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Fayette County, West Virginia

Coordinates: 38°02′N 81°05′W / 38.03°N 81.09°W / 38.03; -81.09
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Fayette County
County
Fayette County courthouse, Fayetteville
Fayette County courthouse, Fayetteville
Map of West Virginia highlighting Fayette County
Location within the U.S. state of West Virginia
Map of the United States highlighting West Virginia
West Virginia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°02′N 81°05′W / 38.03°N 81.09°W / 38.03; -81.09
Country United States
State West Virginia
FoundedFebruary 28, 1831
Named forMarquis de la Fayette
SeatFayetteville
Largest cityOak Hill
Area
 • Total
668 sq mi (1,730 km2)
 • Land662 sq mi (1,710 km2)
 • Water7 sq mi (20 km2)  1.0%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2012)
45,869
 • Density70/sq mi (28/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Websitewww.fayettecounty.wv.gov
Cathedral Falls

Fayette County is a county located in the State of West Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 46,039.[1] Its county seat is Fayetteville.Template:GR

Fayette County is a part of the Beckley, WV Metropolitan Statistical Area.[2]

History

Fayette County was created by Act of the Virginia General Assembly, passed February 28, 1831,[3] from parts of Greenbrier, Kanawha, Nicholas, and Logan counties. It was named in honor of the Marquis de la Fayette, who had played a key role assisting the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.[4] Virginia previously had a Fayette County, which was lost to form the new state of Kentucky. Accordingly, in the State records of Virginia, there will be listings for Fayette County from 1780–1792 and Fayette County from 1831-1863. Neither location is still located in Virginia and despite naming a county after him twice, Virginia no longer has a county named for the Marquis de la Fayette.

A substantial portion was subdivided from Fayette County to form Raleigh County in 1850. Fayette was one of 50 counties that broke off from the rest of Virginia and formed the new state of West Virginia during the American Civil War. In 1871, an Act of the West Virginia Legislature severed a small portion to form part of Summers County.[5]

Fayette County was home to a disastrous mine explosion at Red Ash in March 1900, in which 46 miners were killed.[6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 668 square miles (1,730 km2), of which 662 square miles (1,710 km2) is land and 7 square miles (18 km2) (1.0%) is water. Plum Orchard Lake, a reservoir southwest of Oak Hill, is the second largest lake in West Virginia.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18403,924—
18503,9550.8%
18605,99751.6%
18706,64710.8%
188011,56073.9%
189020,54277.7%
190031,98755.7%
191051,90362.3%
192060,37716.3%
193072,05019.3%
194080,62811.9%
195082,4432.3%
196061,731−25.1%
197049,332−20.1%
198057,86317.3%
199047,952−17.1%
200047,579−0.8%
201046,039−3.2%
2012 (est.)45,869−0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2012[1]

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 47,579 people, 18,945 households, and 13,128 families residing in the county. The population density was 72 people per square mile (28/km²). There were 21,616 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.74% White, 5.57% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. 0.68% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 18,945 households out of which 29.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% were married couples living together, 13.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out with 21.70% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 16.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,788, and the median income for a family was $30,243. Males had a median income of $28,554 versus $18,317 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,809. About 18.20% of families and 21.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.90% of those under age 18 and 13.70% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The county has a tradition of coal mining, which still serves as a primary source of employment in the area. A Georgia Pacific lumber mill has its home to the west of Mt. Hope, adjacent to U.S. Route 19. There exists a large metal alloy plant in Alloy. The Mount Olive Correctional Complex, West Virginia's only maximum security state prison, is also located in Fayette County. [citation needed]

Notable Citizens

Communities

Cities and towns

Below is partial listing of known unincorporated communities within Fayette County. A complete listing is available here

Unincorporated communities

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  2. ^ http://www.register-herald.com/local/x503822301/Fayette-Raleigh-MPO-expands-to-include-entirety-of-both-counties
  3. ^ http://www.wvculture.org/history/counties/fayette.html
  4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 124.
  5. ^ http://burgesslegacy.org/fayette/chapter_i.htm
  6. ^ http://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/29
  7. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  9. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  10. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  11. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Craddock
  12. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Elkins
  13. ^ NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
  14. ^ http://www.visitwv.com/vacation/mount-hope-jubilee/
  15. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_%26_Emery_McClung
  16. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Neale_Jackson
  17. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_McCoy
  18. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Pridemore
  19. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley_M._Kilgore
  20. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGillivray_Milne
  21. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunney_Hunsaker
  22. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Truman
  23. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonnie_Warwick

38°02′N 81°05′W / 38.03°N 81.09°W / 38.03; -81.09

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