Eleanor, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Eleanor is a town in Putnam County
, West Virginia
, U.S.
, along the Kanawha River
. Its population was 1,518 at the 2010 census. The town was established as a New Deal
project in the 1930s and named for Eleanor Roosevelt
. Like other FDR towns around the nation (such as Greenbelt
, Greenhills
, Greendale
, Hanford
, or Norris
), it was a "sundown town
", for whites only.
and Tygart Valley
. When the town was developed, the houses were built to look very similar to one another and are now referred to as old Eleanor houses. There are two schools in Eleanor, George Washington Elementary School and George Washington Middle School. G.W. Middle was burned down in 2000 by three students who attended the school at the time.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.2 km²), all land.
of 2000, there were 1,345 people, 574 households, and 416 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,597.1 inhabitants per square mile (618.2/km²). There were 608 housing units at an average density of 722.0 per square mile (279.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.55% White, 0.07% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.15% Asian, and 0.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.52% of the population.
There were 574 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% were married couples
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $35,284, and the median income for a family was $43,274. Males had a median income of $35,000 versus $21,198 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $19,104. About 5.6% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.
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...
, 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...
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 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...
. Its population was 1,518 at the 2010 census. The town was established as a New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
project in the 1930s and named for Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
. Like other FDR towns around the nation (such as Greenbelt
Greenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Contained within today's City of Greenbelt is the historic planned community now known locally as "Old Greenbelt" and designated as the Greenbelt Historic District...
, Greenhills
Greenhills, Ohio
Greenhills is a village in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,103 at the 2000 census. It is a planned community that was established by the United States federal government during the Great Depression.-Geography:...
, Greendale
Greendale, Wisconsin
Greendale is a village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 14,405 at the 2000 census.-History:Greendale was settled in 1938 as a public cooperative community in the New Deal Era...
, Hanford
Hanford, Washington
Hanford was a small agricultural community in Benton County, Washington, United States. It was evacuated in 1943 along with the town of White Bluffs in order to make room for the nuclear production facility known as the Hanford Site...
, or Norris
Norris, Tennessee
Norris is a city in Anderson County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 1,446 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
), it was a "sundown town
Sundown town
A sundown town is a town that is or was purposely all-White. The term is widely used in the United States in areas from Ohio to Oregon and well into the South. The term came from signs that were allegedly posted stating that people of color had to leave the town by sundown...
", for whites only.
History
Eleanor was established in 1934, when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited the county and developed it as a test site for families. It was one of three resettlement communities in West Virginia, the others being ArthurdaleArthurdale, West Virginia
Arthurdale is an unincorporated community in Preston County, West Virginia, United States. Arthurdale was named for Richard Arthur, former owner of the land on which it was built, who had sold the land to the federal government under a tax default....
and Tygart Valley
Tygart Valley Homesteads Historic District
Tygart Valley Homesteads Historic District is a national historic district located near Dailey, Randolph County, West Virginia. It encompasses 337 contributing buildings, 3 contributing sites, and 3 contributing structures, associated with a resettlement community established during the Great...
. When the town was developed, the houses were built to look very similar to one another and are now referred to as old Eleanor houses. There are two schools in Eleanor, George Washington Elementary School and George Washington Middle School. G.W. Middle was burned down in 2000 by three students who attended the school at the time.
Geography
Eleanor is located at 38°32′21"N 81°55′52"W (38.539037, -81.931046).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 town has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.2 km²), all land.
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 1,345 people, 574 households, and 416 families residing in the town. 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 1,597.1 inhabitants per square mile (618.2/km²). There were 608 housing units at an average density of 722.0 per square mile (279.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.55% White, 0.07% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.15% Asian, and 0.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.52% of the population.
There were 574 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% 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, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $35,284, and the median income for a family was $43,274. Males had a median income of $35,000 versus $21,198 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 town was $19,104. About 5.6% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.