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 on the western edge of Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. It sits at the base of Sewell Mountain and Sims Mountain, and is bisected by the Meadow River. The only means of transportation to and from Rainelle are roads; primarily US 60 and WV 20, which merge on the western end of the town, and the James River and Kanawha Turnpike, which enters from the south. The population was 1,190 at the 2020 census.
History
The valley and community that contain and predates Rainelle is named Sewell Valley after Stephen Sewell, a scout that settled in the area in the 1750s. The community west of the Meadow River first applied for the name Raine in honor of the Raine family but was turned down by the Post Office Department. They adopted the name Rainelle in 1909. Thomas W. Raine and his brother John moved to the location from Pennsylvania in 1906 to harvest a large stand of hardwoods for building homes, etc. Their Meadow River Lumber Company operated for 60 years, and at one time was the largest hardwood sawmill in the world. In 1970, the owners sold it to Georgia-Pacific Corporation, which tore it down in 1975.
The town has suffered from several natural disasters in the last decade: most notable of these have been the June 2012 North American derecho, Hurricane Sandy, and the 2016 West Virginia flood. Rebuilding and demolition of structures damaged in the 2016 flood was still in progress in January 2020. Homes rebuilt with funds from the federal Hazard Mitigation Grant program were required to be sited two feet above the 100-year floodplain.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.11 square miles (2.87 km2), all land.
The Meadow River flows through the town in a westerly direction on its way to eventually join the Gauley River.
The Midland Trail, now part of U.S. Route 60, runs through the town.
Demographics
| 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 | |||
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,505 people, 675 households, and 387 families living in the town. The population density was 1,355.9 inhabitants per square mile (523.5/km2). There were 806 housing units at an average density of 726.1 per square mile (280.3/km2). 4The racial makeup of the town was 96.9% White, 0.7% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.7% of the population.
There were 675 households, of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.6% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.7% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.76.
The median age in the town was 45.3 years. 19.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.6% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 23.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 44.7% male and 55.3% female.
Notable person
- Rainelle has produced one Major League Baseball player, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Arnold Carter.
Landmarks
- Rainelle is home to the Rainelle Methodist Church, the largest structure in the world built entirely out of American Chestnut wood.
See also
In Spanish: Rainelle (Virginia Occidental) para niños
