Nitro, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Nitro is a city in West Virginia
, along the Kanawha River
. Most of the city lies in Kanawha County
, with the remainder in Putnam County
. The population was 7,178 at the 2010 census.
Nitro was incorporated in 1932 by Circuit Court
.
. The Nitro area was to be the American ammunition production facility during World War I
. Its name was selected by the United States
government because of the establishment there, during World War I, of a large federal plant for the manufacture of explosives. The chemical plants in the area were able to fulfill this function during World War II
, on a lesser scale. The city is known as the "Magic City," or a "Living Memorial to World War I."
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.6 km²), of which, 3.8 square miles (9.7 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.9 km²) of it (8.09%) is water.
of 2000, there were 6,824 people, 3,015 households, and 1,935 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,821.2 people per square mile (702.6/km²). There were 3,217 housing units at an average density of 858.6 per square mile (331.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.64% White, 1.63% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.40% from other races
, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.54% of the population.
There were 3,015 households out of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples
living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.80.
The age distribution was 20.1% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,389, and the median income for a family was $41,367. Males had a median income of $30,086 versus $21,932 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,453. About 7.3% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over.
Kanawha County residents are served by the following schools in the city:
There is no public middle school in Nitro on either side of the county line, nor is there any public school within the Putnam County portion of the city. Middle school students in Kanawha County must bus to Andrew Jackson Middle School in Cross Lanes. Putnam County students must bus to Rock Branch Elementary, Poca Middle, and Poca High.
The site was located on an 1800 acres (7.3 km²) cow pasture on the Kanawha River on the flat river valley floodplain. The facility had just been placed in operation when the war ended in November 1918. The first shipment of powder was also the last. Local authorities then sought various chemical companies to occupy the facility which had excellent infrastructure in utilities, transportation and new housing for workers. It was hoped that the former gunpowder complex would become a major chemical manufacturing center, especially for the emerging dye industry in the U.S. that relied on coal and coke by-products as feedstock.
The Kanawha River and water in the adjacent alluvium have been adversely affected by industrial activities (Messinger, 1997).
The chemical manufacturing history of Nitro resulted in environmental impairment, including the Fike/Artel Chemical Site (EPA ID: WVD047989207), which is on the National Priorities List Superfund. The 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) site was placed on the EPA
National Priorities List in 1983. The site is a former World War I chemical munitions plant at which subsequent chemical manufacturing, reclamation and disposal was allegedly conducted.
The Solutia Inc. Nitro Plant, located on the east bank of the Kanawha River approximately one-half mile north of the City of Nitro in Putnam County, is being investigated through the RCRA
program. From 1918 to 1921, the facility manufactured explosives including “nitro-powder” to support World War I. When explosives manufacturing processes ceased, the facility was purchased and used for a variety of industries. RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3 and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.
Other RCRA Corrective Action facilities include Great Lakes Chemicals Company (formerly FMC Corporation) and Union Carbide Corp. - PTO (a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company).
Due to manufacturing activities, Nitro becoming known was for a distinctive chemical smell—especially in the area of the I-64 bridge. However, the recent shift away from manufacturing in the region has significantly reduced air pollution issues.
operated a lab in Nitro that was tied to the Raelians. It was located inside a rented room within a former high school. The FDA said that the equipment in lab was state-of-the-art and had been bought by a former West Virginia state legislator Mark Hunt.
sighting, although this remains unconfirmed. Nitro is home to several antique and primitive shops. The antique shops throughout the city are a great attraction for visitors of collectables from all over the country.
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...
, along the Kanawha River
Kanawha River
The Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, it has formed a significant industrial region of the state since the middle of the 19th century.It is formed at the town of Gauley...
. Most of the city lies in 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...
, with the remainder in Putnam County
Putnam County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 51,589 people, 20,028 households, and 15,281 families residing in the county. The population density was 149 people per square mile . There were 21,621 housing units at an average density of 62 per square mile...
. The population was 7,178 at the 2010 census.
Nitro was incorporated in 1932 by Circuit Court
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
.
City name origin
The name Nitro derives from nitrocelluloseNitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. When used as a propellant or low-order explosive, it is also known as guncotton...
. The Nitro area was to be the American ammunition production facility during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Its name was selected by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government because of the establishment there, during World War I, of a large federal plant for the manufacture of explosives. The chemical plants in the area were able to fulfill this function during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, on a lesser scale. The city is known as the "Magic City," or a "Living Memorial to World War I."
Famous residents
Famous people with ties to the town:- Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player Lew BurdetteLew BurdetteSelva Lewis Burdette, Jr. was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Boston and Milwaukee Braves...
was born in Nitro in 1926. - Country singer Kathy MatteaKathy MatteaKathleen Alice "Kathy" Mattea is an American country music and bluegrass performer who often brings folk, Celtic and traditional country sounds to her music. Active since 1983 as a recording artist, she has recorded seventeen albums and has charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot...
, who grew up in nearby Cross LanesCross Lanes, West VirginiaCross Lanes is an unincorporated census-designated place and suburb of Charleston in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 9,995.-Geography:...
, is a graduate of Nitro High School. - J. R. HouseJ. R. HouseJames Rodger "J. R." House is a catcher in Major League Baseball with the independent Long Island Ducks. House was drafted in the 5th round. He later gave up baseball, focusing instead on his love of football...
, who played for several MLB teams in the early 2000s, was a record-setting quarterback at Nitro High from 1996 through 1998. - Actor Clark GableClark GableWilliam Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
lived briefly in Nitro around 1920. - Diemon Dave (aka Kung Fu Hillbilly from the Jerry Springer Show) lives in Nitro, WV
- NFL Wide Receiver Randy Moss was born in raised in Kanawha County in nearby Rand, but lived briefly in Nitro
Geography
Nitro is located at 38°24′55"N 81°49′52"W (38.415281, -81.831249).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 city has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.6 km²), of which, 3.8 square miles (9.7 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.9 km²) of it (8.09%) 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 6,824 people, 3,015 households, and 1,935 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 1,821.2 people per square mile (702.6/km²). There were 3,217 housing units at an average density of 858.6 per square mile (331.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.64% White, 1.63% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.40% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.54% of the population.
There were 3,015 households out of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% 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, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.80.
The age distribution was 20.1% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,389, and the median income for a family was $41,367. Males had a median income of $30,086 versus $21,932 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 $17,453. About 7.3% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The city's public school students do not all attend the same schools, because West Virginia school districts are divided strictly along county lines, without regard to city boundaries.Kanawha County residents are served by the following schools in the city:
- Nitro Elementary School (public)
- Nitro High School (public)
There is no public middle school in Nitro on either side of the county line, nor is there any public school within the Putnam County portion of the city. Middle school students in Kanawha County must bus to Andrew Jackson Middle School in Cross Lanes. Putnam County students must bus to Rock Branch Elementary, Poca Middle, and Poca High.
Environment
The reach of the Kanawha River Valley between Belle and Nitro is known locally as the “Chemical Valley,” which, at its peak in the late 1950s and early 1960s, was the leading producer of chemicals in the world (Henry, 1974). During World War I the government built an $80 million complex in Nitro to manufacture explosives and chemicals for the war effort.The site was located on an 1800 acres (7.3 km²) cow pasture on the Kanawha River on the flat river valley floodplain. The facility had just been placed in operation when the war ended in November 1918. The first shipment of powder was also the last. Local authorities then sought various chemical companies to occupy the facility which had excellent infrastructure in utilities, transportation and new housing for workers. It was hoped that the former gunpowder complex would become a major chemical manufacturing center, especially for the emerging dye industry in the U.S. that relied on coal and coke by-products as feedstock.
The Kanawha River and water in the adjacent alluvium have been adversely affected by industrial activities (Messinger, 1997).
The chemical manufacturing history of Nitro resulted in environmental impairment, including the Fike/Artel Chemical Site (EPA ID: WVD047989207), which is on the National Priorities List Superfund. The 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) site was placed on the EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
National Priorities List in 1983. The site is a former World War I chemical munitions plant at which subsequent chemical manufacturing, reclamation and disposal was allegedly conducted.
The Solutia Inc. Nitro Plant, located on the east bank of the Kanawha River approximately one-half mile north of the City of Nitro in Putnam County, is being investigated through the RCRA
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act , enacted in 1976, is the principal Federal law in the United States governing the disposal of solid waste and hazardous waste.-History and Goals:...
program. From 1918 to 1921, the facility manufactured explosives including “nitro-powder” to support World War I. When explosives manufacturing processes ceased, the facility was purchased and used for a variety of industries. RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3 and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.
Other RCRA Corrective Action facilities include Great Lakes Chemicals Company (formerly FMC Corporation) and Union Carbide Corp. - PTO (a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company).
Due to manufacturing activities, Nitro becoming known was for a distinctive chemical smell—especially in the area of the I-64 bridge. However, the recent shift away from manufacturing in the region has significantly reduced air pollution issues.
Scientific Research Activities
In 2001 ClonaidClonaid
Clonaid is a human cloning company founded in 1997. It has philosophical ties with the Raëlian sect, which sees cloning as the first step in achieving immortality. On December 27, 2002, Clonaid's chief executive, Brigitte Boisselier, claimed that a baby clone, named Eve, was born. Media coverage of...
operated a lab in Nitro that was tied to the Raelians. It was located inside a rented room within a former high school. The FDA said that the equipment in lab was state-of-the-art and had been bought by a former West Virginia state legislator Mark Hunt.
Recreation
Nitro is home to Ridenour Lake, a 27 acres (109,265.2 m²) impoundment located in the City of Nitro’s Ridenour Park (43 acres (174,015 m²)). The area near the lake was the scene of an alleged February 18, 1967 MothmanMothman
Mothman is a legendary creature reportedly seen in the Point Pleasant area of West Virginia from 15 November 1966 to 15 December 1967. The first newspaper report was published in the Point Pleasant Register dated 16 November 1966, entitled "Couples See Man-Sized Bird...Creature...Something"...
sighting, although this remains unconfirmed. Nitro is home to several antique and primitive shops. The antique shops throughout the city are a great attraction for visitors of collectables from all over the country.