South Charleston, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
South Charleston, West Virginia
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Location of South Charleston in Kanawha County, West Virginia.
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| Country | United States | ||
| State |  West Virginia |
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| County | Kanawha | ||
| Founded | 1906 | ||
| Incorporated | 1919 | ||
| Area | |||
| • City | 9.53 sq mi (24.69 km2) | ||
| • Land | 8.64 sq mi (22.38 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.89 sq mi (2.31 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 604 ft (183 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 13,639 | ||
| • Estimate
(2021)
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13,352 | ||
| • Density | 1,394.01/sq mi (538.22/km2) | ||
| • Urban | 153,199 (US: 214th) | ||
| • Metro | 222,878 (US: 198th) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP codes |
25303, 25309
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| Area code(s) | 304 | ||
| FIPS code | 54-75292 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1555663 | ||
South Charleston is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. It's located just west of Charleston, which is the capital city of West Virginia. In 2020, about 13,639 people lived there.
South Charleston was officially started in 1906. However, it didn't become an incorporated city until 1917. A very old and important place called the Criel Mound is right next to the city's main business area. This mound was built by the Adena culture a long, long time ago.
The city was once home to the Charleston Ordnance Center. This was a factory that made weapons for the navy during World War I.
South Charleston is easy to get to, with several major roads like Interstate 64 and U.S. Route 60 passing through it. It's also right next to the Kanawha River. For getting around, there's a bus system. While there's a small local airport, the closest big airport for commercial flights is Yeager Airport in Charleston. South Charleston is also where the main offices for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and the West Virginia State Police are located.
Contents
History of South Charleston
South Charleston began in 1906, but it wasn't officially made a city until 1917.
A notable person in the city's history was Leonidas Henrie Oakes Jr. He was the mayor of South Charleston for many years, serving from 1920 to 1921 and again from 1930 to 1946. He helped raise money to build the Thomas Memorial Hospital and Oakes Field, which is a sports field. He also worked hard to create fun activities for the young people in the city.
During World War I, the Charleston Ordnance Center was a very important place in South Charleston. This factory made weapons for the U.S. Navy. It was a huge operation, employing over 11,000 workers. They produced 130,000 gun barrels for American warships.
Where is South Charleston?
South Charleston is located at coordinates 38.352455 degrees north and -81.712001 degrees west.
The city covers a total area of about 8.51 square miles (22.04 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 7.61 square miles (19.71 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.90 square miles (2.33 square kilometers), is water.
What's the Weather Like?
The weather in South Charleston usually has hot and humid summers. The winters are generally mild to cool. This type of weather is known as a humid subtropical climate. On climate maps, you might see it labeled as "Cfa."
People Who Live Here
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 3,650 | — | |
| 1930 | 5,904 | 61.8% | |
| 1940 | 10,377 | 75.8% | |
| 1950 | 16,686 | 60.8% | |
| 1960 | 19,180 | 14.9% | |
| 1970 | 16,333 | −14.8% | |
| 1980 | 15,968 | −2.2% | |
| 1990 | 13,645 | −14.5% | |
| 2000 | 13,390 | −1.9% | |
| 2010 | 13,450 | 0.4% | |
| 2020 | 13,639 | 1.4% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 13,352 | −0.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 13,450 people living in South Charleston. These people lived in 6,283 households, and 3,675 of those were families.
About 86.9% of the people were White, and 8.4% were African American. There were also smaller groups of Native American, Asian, and people of two or more races. About 1.0% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in the city was 42.3 years old. About 20.9% of the residents were under 18 years old.
Economy and Jobs
South Charleston is home to the main office of International Industries. This company was started in 1947 by James H. "Buck" Harless. It's a parent company for many smaller businesses. These businesses mostly deal with natural resources like coal and timber. But they also work in manufacturing, hotels, and real estate.
Schools and Colleges
South Charleston has several elementary schools: Montrose, Ruthlawn, Richmond, Alum Creek, Bridgeview, and Weberwood Elementary.
For middle school, students attend South Charleston Middle School (SCMS). It's located on 3rd Avenue and teaches grades 6 through 8.
South Charleston High School (SCHS) is one of eight high schools in Kanawha County. SCHS is on Eagle Way and serves students in grades 9 through 12.
The city also has two college campuses. One is a campus for BridgeValley Community and Technical College. The other is the Marshall University – South Charleston Campus, which is a branch of Marshall University.
Fun Things to Do and See
South Charleston has some interesting places to visit. These include the Criel Mound, which is also known as the South Charleston Adena Burial Mound. It's a very old and important historical site.
You can also visit the South Charleston Museum. It's located in the historic LaBelle Theater on D Street. The museum often hosts a West Virginia Film Series, Open Mic Nights, art shows, and other fun events.
The city also has a community center, an ice arena for skating, and several parks like Little Creek Park and Joplin Park. The Interpretive Center, located at 313 D Street, has exhibits about the Appalachian Trail, the Criel Mound, Native American artifacts like arrowheads, the city's chemical history, and a special display about Belgium.
Famous People From South Charleston
Many talented people have connections to South Charleston:
- Tom Good – A former player in the NFL (National Football League).
- Carl Lee – Another former NFL player who was born and grew up in South Charleston.
- Kathy Mattea – A famous Country singer-songwriter. She was born in the city's Thomas Memorial Hospital.
- Herbert J. Thomas, Jr. – A hero from World War II who received the Medal of Honor. Thomas Memorial Hospital is named after him.
- Breece D'J Pancake – A well-known short-story writer.
- Alex Hawkins – A graduate of SCHS, he was an NFL player and broadcaster, and also wrote a book.
- T.D. Jakes – A famous televangelist.
- Larry Combs – A musician who was inducted into the Music Hall of Fame. He played with the Chicago Symphony and graduated from SCHS in 1957.
See also
In Spanish: South Charleston (Virginia Occidental) para niños
