South Charleston, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
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...
, 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...
The population was 13,450 at the 2010 census. South Charleston was established in 1906, but not incorporated until 1919 by special charter enacted by the West Virginia Legislature
West Virginia Legislature
The West Virginia Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of West Virginia. A bicameral legislative body, the Legislature is split between the upper Senate and the lower House of Delegates. It was established under Article VI of the West Virginia Constitution following the state's...
. Its name is based on the city being located primarily on the south side of 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...
, although it is actually west, not south, of the city of Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
.
The city is serviced by Interstate 64
Interstate 64 in West Virginia
The alignment of Interstate 64 was to originally parallel US 60 from Charleston to the Virginia state line. This would go through environmentally sensitive areas such as Hawk's Nest and the New River Gorge area and might have disrupted the natural beauty and the isolation of the area.In 1969,...
, U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway, running from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast in Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection...
, U.S. Route 119
U.S. Route 119
U.S. Route 119, commonly abbreviated as US 119, is a spur of US 19. It is a north–south route that was an original United States highway of 1926. It is often referred to as Corridor G east of US 23 and KY 80 in Kentucky to Interstate 64 at Charleston, West Virginia.- Kentucky :US 119 is a two...
, West Virginia Route 601 and West Virginia Route 214, and is bisected by 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...
. The city is serviced by the Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority bus system. A general aviation airfield, Mallory Airport
Mallory Airport
Mallory Airport is a private-use airport located three miles southwest of the central business district of South Charleston, in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. It is privately-owned by Ben F. Mallory.- Facilities and aircraft :...
, is located off of Chestnut Street, approximately two miles south of U.S. Route 60, and is also served by Yeager Airport
Yeager Airport
Yeager Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles east of the central business district of Charleston, a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. It is owned by the Central West Virginia Regional Airport Authority...
in Charleston. South Charleston serves as the headquarters to the West Virginia State Police
West Virginia State Police
The West Virginia State Police is a paramilitary organization, state law enforcement agency in the United States that provides statewide police services to the 1.83 million residents in West Virginia...
.
Geography
South Charleston is located at 38°21′9"N 81°42′43"W (38.352455, -81.712001).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 8.3 square miles (21.5 km²), of which, 7.4 square miles (19.2 km²) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it (10.60%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 13,450 people residing in South Charleston, WV. In 2000, there were 6,316 households, and 3,764 families residing in the city. The population densityPopulation 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 1,803.0 people per square mile (695.8/km²). There were 6,770 housing units at an average density of 911.6 per square mile (351.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.85% White, 6.67% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 0.24% 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 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.56% of the population.
There were 6,316 households out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% 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, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.72.
The age distribution is 19.1% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,905, and the median income for a family was $50,528. Males had a median income of $39,036 versus $25,978 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 $24,928. About 9.7% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.4% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
In South Charleston are the headquarters of International Industries, the parent company of a group of subsidiaries founded in 1947 by James H. "Buck" Harless (now its president and CEO), based primarily in natural resources such as coalCoal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
and timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
, but which also include the manufacturing, hotel and real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
industries.
Education
There are six elementary schools in South Charleston: Montrose Elementary, Ruthlawn Elementary, Richmond Elementary, Alum Creek Elementary, Bridgeview Elementary, and Weberwood Elementary. The main middle school is South Charleston Middle School (SCMS), which is located on 3rd Ave. SCMS houses grades 6-8. South Charleston High School (SCHS) is one of eight high schools in Kanawha County. SCHS is located on Eagle Way and houses grades 9-12.Arts and culture
South Charleston attractions include Criel MoundCriel Mound
The Criel Mound is a Native American burial mound located in South Charleston, West Virginia, USA. The mound was built by the Adena culture, probably around 250-150 BC, and lay equidistant between two “sacred circles”, earthwork enclosures each in diameter. It was originally high and in...
(also known as the South Charleston Adena Burial Mound), and the South Charleston Museum. The South Charleston Museum is located in the historic LaBelle Theater on D Street, and features a West Virginia Film Series, Open Mic Night, exhibitions, and other events.
The city is also home to a community center, an ice arena, Little Creek Park, Timberland Park and Joplin Park.
Notable natives and residents
- TelevangelistTelevangelismTelevangelism is the use of television to communicate the Christian faith. The word is a portmanteau of television and evangelism and was coined by Time magazine. A “televangelist” is a Christian minister who devotes a large portion of his ministry to television broadcasting...
T. D. JakesT. D. JakesThomas Dexter "T. D." Jakes Sr. is the chief pastor of The Potter's House, a non-denominational American megachurch, with 30,000 members, located in Dallas, Texas.T.D...
was born and raised in the city. - Former NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player Carl Lee was also born and raised in South Charleston. - CountryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
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...
was born in the city's Thomas Memorial Hospital to parents who lived 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:...
, where she grew up. - Thomas Memorial Hospital is named after Herbert J. Thomas, Jr.Herbert Joseph ThomasHerbert Joseph Thomas Jr. was a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and a Medal of Honor recipient for his heroic actions during World War II....
, a World War IIWorld War IIWorld 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...
Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient who was raised in South Charleston. - The critically acclaimed short-story writer Breece D'J PancakeBreece D'J PancakeBreece D'J Pancake was an American author of short fiction. Pancake was a native of West Virginia and published several stories in The Atlantic Monthly during his lifetime...
was born in South Charleston. - Richie Robb, long-time mayor and 2004 Presidential Elector.
The city is also home to Little Creek Golf Course formerly Kanawha Country Club
In 2009 The South Charleston Museum Foundation introduced their Belgian Exhibit which is housed in the Interpretive Center at 313 D Street. The Belgians operated two glass factories in the early 1900's in South Charleston.