Darkesville, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Darkesville is an unincorporated community
in Berkeley County
, West Virginia
, United States
. Established in 1791, Darkesville has been nationally recognized as a historic district.
A post office
and school (now closed) once operated in Darkesville.
and Martinsburg
along U.S. Route 11
. The community's elevation is 531 feet (162 m), and it is located at about 39°22′25"N 78°1′30"W (39.3738500, -78.0248602).
Middle Creek flows through the center of Darkesville.
, a Virginia military officer who had his headquarters in the community. Throughout its history, Darkesville has been known by multiple names and a wide variety of spellings. An 1895 atlas included the community as "Buckletown," and later variants included "Buckellstown," "Buckels Town," "Buckelstown," "Buckle Town," and "Bucklestown." "James Town" and "Locke" have also been applied to the community. Its current name has also been spelled "Darkes" and "Darkville".
as a historic district
. Darkesville was recognized for its historic architecture, which includes approximately twenty-five buildings constructed as log cabin
s in 1810 or earlier.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Berkeley County
Berkeley County, West Virginia
Berkeley County is a county located in the Eastern Panhandle region of the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population is 104,169, making it the second-most populous county in West Virginia, behind Kanawha...
, 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...
. Established in 1791, Darkesville has been nationally recognized as a historic district.
A post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
and school (now closed) once operated in Darkesville.
Geography
Darkesville lies between InwoodInwood, West Virginia
Inwood is a census-designated place in Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States, located south of Martinsburg. The population was 2,954 at the 2010 census. It is located on U.S...
and Martinsburg
Martinsburg, West Virginia
Martinsburg is a city in the Eastern Panhandle region of West Virginia, United States. The city's population was 14,972 at the 2000 census; according to a 2009 Census Bureau estimate, Martinsburg's population was 17,117, making it the largest city in the Eastern Panhandle and the eighth largest...
along U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 is a north–south United States highway extending 1,645 miles across the eastern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 90 in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in eastern New Orleans, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at the United...
. The community's elevation is 531 feet (162 m), and it is located at about 39°22′25"N 78°1′30"W (39.3738500, -78.0248602).
Middle Creek flows through the center of Darkesville.
Name
Darkesville is named for William DarkeWilliam Darke
General William Darke was an American soldier. In 1740, he moved from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Virginia. He was in Braddock's army in the defeat in 1755, and was made a captain at the beginning of the American Revolutionary War...
, a Virginia military officer who had his headquarters in the community. Throughout its history, Darkesville has been known by multiple names and a wide variety of spellings. An 1895 atlas included the community as "Buckletown," and later variants included "Buckellstown," "Buckels Town," "Buckelstown," "Buckle Town," and "Bucklestown." "James Town" and "Locke" have also been applied to the community. Its current name has also been spelled "Darkes" and "Darkville".
Historic district
In 1980, the community was listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational 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...
as a historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
. Darkesville was recognized for its historic architecture, which includes approximately twenty-five buildings constructed as log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
s in 1810 or earlier.