Gary, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Gary is a city in McDowell County
, West Virginia
, United States
, along the Tug Fork River
. The population was 968 at the 2010 census, making it the second largest city in McDowell County.
Gary was once a booming coal mining
company town
run by the United States Steel Corporation. Gary was incorporated on July 1, 1971, by popular vote of residents in an election held on March 16, 1970. Incorporation includes five communities: Elbert
, Filbert
, Gary, Thorpe
, and Wilcoe
. The town was named in honor of Judge Elbert Gary, one-time president of U.S. Steel Corporation. U.S. Steel shut down its Gary Operations in 1986. The principal industry is coal mining, but poverty and unemployment have plagued the area since the closing of U.S. Steel. Gary was home to the coal diggers before Gary High School and Gary Elementary School closed.
Chairman Judge Elbert H. Gary.
The now demolished U.S. Coal and Coke Company Store
at Ream was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1992.
of 2000, there were 917 people, 420 households, and 260 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,024.0 people per square mile (393.4/km²). There were 542 housing units at an average density of 605.2 per square mile (232.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.40% White, 35.55% African American, 0.11% Native American, and 2.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.55% of the population.
There were 420 households out of which 17.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were married couples
living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.0% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 18.4% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 32.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,857, and the median income for a family was $30,938. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $17,019 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,233. About 24.2% of families and 30.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 58.2% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.
The city is located in the Appalachian Mountains
, along the Tug Fork River
.
, while junior high and high school students attend Mount View High School
.
McDowell County, West Virginia
McDowell County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The land that became McDowell was originally part of Tazewell County, Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 22,113. Its county seat is Welch. McDowell county is the southern-most county in the state, geographically...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, along the Tug Fork River
Tug Fork River
The Tug Fork is a tributary of the Big Sandy River, long, in southwestern West Virginia, southwestern Virginia, and eastern Kentucky in the United States. Via the Big Sandy and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River....
. The population was 968 at the 2010 census, making it the second largest city in McDowell County.
Gary was once a booming coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
company town
Company town
A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...
run by the United States Steel Corporation. Gary was incorporated on July 1, 1971, by popular vote of residents in an election held on March 16, 1970. Incorporation includes five communities: Elbert
Elbert, West Virginia
Elbert is an neighborhood in the city of Gary in McDowell County, West Virginia, USA....
, Filbert
Filbert, West Virginia
Filbert is a community on Sandlick Creek in McDowell County, West Virginia, USA. Parts of Filbert are incorporated into the City of Gary to its north....
, Gary, Thorpe
Thorpe, West Virginia
Thorpe is a neighborhood of Gary, McDowell County, West Virginia, United States. Thorpe was once an independent community and was incorporated into Gary in 1971. Thorpe has its own post office with ZIP code 24888....
, and Wilcoe
Wilcoe, West Virginia
Wilcoe is a neighborhood of Gary, McDowell County, West Virginia, United States. Wilcoe was once an independent community and was incorporated into Gary in 1971. Wilcoe has its own post office with ZIP code 24895....
. The town was named in honor of Judge Elbert Gary, one-time president of U.S. Steel Corporation. U.S. Steel shut down its Gary Operations in 1986. The principal industry is coal mining, but poverty and unemployment have plagued the area since the closing of U.S. Steel. Gary was home to the coal diggers before Gary High School and Gary Elementary School closed.
History
Gary was given its name in honor of former U.S. SteelU.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
Chairman Judge Elbert H. Gary.
The now demolished U.S. Coal and Coke Company Store
U.S. Coal and Coke Company Store
U.S. Coal and Coke Company Store was a historic company store building located at Ream, McDowell County, West Virginia. It was built about 1910, and was two-story, square-plan brick building. It featured segmental arched windows and simple decoration....
at Ream was 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 1992.
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 917 people, 420 households, and 260 families residing in the city. 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 1,024.0 people per square mile (393.4/km²). There were 542 housing units at an average density of 605.2 per square mile (232.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.40% White, 35.55% African American, 0.11% Native American, and 2.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.55% of the population.
There were 420 households out of which 17.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% 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, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.0% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 18.4% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 32.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,857, and the median income for a family was $30,938. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $17,019 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 city was $13,233. About 24.2% of families and 30.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 58.2% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.
Geography
Gary is located at 37°21′41"N 81°32′11"W (37.361378, −81.536347). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city covers a total land area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2).The city is located in the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
, along the Tug Fork River
Tug Fork River
The Tug Fork is a tributary of the Big Sandy River, long, in southwestern West Virginia, southwestern Virginia, and eastern Kentucky in the United States. Via the Big Sandy and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River....
.
Climate
Education
After the closure of the Gary Elementary School (formerly Gary High School) no school systems were located in the city. Currently the elementary students attend Welch Elementary SchoolWelch Elementary School
Welch Elementary School is public elementary school in Welch, West Virginia. Welch Elementary School is one out of two schools in the Welch area, including Mount View High School. As of 2010 the school teaches Math, Social Studies, Language Arts, Health, and Science in grades Pre-K through the...
, while junior high and high school students attend Mount View High School
Mount View High School (West Virginia)
Mount View High School is a public high school in Welch, West Virginia. Located on the grounds of an old strip mine in the mountains of McDowell County, West Virginia. Mount View High School is one of two schools in the Welch area, which includes Welch Elementary School. As of 2010, the school...
.