Piedmont, West Virginia | |
|---|---|
| Town of Piedmont | |
 Downtown Piedmont in January 2014 | |
 Location of Piedmont in Mineral County, West Virginia. | |
| Coordinates:39°28′49″N79°02′53″W / 39.48028°N 79.04806°W /39.48028; -79.04806 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Mineral |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor/Council |
| • Mayor | Paula Boggs[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.38 sq mi (0.99 km2) |
| • Land | 0.38 sq mi (0.99 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,201 ft (366 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 716 |
• Estimate (2021)[3] | 707 |
| • Density | 2,103.5/sq mi (812.16/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 26750 |
| Area code | 304 |
| FIPS code | 54-63604[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2391360[5] |
| Website | local |
Piedmont is a town inMineral County,West Virginia, United States. It is part of theCumberland,MD-WVmetropolitan statistical area. The population was 716 at the2020 census.[3] Piedmont was chartered in 1856 and the town is the subject ofColored People: A Memoir[6] by Piedmont nativeHenry Louis Gates Jr.
As its name suggests, Piedmont is located at the base of a mountain, in this instance the foot of theAllegheny Front, the eastern edge of theAllegheny Mountains orAppalachian Plateau, on the south (West Virginia) side of theNorth Branch of the Potomac River.
Piedmont is located at39°28′49″N79°2′53″W / 39.48028°N 79.04806°W /39.48028; -79.04806 (39.480232, -79.048086).[7] According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.38 square miles (0.98 km2), all land.[8]
_just_south_of_the_North_Branch_Potomac_River_in_Piedmont%2c_Mineral_County%2c_West_Virginia.jpg)
The only significant highway directly serving Piedmont isWest Virginia Route 46. Route 46 continues west across theNorth Branch Potomac River intoWesternport,Maryland. To the east, Route 46 heads toKeyser, where it has a junction withU.S. Route 220.
The Town of Piedmont is situated in the Allegheny Front mountain range along theNorth Branch of the Potomac River. A century prior to the chartering of Piedmont, the area was opened for European settlement with the creation ofHampshire County in 1754 by the colonial government in Virginia. The region was the scene of hostile interactions between European settlers and pro-French Native Americans during theFrench and Indian War. Owing to its location and natural resources, the Piedmont area attracted German, Scotch-Irish, Swiss, English, and Italian immigrants, making the region more diverse than the primarily English-American Hampshire County. These cultural differences within the county, as well as growing population in the years leading up to the Civil War would later contribute to the formation of a new county.
The village of Piedmont was settled by people seeking to extract coal from the Allegheny Front mountain range which extends for several miles to the south of the town. Its strategic location at the intersection ofGeorge's Creek Valley, an industrial center in neighboring Maryland, made Piedmont a desirable location for a depot on theBaltimore and Ohio Railroad as it pushed west on its route to Wheeling and the Ohio River. The original main line of the B&O railroad reached the site of Piedmont on July 21, 1851. Two years later in 1853, the railroad reached theOhio River atWheeling, connectingBaltimore, Maryland with a direct route leading to the rapidly-growingNorthwest Territory states. The line through Piedmont remains a segment of the B&O system, now part ofCSX Transportation.
With the arrival of the B&O and the building of a roundhouse and rail yard, the Town of Piedmont was chartered in 1856.[9] During theAmerican Civil War (1861–1865), the town of Piedmont was frequently raided by theMcNeill's Rangers in an effort by theConfederates to disrupt B&O train service. Despite the interruption of the war, the region continued to develop new industrial and commercial institutions, leading to the creation ofMineral County in 1866 (separated from Hampshire County).[10] Along with neighboringGrant County, these two new counties were the first created in the state of West Virginia which itself was separated from Virginia in 1863. In 1888,William Luke established the West Virginia Paper Company (now Verso Luke Mill) on 50 acres (20 ha) ofMaryland land known asWest Piedmont (nowLuke, Maryland, adjacent to the larger town ofWesternport, Maryland), fueling further development of the region.
Notable residents of Piedmont have included U.S. SenatorHenry Gassaway Davis who worked as a storekeeper and railroad agent before opening the region's largest coal mines on the "Big Vein" on the Allegheny Front.[10]Leslie Thrasher, a noted illustrator whose work was featured on the covers ofLiberty magazine and theSaturday Evening Post was born in Piedmont on September 15, 1889.Jazz musician and composerDon Redman was born in Piedmont on July 29, 1900.Henry Louis Gates, a professor of African-American history atHarvard University, was raised in Piedmont, an experience he described in his 1994 bookColored People.[6] Steve Whiteman, lead singer for the glam/rock band Kix was raised in Piedmont and graduated from Piedmont High School.[11]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 1,366 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,853 | 35.7% | |
| 1900 | 2,115 | — | |
| 1910 | 2,054 | −2.9% | |
| 1920 | 2,835 | 38.0% | |
| 1930 | 2,241 | −21.0% | |
| 1940 | 2,677 | 19.5% | |
| 1950 | 2,565 | −4.2% | |
| 1960 | 2,307 | −10.1% | |
| 1970 | 1,763 | −23.6% | |
| 1980 | 1,491 | −15.4% | |
| 1990 | 1,094 | −26.6% | |
| 2000 | 1,014 | −7.3% | |
| 2010 | 876 | −13.6% | |
| 2020 | 716 | −18.3% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 707 | [3] | −1.3% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[12] | |||
As of thecensus[13] of 2010, there were 876 people, 385 households, and 225 families living in the town. Thepopulation density was 2,305.3 inhabitants per square mile (890.1/km2). There were 480 housing units at an average density of 1,263.2 per square mile (487.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 77.3%White, 17.9%African American, 0.1%Native American, 0.1%Asian, 0.6% fromother races, and 4.0% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 2.1% of the population.
There were 385 households, of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.9% weremarried couples living together, 21.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.6% were non-families. 36.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.91.
The median age in the town was 37.1 years. 25.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.3% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 14.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.
As of thecensus[4] of 2000, there were 1,094 people, 423 households, and 266 families living in the town. The population density was 2,413.4 inhabitants per square mile (931.8/km2). There were 499 housing units at an average density of 1,187.7 per square mile (458.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 74.36%White, 21.79%African American, 0.20%Native American, 1.78% fromother races, and 1.87% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 2.07% of the population.
There were 423 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% weremarried couples living together, 20.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $21,190, and the median income for a family was $26,964. Males had a median income of $21,938 versus $18,250 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $11,678. About 24.7% of families and 30.7% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 41.3% of those under age 18 and 23.5% of those age 65 or over.
Piedmont has not had a high school in town since 1976. Piedmont High School was consolidated withKeyser High School in 1977. Although, at one time, there were three high schools in Piedmont; Davis Free School, 1890–1938, Howard High School, 1877–1955 and Piedmont High School, 1939–1976. These schools were recently memorialized by erecting a monument in front of the Piedmont city building on September 2, 2017. This was a vision of the Piedmont Back Street Community Festival Committee, led by President Chuck Green.[14]
The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, Piedmont has amarine west coast climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.[15]
Municipalities and communities ofMineral County, West Virginia,United States | ||
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| Ghost towns | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
