Alum Creek, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Alum Creek is a census-designated place
(CDP) in Kanawha
and Lincoln
counties in the U.S. state
of West Virginia
. Located along the Coal River
, it had a population of 1,749 at the 2010 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 10.3 square miles (26.6 km²); 10.2 square miles (26.4 km²) of this is land, and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) is water.
of 2000, there were 1,839 people, 759 households, and 563 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 107.0 people per square mile (41.3/km²). There were 837 housing units at an average density of 48.7/sq mi (18.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 99.18% White, 0.33% African American, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.16% of the population.
There were 759 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% were married couples
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $40,714, and the median income for a family was $47,195. Males had a median income of $43,233 versus $36,875 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $24,607. About 13.1% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.
built a line along the Coal River
to transport coal
from the coal fields in Boone
and Logan
counties into the hub in nearby town of St. Albans
. Soon the town grew and a town council was formed. The town officially changed its name to Alum Creek in 1910. A constable policed the town, although without a vehicle he relied on the generosity of locals to transport him from place to place. In 1922 a set of bridges were constructed across the Big and Little Coal rivers. It was also at approximately this time Union Carbide
built a summer camp called Cliffside on the banks of the Coal River. The town flourished for the next half century with most of its residents working in either the mining industries or in chemicals. Two elementary schools were founded in the town, one being Alum Creek Elementary on the Kanawha County
side, and Midway Elementary on the Lincoln County
side. A high school was also built in the 1930s known as Washington District High School, after the tax district. WDHS was closed in 1980 due to school consolidation. In the mid-1970s U.S. Route 119
was constructed through Alum Creek, and brought a host of businesses into Alum Creek, however this did not help the town out of poverty due to a decline in the coal mining and chemical industries. The town is now seeing a comeback due to the expansion of business along Rt 119. Median income is on the rise, and the town has grown to encompass an area of over 17 miles.
Located near Alum Creek is Holley Hills Estate
, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1980.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Kanawha
Kanawha County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 200,073 people, 86,226 households, and 55,960 families residing in the county. The population density was 222 people per square mile . There were 93,788 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile...
and Lincoln
Lincoln County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,108 people, 8,664 households, and 6,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile . There were 9,846 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. Located along the Coal River
Coal River (West Virginia)
The Coal River is a tributary of the Kanawha River in southern West Virginia. It is formed near the community of Alum Creek by the confluence of the Big and Little Coal Rivers, and flows generally northward through western Kanawha County, past the community of Upper Falls and into the Kanawha...
, it had a population of 1,749 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Alum Creek is located at 38°16′45"N 81°49′32"W (38.279034, -81.825657).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 10.3 square miles (26.6 km²); 10.2 square miles (26.4 km²) of this is land, and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,839 people, 759 households, and 563 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 107.0 people per square mile (41.3/km²). There were 837 housing units at an average density of 48.7/sq mi (18.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 99.18% White, 0.33% African American, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.16% of the population.
There were 759 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $40,714, and the median income for a family was $47,195. Males had a median income of $43,233 versus $36,875 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $24,607. About 13.1% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.
History
The town of Rome was founded at the junction of the Little and Big Coal rivers in the 1890s by the Childress Family. Soon the Chesapeake and Ohio RailwayChesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
built a line along the Coal River
Coal River (West Virginia)
The Coal River is a tributary of the Kanawha River in southern West Virginia. It is formed near the community of Alum Creek by the confluence of the Big and Little Coal Rivers, and flows generally northward through western Kanawha County, past the community of Upper Falls and into the Kanawha...
to transport coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
from the coal fields in Boone
Boone County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,535 people, 10,291 households, and 7,460 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 11,575 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile...
and Logan
Logan County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 37,710 people, 14,880 households, and 10,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 83 people per square mile . There were 16,807 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile...
counties into the hub in nearby town of St. Albans
St. Albans, West Virginia
St. Albans is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States, at the confluence of the Kanawha and Coal Rivers. The population was 11,044 at the 2010 census.St. Albans was laid out in 1816...
. Soon the town grew and a town council was formed. The town officially changed its name to Alum Creek in 1910. A constable policed the town, although without a vehicle he relied on the generosity of locals to transport him from place to place. In 1922 a set of bridges were constructed across the Big and Little Coal rivers. It was also at approximately this time Union Carbide
Union Carbide
Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
built a summer camp called Cliffside on the banks of the Coal River. The town flourished for the next half century with most of its residents working in either the mining industries or in chemicals. Two elementary schools were founded in the town, one being Alum Creek Elementary on the Kanawha County
Kanawha County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 200,073 people, 86,226 households, and 55,960 families residing in the county. The population density was 222 people per square mile . There were 93,788 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile...
side, and Midway Elementary on the Lincoln County
Lincoln County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,108 people, 8,664 households, and 6,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile . There were 9,846 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
side. A high school was also built in the 1930s known as Washington District High School, after the tax district. WDHS was closed in 1980 due to school consolidation. In the mid-1970s U.S. Route 119
U.S. Route 119
U.S. Route 119, commonly abbreviated as US 119, is a spur of US 19. It is a north–south route that was an original United States highway of 1926. It is often referred to as Corridor G east of US 23 and KY 80 in Kentucky to Interstate 64 at Charleston, West Virginia.- Kentucky :US 119 is a two...
was constructed through Alum Creek, and brought a host of businesses into Alum Creek, however this did not help the town out of poverty due to a decline in the coal mining and chemical industries. The town is now seeing a comeback due to the expansion of business along Rt 119. Median income is on the rise, and the town has grown to encompass an area of over 17 miles.
Located near Alum Creek is Holley Hills Estate
Holley Hills Estate
Holley Hills Estate, also known as Holley Hills Farm, is a historic home located near Alum Creek, Lincoln County, West Virginia. The house was built about 1885, and is a two story, oak frame ell structure. It features a two story front porch of five bays, the upper tier of which is enclosed in a...
, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1980.
Landmarks
- Swinging Bridges - First bridges in Alum Creek to span the Coal River, built in 1922, located at the Forks of Coal (confluence of Big Coal and Little Coal Rivers).
- Midway Elementary - Lincoln County elementary school
- Alum Creek Elementary - Kanawha County elementary school
- Washington District High School - Closed school building, standing across the street from Alum Creek Elementary on Brounland Rd.
- Lions Club Park - Community park located on Coal River Road.
- Forks of Coal Missionary Baptist Church - Founded in 1832, surrounded by historic cemetery.