Rainelle (Virginia Occidental) para niños
