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| Rivesville, West Virginia | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
 Location in Marion County and the state of West Virginia. |
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Marion |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.59 sq mi (1.53 km2) |
| • Land | 0.52 sq mi (1.35 km2) |
| • Water | 0.07 sq mi (0.18 km2) |
| Elevation | 866 ft (264 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 934 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 941 |
| • Density | 1,796.2/sq mi (693.5/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 26588 |
| Area code(s) | 304 |
| FIPS code | 54-68908 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1545784 |
Rivesville is a town and former coal town in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 934 at the 2010 census.
Rivesville is located at 39°31′49″N 80°7′9″W / 39.53028°N 80.11917°W / 39.53028; -80.11917 (39.530276, -80.119063) in the heart of the Fairmont coal field on the north-west bank of the Monongahela River around its confluence with Paw Paw Creek.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.59 square miles (1.53 km2), of which, 0.52 square miles (1.35 km2) is land and 0.07 square miles (0.18 km2) is water.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 54 | — | |
| 1870 | 63 | 16.7% | |
| 1880 | 136 | 115.9% | |
| 1890 | 165 | 21.3% | |
| 1900 | 164 | −0.6% | |
| 1910 | 190 | 15.9% | |
| 1920 | 1,061 | 458.4% | |
| 1930 | 1,700 | 60.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,552 | −8.7% | |
| 1950 | 1,343 | −13.5% | |
| 1960 | 1,191 | −11.3% | |
| 1970 | 1,108 | −7.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,327 | 19.8% | |
| 1990 | 1,064 | −19.8% | |
| 2000 | 913 | −14.2% | |
| 2010 | 934 | 2.3% | |
| Est. 2015 | 944 | 1.1% | |
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As of the census of 2010, there were 934 people, 402 households, and 261 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,796.2 inhabitants per square mile (693.5/km2). There were 430 housing units at an average density of 826.9 per square mile (319.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.7% White, 0.6% African American, 0.5% Native American, and 0.1% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.3% of the population.
There were 402 households of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.1% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.83.
The median age in the town was 42.1 years. 21.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.3% were from 25 to 44; 30.1% were from 45 to 64; and 16.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 46.6% male and 53.4% female.
As of the census of 2000, there were 913 people, 400 households, and 268 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,602.5 inhabitants per square mile (618.4/km²). There were 450 housing units at an average density of 789.8 per square mile (304.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.80% White, 0.11% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.33% Asian, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.55% of the population.
There were 400 households out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town, the population was spread out with 19.1% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $25,700, and the median income for a family was $35,417. Males had a median income of $26,875 versus $19,063 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,085. About 16.4% of families and 19.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.9% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
The first stories of temporary European settlement in the Rivesville area involve a Boston native, Pompey Leggett, who settled briefly in the area in 1694, but the first permanent settlements along the Monongahela were not established until after the French and Indian War in 1763. Frontier forts and frequent clashes between Europeans and Native Americans continued for several decades.
Rivesville was platted in 1837, and named after William Cabell Rives.
In 1900, it was a very small town, population 164, growing to 190 in 1910. This was immediately before the development of large-scale coal mining in the area and the subsequent population growth.
In the early 20th century, Rivesville was at the junction between the Pawpaw branch of the B&O Railroad and the Buckhannon & Northern Railroad, a branch of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie a predecessor that was incorporated into the Monongahela Railway formed in 1915.
Rivesville was also served by the Fairmont-Clarksburg Division of the Monongahela-West Pen Railways, originally the Monongahela Power and Railway Company. This electric interurban line ran from Fairmont through Rivesville to the Rivesville Power Station, just north of town.
The Parker Run Coal & Coke Co. Mine at Rivesville, circa 1913.
