Chapmanville, West Virginia Explained

Official Name:Chapmanville, West Virginia
Settlement Type:Town
Image Blank Emblem:Logo of Chapmanville, West Virginia.png
Blank Emblem Type:Logo
Mapsize:250px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:West Virginia
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Logan
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:1.76
Area Land Km2:1.70
Area Water Km2:0.06
Area Total Sq Mi:0.68
Area Land Sq Mi:0.66
Area Water Sq Mi:0.02
Population As Of:2020
Population Est:1001
Pop Est As Of:2021
Population Footnotes:[2]
Population Total:1025
Population Density Km2:642.93
Population Density Sq Mi:1665.14
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Elevation M:195
Elevation Ft:640
Coordinates:37.9717°N -82.02°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:25508
Area Code:304 & 681
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:54-14524[3]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:1537207[4]
Website:https://townofchapmanville.com
Unit Pref:Imperial

Chapmanville is a town in Logan County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,025 at the 2020 census.[2] Chapmanville is named for Ned Chapman, an early settler who operated a store and post office.[5] It was incorporated in 1947.[6]

Geography

Chapmanville is located in northern Logan County at 37.9717°N -82.02°W (37.971615, -82.020017).[7] It is situated between the mouth of Crawley Creek and Godby Branch along the Guyandotte River at a point where the northward-flowing river briefly bends sharply southwestwardly before turning north again.[8]

U.S. Route 119 and West Virginia Route 10, both of which approach from Logan to the south, intersect in Chapmanville. From this intersection, WV 10 continues northward in the direction of Huntington, while US 119 veers northeastward toward Charleston.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.67sqmi, of which 0.65sqmi is land and 0.02sqmi is water.[9]

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census[10] of 2010, there were 1,256 people, 604 households, and 338 families living in the town. The population density was 1932.3PD/sqmi. There were 667 housing units at an average density of 1026.2/sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.2% White, 0.2% African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 604 households, of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.7% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.0% were non-families. 40.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.77.

The median age in the town was 42.4 years. 18.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.1% were from 25 to 44; 27.5% were from 45 to 64; and 19.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 46.1% male and 53.9% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,211 people, 581 households, and 330 families living in the town. The population density was 1,797.4 inhabitants per square mile (697.9/km2). There were 658 housing units at an average density of 976.6 per square mile (379.2/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.84% White, 0.74% Asian, and 0.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.41% of the population.

There were 581 households, out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were non-families. 40.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.0% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $23,077, and the median income for a family was $38,250. Males had a median income of $28,500 versus $20,769 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,581. About 12.1% of families and 20.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.7% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over.

History

Captain Farley's Raid

Captain Henry Farley, a veteran of the Revolutionary War and resident of Montgomery County, Virginia, was the first known Anglo visitor to present-day Chapmanville. In June 1792, Captain Farley passed through the area while pursuing a Native American war party that had raided Virginia settlements at Bluestone River. By the time he reached what is today Chapmanville, he and his group had already engaged the retreating natives in the headwaters of Coal River and in the Guyandotte River valley some two miles below what is today Logan. Farley pursued the natives to the mouth of the Guyandotte River before returning home.[11]

Pioneer Settlers

Chapmanville was settled by the Chapman and Ferrell families. The following families were also important in its early history: Butcher, Conley, Dingess, Godby, and Stollings.

Civil War

During the American Civil War, Chapmanville residents overwhelmingly supported the Confederacy. The Battle of Kanawha Gap occurred at Chapmanville on September 25, 1861. A highway historical marker commemorates the battle. An irregular pro-Confederate unit called the Black-Striped Company operated in the vicinity throughout the war. A legend persists that a Union payroll of gold coins is buried on the west side of the river in Chapmanville.

Government

The town is governed by the Mayor and Council System. The mayor and the council are elected by the voters of the town. The Council consists of five members. The Mayor is charged with the day-to-day operations of the town. The Council serves as the local legislative body. Members fulfill their duties by enacting ordinances, resolutions, and advocating on behalf of the citizens. Each member is elected to a four-year term. Council meetings are held on the second Monday of every month and as necessary. These meetings are advertised in accordance with West Virginia law. The town employs a police department, a street and sanitation department, a recreation coordinator, and a grants coordinator. The town also has a water department, which is overseen by the Chapmanville Water Board, and a volunteer fire department.

Education

Chapmanville is home to Chapmanville Regional High School, West Virginia's first cross-county consolidated high school, which includes grades 9-12. The student body consists of students from a consolidation agreement with the West Virginia Department of Education, West Virginia School Building Authority, Lincoln County Schools, and Logan County Schools that consolidated Harts High School and Chapmanville High School to form Chapmanville Regional High School. It opened on June 1, 2007. Chapmanville hosts the second largest student population in the county. The town is also home to Chapmanville Middle School (grades 5–8), Chapmanville Intermediate School, and Chapmanville Primary School. All schools in the city use the tiger as their mascot.[12]

Culture and the Arts

Chapmanville hosts the Apple Butter Festival every September.[13] It also serves as the location of the Wallace Horn Friendly Neighbor Radio Show.

Recreation

Chapmanville recently acquired a connector to the Hatfield-McCoy Trails. The Guyandotte Water Trail provides access to the river in Chapmanville.

Notable people

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. August 7, 2020.
  2. Web site: City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021 . Census.gov . US Census Bureau . July 3, 2022.
  3. Web site: U.S. Census website . . January 31, 2008 .
  4. Web site: US Board on Geographic Names. January 31, 2008. United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007.
  5. Book: Kenny, Hamill. West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. 1945. The Place Name Press . Piedmont, WV. 164.
  6. West Virginia Blue Book. Published annually by the Clerk's Office of the West Virginia Senate.
  7. Web site: US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990. United States Census Bureau. April 23, 2011. February 12, 2011.
  8. Book: West Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer . 1997 . . Yarmouth, Me. . 0-89933-246-3 . 51.
  9. Web site: US Gazetteer files 2010 . . January 24, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt . January 25, 2012 .
  10. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. January 24, 2013.
  11. Book: Ragland. Henry Clay. The History of Logan County, West Virginia. 1896. Logan County Banner. Logan, WV. 24–25.
  12. http://www.eces.logancountyschoolswv.com/ Logan County Schools
  13. Web site: Apple Butter Festival . Almost Heaven - West Virginia . June 30, 2020.