Richwood, West Virginia
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Richwood is a city located in Nicholas County, West Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 2,477. A former coal and lumber boom town, the city's population once flirted with 10,000 but the closure of many underground coal mines caused many of Richwood's residents to leave the state in order to find work. The area is currently focusing on niche tourism as a means to revitalize the local economy. It currently calls itself the "Ramp Capital of the World" and host a large festival every April in honor of the pungent wild leek.
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History
The area surrounding the forks of the Cherry River has been populated since the late 18th century CE. Local legend holds that Shawnee cheif Blue Jacket was in fact a young white hunter named Marmaduke Van Swearingen that was kidnapped in the area. This theory, however, has generally fallen out of favor with most scholars.
During the 19th century, the area was a sparsely-settled semi-wilderness of homesteads and subsitence farms. This changed in 1898 when the railroad was extended into the area, then known as Cherry Tree Bottoms. Soon the area possessed the a large sawmill and the world's largest clothespin factory. Coal mine closures, however, crippled the economy. Richwood is now seeking to be reborn as a artisan community and their are efforts to attract visitors to the area for the natural beauty of the adjacent Monongahela National Forest.
Geography
WVMap-doton-Richwood.PNG
Location of Richwood, West Virginia
Richwood is located at 38°13'25" North, 80°32'12" West (38.223637, -80.536676)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.4 km² (1.7 mi²). 4.4 km² (1.7 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 2,477 people, 1,030 households, and 674 families residing in the city. The population density is 565.9/km² (1,464.1/mi²). There are 1,233 housing units at an average density of 281.7/km² (728.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 98.83% White, 0.16% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 0.40% from two or more races. 0.40% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,030 households out of which 24.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% are married couples living together, 13.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% are non-families. 32.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 17.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.29 and the average family size is 2.85.
In the city the population is spread out with 21.0% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 45 years. For every 100 females there are 83.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 79.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $21,620, and the median income for a family is $28,287. Males have a median income of $25,948 versus $18,533 for females. The per capita income for the city is $12,213. 29.2% of the population and 23.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 43.4% of those under the age of 18 and 14.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Local Attractions
Links
City of Richwood, WV (http://www.richwoodwv.com)