Sistersville, West Virginia Facts for Kids

Sistersville is a city located in Tyler County, West Virginia, in the United States. It sits right along the Ohio River. In 2020, about 1,413 people lived there. A special boat called the Sistersville Ferry helps people cross the Ohio River to a small community called Fly in Ohio.

History of Sistersville
Geography
Population Data
- 2010 Census Information
Notable people
See also

History of Sistersville

Sistersville got its name from two sisters, Sarah Wells McCoy and Delilah Wells Grier. They inherited the land where the town now stands from their father, Charles Wells, in 1815. The sisters then planned out the town.

Charles Wells was a pioneer who settled here with his family. He had many children. Sarah and Delilah were two of his daughters. The area was first known as Wells Landing. Charles Wells had also helped start other towns along the Ohio River.

In 1814, a new county called Tyler County was created. Sistersville was considered for the county seat, which is the main town where the county government is located. However, in 1816, voters chose Middlebourne instead. Sistersville officially became a chartered town in 1839.

By 1850, Sistersville had mills for processing grain and wool. A ferry that crossed the Ohio River, started many years earlier, is still used today. An old building from 1840, originally a ferry house, survived many floods. It later became a market and offices for a local newspaper.

Sistersville During the Civil War

During the Civil War, Sistersville and Tyler County were divided in their loyalties. However, most people supported the Union (the northern states). A local militia group, the "Sistersville Blues," also supported the Union.

Even so, some people who supported the Confederacy (the southern states) took military equipment from Sistersville. This included rifles and cannons. It took over a month for soldiers from Ohio to get them back.

A lawyer named Abraham Soper from Sistersville played an important role. He represented Tyler County at the meetings that led to the creation of West Virginia. He even became president of one of these meetings. West Virginia became a new state in 1863. Sistersville was then part of the Lincoln District in Tyler County.

The Oil Boom

For many years, people thought there might be oil and natural gas under Sistersville. Natural gas had been seen bubbling up in other areas nearby since the 1830s. In 1865, a drill got stuck before reaching oil. However, the person who owned the drill, Philo Stocking, kept the rights to any oil or gas found later. This made him rich.

The big Sistersville Oil Field was finally confirmed in 1891. This happened when a well called "Joshua Russell Pole Cat No. 1" successfully found oil. This well was very productive and was still producing oil in 1925. This discovery happened when oil fields in Pennsylvania were starting to run out.

Within a few years, Sistersville grew very quickly. Its population jumped to 15,000 people. In 1893, Sistersville was even called the "oil capital of the world" for a short time. Unlike some other boom towns that became empty, Sistersville invested in its future. A railroad arrived in 1884, connecting Sistersville to other places.

Challenges and Notable People

In 1913, a huge flood on the Ohio River caused a lot of damage in Sistersville. Besides floods, fires were also a challenge for the town. Sistersville had several fire brigades to help fight fires.

A gasoline plant was built near the oil field. In 1911, the Carter Oil company built what was then the world's largest gasoline plant south of Sistersville. It had an explosion in 1913 but was rebuilt.

Sistersville is proud of Cecil H. Underwood. He graduated from Tyler High School. At just 22, he represented the county in the state government. He became the youngest governor of West Virginia in 1956. Then, in 1996, he was elected governor again, becoming the state's oldest governor.

Historical Sites to Explore

Sistersville has several important historical buildings. The Sistersville City Hall is a historic building. It is part of the Sistersville Historic District.

Other historic places in Sistersville include:

The Wells-Schaff House: This house was built starting in 1832. It was expanded and renovated over the years.
The Wells Inn: This inn opened in 1895. It was built by Ephraim Wells, who helped local businesses grow.
The E. A. Durham House: This house was built around 1921 for an oil executive.
The Wells-Twyford House: This house was built starting in 1854.

Geography

Sistersville is located at 39°33′42″N 80°59′52″W / 39.56167°N 80.99778°W / 39.56167; -80.99778.

The city covers a total area of about 0.53 square miles (1.36 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Map of Sistersville in 1896

Population Data

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	351	—
1870	304	−13.4%
1880	386	27.0%
1890	469	21.5%
1900	2,979	535.2%
1910	2,684	−9.9%
1920	3,238	20.6%
1930	3,072	−5.1%
1940	2,702	−12.0%
1950	2,313	−14.4%
1960	2,331	0.8%
1970	2,246	−3.6%
1980	2,367	5.4%
1990	1,797	−24.1%
2000	1,588	−11.6%
2010	1,396	−12.1%
2020	1,413	1.2%
2021 (est.)	1,381	−1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 Census Information

According to the census from 2010, there were 1,396 people living in Sistersville. These people lived in 593 households, and 355 of these were families.

The city had about 2,634 people per square mile. Most of the people living in Sistersville were White (98.9%).

About 27.8% of households had children under 18 living with them. About 44.2% of households were married couples. The average household had 2.25 people, and the average family had 2.88 people.

The average age of people in the city was 44.5 years old. About 21.8% of residents were under 18. About 21.2% were 65 years old or older.

Notable people

Bill Bolling- (1957-) former Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
Juliann Graham-(1915–1935) actress
Peggy Shanor (1895–1935), silent film actress
Tara Wilson, Miss West Virginia USA 2000

Sistersville, West Virginia facts for kids

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