Rand, West Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rand
Census-designated place
Street scene in Rand in the 1970s
Location in Kanawha County and state of West Virginia.
Country	United States
State	West Virginia
County	Kanawha
Area
• Total	0.461 sq mi (1.19 km2)
• Land	0.461 sq mi (1.19 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)
Population  (2010)
• Total	1,631
• Density	3,538/sq mi (1,366.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)

Rand is a special kind of community called a census-designated place (CDP). It is located along the Kanawha River in Kanawha County, West Virginia, in the United States. In 2010, about 1,631 people lived there. Rand is surrounded by the towns of Malden and DuPont City.

History of Rand

Rand is an "unincorporated community," which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. It's part of the historic Kanawha Salines area.

How Rand Got Its Name

The community was named after Plus Rand Levi. He was the son of Mordecai Levi, who held a special permit for the Brick Road.

• First Name: From 1907 to 1909, the area was first called "Plus." This was after a large piece of land was bought from the Dickinson family.
• Second Name: The name changed to "Levi" because there was already another town named Plus.
• Current Name: Around the 1930s or 1940s, the name changed again to "Rand." This happened because there was another town in Braxton County already named Levi.

Famous People from Rand

Rand is known for being the home of some talented people.

• Randy Moss: A famous Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver. He also works as a sports analyst for ESPN. Randy Moss was born and grew up in Rand.
• Samuel Singleton Jr: A former professional baseball player who played in the minor leagues.