Roanoke, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roanoke, West Virginia
|
|
|---|---|
 Roanoke, West Virginia
Location in West Virginia
Roanoke, West Virginia
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Lewis |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
Roanoke is a small, unincorporated community in southern Lewis County, West Virginia, United States. An unincorporated community is a place that isn't officially a city or town with its own local government. Instead, it's part of a larger county.
Most of the original Roanoke town is now covered by about 60 feet of water from Stonewall Jackson Lake. A special display at the Stonewall Resort State Park's lodge shares the story of this town. It was often affected by floods. Because of this, the United States Army Corps of Engineers bought the town in the 1980s. They built a dam to control floods.
About Stonewall Jackson Lake
The Flood Control Dam
The flood control dam at Stonewall Jackson Lake started working in 1988. A flood control dam is like a big wall built across a river. It helps to stop rivers from overflowing their banks. This protects homes and land from getting flooded. The dam at Stonewall Jackson Lake helps keep the area safe from too much water.
The Story of the Lake
The creation of Stonewall Jackson Lake changed the landscape of Roanoke. The lake was built to manage water levels and prevent future floods. This project meant that the old town of Roanoke had to be moved or covered by water. It's a good example of how people change the environment to protect communities.
What's in a Name?
The community of Roanoke was named after Roanoke, Virginia. It's common for places to share names with other towns or famous people.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Roanoke has also been known by a few other names over time. These names include "Bush Mills", "Bushs Mills", "Roanville", and "Roanville Station". It's interesting how a place can have different names throughout its history!
