West Union, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
West Union, West Virginia
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Main Street in West Union in 2006
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Location of West Union in Doddridge County, West Virginia.
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  West Virginia |
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| County | Doddridge | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 0.38 sq mi (0.97 km2) | |
| • Land | 0.36 sq mi (0.93 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.04 km2) | |
| Elevation | 787 ft (240 m) | |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 669 | |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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661 | |
| • Density | 2,219.44/sq mi (856.35/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
26456
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| Area code(s) | 304 | |
| FIPS code | 54-86116 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 1548944 | |
West Union is a small town in West Virginia, United States. It is the main town for Doddridge County government. The town officially started on July 20, 1881. In 2020, about 669 people lived there.
West Union is located along Middle Island Creek. It sits where two important roads meet: U.S. Route 50 and West Virginia Route 18. The North Bend Rail Trail, a path for walking and biking, also goes through the town.
Contents
A Look Back: West Union's History
Early Days and Naming
The area where West Union is today was first settled in the late 1780s. A person named James Caldwell owned a very large piece of land here. Later, in the early 1800s, Nathan Davis, Jr. and his brothers bought this land. They then sold a big part of it to Lewis Maxwell, who was a congressman from Virginia.
The settlement was first called Lewisport. But Nathan Davis, Jr. later suggested the name "West Union." He thought there might be another town called "Union" on the east side of Middle Island Creek. That other town never really grew, but the name West Union stuck!
Bridges and Fires
The first bridge over Middle Island Creek in West Union was made of logs. A big flood in 1835 washed it away. In 1842, a new covered bridge was built. This bridge was part of a major road project called the Northwestern Turnpike. A local blacksmith named Ephraim Bee made all the metal parts for the West Union Covered Bridge, which finished in 1843.
On March 27, 1858, a terrible fire destroyed almost the entire town of West Union. Many people were away, so there weren't enough people to fight the fire. It started in a house and quickly spread to other buildings, including a hotel and stores. The next morning, the town looked like a pile of burnt ruins. Luckily, a new railroad line had just been finished. This helped the town to rebuild and grow again quickly.
Hidden Paths and Important People
Near West Union is Maxwell Ridge, named after Congressman Lewis Maxwell's family. People say there's a cave there that was used by the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people find freedom before the Civil War.
West Union is also connected to important people. Matthew M. Neely, who later became the 21st governor of West Virginia and a U.S. Senator, was born just south of the town in 1874.
West Union officially became an incorporated town on July 20, 1881. This meant it had its own local government.
The 20th Century and Today
The oil and gas industry helped West Union grow a lot in the early 1900s. Factories like the Ideal Glass Factory and the Doddridge County Window Glass Company opened. They used the natural gas found nearby and employed about 300 people. Later, a clothing factory opened, but it closed in the 1970s.
In June 1950, a big flood hit West Union. It destroyed homes and businesses and caused many problems for the county. The 107-year-old covered bridge was also destroyed in this flood.
Today, the town's economy relies on farming, timber (cutting trees), oil and gas. The county government and public schools also provide many jobs. Many people who live in West Union travel to nearby towns for work.
Several buildings and areas in West Union are important historical sites. These include the Lathrop Russell Charter House, the Doddridge County Courthouse, the Silas P. Smith Opera House, and the W. Scott Stuart House. The town also has two historic districts: the West Union Downtown Historic District and the West Union Residential Historic District. These districts protect many old and important buildings.
Where is West Union?
West Union is located in West Virginia. The town covers a total area of about 0.97 square kilometers (0.38 square miles). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
Weather in West Union
West Union has a climate with hot, humid summers. The winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.
| Climate data for West Union, West Virginia (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1971–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 76 (24) |
81 (27) |
87 (31) |
90 (32) |
92 (33) |
97 (36) |
103 (39) |
101 (38) |
98 (37) |
95 (35) |
82 (28) |
78 (26) |
103 (39) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 65.3 (18.5) |
68.4 (20.2) |
76.9 (24.9) |
84.8 (29.3) |
88.3 (31.3) |
90.6 (32.6) |
92.3 (33.5) |
91.5 (33.1) |
90.1 (32.3) |
83.5 (28.6) |
75.6 (24.2) |
66.7 (19.3) |
93.5 (34.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 40.9 (4.9) |
44.4 (6.9) |
54.0 (12.2) |
67.0 (19.4) |
75.2 (24.0) |
81.7 (27.6) |
84.8 (29.3) |
84.1 (28.9) |
79.0 (26.1) |
67.9 (19.9) |
55.6 (13.1) |
45.3 (7.4) |
65.0 (18.3) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 30.9 (−0.6) |
33.4 (0.8) |
41.5 (5.3) |
52.5 (11.4) |
61.9 (16.6) |
69.6 (20.9) |
73.4 (23.0) |
72.5 (22.5) |
66.3 (19.1) |
54.5 (12.5) |
43.2 (6.2) |
35.5 (1.9) |
52.9 (11.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 20.8 (−6.2) |
22.4 (−5.3) |
28.9 (−1.7) |
38.0 (3.3) |
48.5 (9.2) |
57.6 (14.2) |
62.1 (16.7) |
60.9 (16.1) |
53.7 (12.1) |
41.1 (5.1) |
30.9 (−0.6) |
25.7 (−3.5) |
40.9 (4.9) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −1.2 (−18.4) |
2.4 (−16.4) |
11.9 (−11.2) |
23.9 (−4.5) |
33.2 (0.7) |
44.5 (6.9) |
51.4 (10.8) |
50.1 (10.1) |
40.6 (4.8) |
27.3 (−2.6) |
17.3 (−8.2) |
8.6 (−13.0) |
−4.8 (−20.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −33 (−36) |
−17 (−27) |
−7 (−22) |
15 (−9) |
25 (−4) |
32 (0) |
38 (3) |
40 (4) |
28 (−2) |
18 (−8) |
7 (−14) |
−18 (−28) |
−33 (−36) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.69 (94) |
3.51 (89) |
4.25 (108) |
3.89 (99) |
5.09 (129) |
4.93 (125) |
5.73 (146) |
3.66 (93) |
3.68 (93) |
3.47 (88) |
3.21 (82) |
3.98 (101) |
49.09 (1,247) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 9.9 (25) |
6.7 (17) |
2.8 (7.1) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.3 (0.76) |
3.4 (8.6) |
23.2 (59) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 15.6 | 13.4 | 13.6 | 13.7 | 14.6 | 13.0 | 12.5 | 11.2 | 10.0 | 11.1 | 11.8 | 14.9 | 155.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 5.3 | 4.1 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 3.0 | 14.5 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People of West Union
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 356 | — | |
| 1890 | 312 | −12.4% | |
| 1900 | 623 | 99.7% | |
| 1910 | 779 | 25.0% | |
| 1920 | 1,270 | 63.0% | |
| 1930 | 984 | −22.5% | |
| 1940 | 1,020 | 3.7% | |
| 1950 | 1,341 | 31.5% | |
| 1960 | 1,186 | −11.6% | |
| 1970 | 1,141 | −3.8% | |
| 1980 | 1,090 | −4.5% | |
| 1990 | 830 | −23.9% | |
| 2000 | 806 | −2.9% | |
| 2010 | 825 | 2.4% | |
| 2020 | 669 | −18.9% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 661 | −19.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 825 people living in West Union. They lived in 362 households, and 217 of these were families. The town had about 2292 people per square mile. Most of the people (99.3%) were White.
About 29% of households had children under 18. About 43% were married couples. The average household had 2.28 people, and the average family had 2.96 people.
The average age in West Union was 42.1 years old. About 24% of residents were under 18. About 22% were 65 years or older. There were slightly more females (51.5%) than males (48.5%) in the town.
Famous People from West Union
- Lewis Maxwell (1790–1862), a U.S. Representative from Virginia.
- Ephraim Bee (1802–1888), a local blacksmith and important community leader.
- Joseph H. Diss Debar (1817–1906), an artist from France who designed the official Seal of West Virginia.
- Wayne Underwood (1913–1967), an American football player.
- Clyde Ware, Jr (1930–2010), a Hollywood writer and director. He wrote a novel called The Eden Tree which was inspired by West Union in the past.
- Bantz J. Craddock (born 1949), a four-star general in the U.S. Army.
See also
In Spanish: West Union (Virginia Occidental) para niños
