Weirton, West Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Weirton, West Virginia
City
Peter Tarr Furnace Site, c. 1790
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  "Gateway To The Valley"
Location of Weirton in Hancock and Brooke counties, West Virginia.
Weirton, West Virginia Location in West Virginia Show map of West Virginia Weirton, West Virginia Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	West Virginia
Counties	Hancock, Brooke
Settled	1793
Incorporated	July 1, 1947
Area
• City	19.27 sq mi (49.91 km2)
• Land	18.05 sq mi (46.76 km2)
• Water	1.22 sq mi (3.15 km2)
Elevation	755 ft (230 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	19,163
• Estimate  (2021)	18,813
• Density	994.45/sq mi (383.95/km2)
• Urban	70,889 (US: 389th)
• Metro	116,903 (US: 334th)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code	26062
Area code(s)	304
FIPS code	54-85156
GNIS feature ID	1555932

Weirton is a city in West Virginia, a state in the United States. It is located along the Ohio River. The city is special because it sits in two counties: Hancock and Brooke.

In 2020, about 19,163 people lived in Weirton. This makes it the seventh largest city in West Virginia. Weirton was officially formed in 1947. It was created when several smaller towns joined together. These towns were near the Weirton Steel Corporation, a big steel company started by Ernest T. Weir in 1909.

Weirton is a main city in the Weirton–Steubenville metropolitan area. This is a larger urban area that had about 116,903 people in 2020. It's also part of an even bigger area called the Pittsburgh–New Castle–Weirton combined statistical area.

Weirton's History and Growth

A portion of the Weirton Steel mill as seen in 2015.

The area where Weirton is today has a long history. In 1774, during the American Revolutionary War, a fort called Holliday's Cove Fort was built here. Soldiers from Fort Pitt used it. This fort was located near what is now downtown Weirton. It was commanded by Colonel Andrew Van Swearingen. Later, his son-in-law, Captain Samuel Brady, took command. Captain Brady was a famous leader of a group called Brady's Rangers.

In 1777, Colonel Van Swearingen and his soldiers helped rescue people at Fort Henry in Wheeling. They were under attack by British and Native American tribes. This brave mission was shown in a painting in the Cove Post Office.

A small village named Holliday's Cove started in 1793. This village is now part of downtown Weirton.

The Rise of Steel in Weirton

In 1909, Ernest T. Weir came from nearby Pittsburgh. He built a large steel mill just north of Holliday's Cove. This mill became known as the Weirton Steel Corporation. A new settlement grew up around the mill, and it was called Weirton. By 1940, this unofficial town was one of the largest of its kind in the United States.

Over time, Holliday's Cove and two other areas, Weirton Heights and Marland Heights, also grew. These areas were on hills around the steel mill.

Becoming a City

On July 1, 1947, all these areas decided to join together. Holliday's Cove, Marland Heights, Weirton Heights, and the unofficial Weirton merged to form the city of Weirton we know today. Thomas E. Millsop, who led the Weirton Steel division, became the city's first mayor. The city's rules, called its charter, were approved by voters in 1950.

Changes in the Steel Industry

The Weirton Steel Corporation was once a huge steel mill. It employed over 12,000 people. For a time, it was the biggest private employer and taxpayer in West Virginia. However, the steel industry changed a lot around the world. The Weirton mill faced challenges.

In the early 1980s, the employees of Weirton Steel bought the mill from its owner. This was the largest Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) in the country. It helped save the mill from closing down. But by 2003, the company had to file for bankruptcy.

In 2004, a company called International Steel Group bought the plant. Later, it merged with a big international company, ArcelorMittal. By 2016, only the part of the mill that made tin-plating was still working. It had about 800 workers. In 2020, Cleveland-Cliffs bought the tin mill. Sadly, in February 2024, Cleveland-Cliffs announced the mill would close permanently.

New Businesses and Future Plans

In May 2023, a company called Form Energy started building a factory at the old Weirton mill site. They will make iron-air batteries there. These batteries are used to store electricity for power grids.

Some leaders in Weirton are working to attract new businesses and people. They want to make Weirton a "bedroom community" for the nearby Pittsburgh metropolitan area. This means people could live in Weirton and easily travel to work in Pittsburgh. Weirton is close to the Pittsburgh International Airport and Interstate 70.

Weirton has several important places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Johnston-Truax House, Marland Heights Park and Margaret Manson Weir Memorial Pool, People's Bank, Dr. George Rigas House, and the Peter Tarr Furnace Site.

Weirton's Geography

The Veterans Memorial Bridge connects Weirton to Steubenville, Ohio across the Ohio River. It is a border crossing between West Virginia and Ohio on U.S. Route 22.

Weirton is located at 40.4189 degrees North latitude and -80.5894 degrees West longitude. It stretches from the border with Ohio in the west to the border with Pennsylvania in the east. At one point, West Virginia is only about 5 miles wide here. Weirton is unique because it is the only city in the United States that touches two different states on either side, and its own state on the other two.

Weirton is across the Ohio River from Steubenville, Ohio. It is about 35 miles west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. You can reach Pittsburgh easily using U.S. Route 22. The Pittsburgh International Airport is less than 30 miles away. With new roads, the drive to the airport is now only about 20 miles.

The city covers a total area of about 19.26 square miles. Most of this area, about 18.05 square miles, is land. The rest, about 1.21 square miles, is water.

Even though most of Weirton is in Hancock County, a small part of the city is in Brooke County.

Neighboring Areas Around Weirton

Weirton shares borders with a few other places. To the south is the city of Follansbee. To the north is New Cumberland. To the east, it borders Hanover Township in Pennsylvania. Weirton is also right next to Steubenville, Ohio. You can get there directly by crossing the Veterans' Memorial Bridge, which carries U.S. Route 22.

Weirton's Climate

Weirton has a humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and chilly to cold winters.

• Average High Temperatures: About 82°F in summer and 40°F in winter.
• Average Low Temperatures: Around 60°F in summer and 25°F in winter.
• Highest Temperature Ever: 102°F (recorded in 1988).
• Lowest Temperature Ever: -22°F (recorded in 1994).
• Warmest Month: July.
• Coolest Month: January.
• Month with Most Rain: June.
• Yearly Rainfall: About 40.55 inches.

Weirton's Population Changes

In 2010, the city had 19,746 people living in it. There were 8,839 households and 5,507 families. The city's population density was about 1094 people per square mile.

The average age of people in Weirton in 2010 was 46 years old. About 19.4% of the residents were under 18 years old. About 20.6% were 65 years or older. The population was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

Weirton's Economy

Weirton Medical Center

For a long time, Weirton's economy was mostly about the steel industry. The biggest employer was Weirton Steel Corporation. As the steel industry became smaller, Weirton's economy started to change. Now, it has more different types of businesses.

Retail stores and medical services have grown a lot. The Weirton Medical Center is a large hospital with 238 beds. It serves patients from all over the region. Today, it is one of the city's biggest employers, with over 1,000 people working there.

In December 2022, Form Energy announced they would build a factory in Weirton. This factory will make iron-air batteries. These batteries are used to store electricity for large power grids.

Because Weirton is close to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, more and more people live in Weirton but work in Pittsburgh. They travel back and forth for their jobs.

Education in Weirton

Children in Weirton attend schools managed by two different school districts: the Hancock County School District and the Brooke County School District.

Here are some of the schools that serve the city:

• Weirton Elementary School (grades K-4)
• Weir Middle School (grades 5-8)
• Weir High School (grades 9-12)
• Brooke Primary School North (grades K-2)
• Brooke Intermediate North (grades 3-4)
• Brooke Middle School (grades 5-8)
• Brooke High School (grades 9-12)

Notable People from Weirton

Many interesting people have come from Weirton, including:

• James J. Andrews, a Union spy during the Civil War.
• Bob Gain, a football player for the Cleveland Browns.
• Jerry A. Hausman, a famous economist at MIT.
• Bob Jeter, a football player for the Green Bay Packers.
• Gary Jeter, a football player for the New York Giants.
• Kevin Miller, a football player for the Minnesota Vikings.
• Ken Reed, a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates.
• Mike Rodak, a football player for the Cleveland Rams.
• Karen Staley, a singer and songwriter.
• Ernest T. Weir, who founded the National Steel Corporation.
• Ronald Robert Williams, a basketball player for West Virginia University and NBA teams.
• Quincy Wilson, a football player for West Virginia University and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Images for kids

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  Peter Tarr Furnace Site, c. 1790

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  Flag of Weirton

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  Seal of Weirton

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  Location of Weirton in Hancock and Brooke counties, West Virginia.

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  A portion of the Weirton Steel mill as seen in 2015.

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  The Veterans Memorial Bridge connects Weirton to Steubenville, Ohio across the Ohio River.

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  Weirton Medical Center