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Preston County, West Virginia
The Preston County Courthouse in Kingwood, West Virginia LCCN2015631570
Preston County Courthouse
Map of West Virginia highlighting Preston County
Location in the state of West Virginia
Map of the U.S
West Virginia's location in the U.S.
Founded January 19, 1818
Named for James Patton Preston
Seat Kingwood
Largest city Kingwood
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

651 sq mi (1,686 km²)
649 sq mi (1,681 km²)
2.6 sq mi (7 km²), 0.4%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

34,216
Congressional district 1st
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.prestoncountywv.org/

Preston County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 34,216.[1] Its county seat is Kingwood.[2] The county was formed from Monongalia County in 1818 and named for Virginia Governor James Patton Preston.[3]

Preston County is part of the Morgantown, WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the southernmost county of the Pittsburgh media market. It is the home of The Buckwheat Festival, a county fair known for making buckwheat pancakes.[4]

History[]

Native Americans lived in and traveled through what became Preston County as they crossed from the Ohio River watershed (which drains into the Mississippi River), into the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Although white traders and explorers also lived in the county after 1736, and one boundary stone (the Fairfax Stone marking the limits of the North Branch of the River) was laid in 1746, white settlers began arriving in 1766. Traveling by foot or horseback, settlers established log cabins after the American Revolutionary War. Further development ensued after 1818, when the National Road was built slightly to the north. When the earliest railroads came in 1851, all land passed into private ownership, population increased 70% in a decade, and industrialization began.[5]

During the American Civil War, more Preston County men enlisted in Union service than with the Confederacy. There were few slave-holders in Preston County, and relatively few slaves, almost none outside a half-hour walk from the Clarksburg to Winchester road that dated back to the late colonial era. The census indicates that slavery's high-water mark in Preston County occurred in 1830, when the county included 125 slaves, alongside 27 free colored persons.[6]

On June 20, 1863, Preston was one of fifty Virginia counties that were admitted to the Union as the state of West Virginia. Later that year, the counties were divided into civil townships, with the intention of encouraging local government. This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872 the townships were converted into magisterial districts.[7] Preston County was divided into eight districts: Grant, Kingwood, Lyon, Pleasant, Portland, Reno, Union, and Valley. These remained largely unchanged until the 1990s, when they were consolidated into five new magisterial districts: First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth.[8]

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 651 square miles (1,690 km2), of which 649 square miles (1,680 km2) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2) (0.4%) is water.[9]

In West Virginia's coldest month of January 1977, Terra Alta in Preston County saw a statewide record snowfall of 104 inches (2.64 m).[10]

Major highways[]

  • I-68 (WV) Interstate 68
  • US 50 U.S. Highway 50
  • US 219 U.S. Route 219
  • WV-7 West Virginia Route 7
  • WV-24 West Virginia Route 24
  • WV-26 West Virginia Route 26
  • WV-72 West Virginia Route 72
  • WV-92 West Virginia Route 92

Adjacent counties[]

National protected area[]

  • Monongahela National Forest (part)

State parks[]

  • Cathedral State Park (also a Registered National Natural Landmark)
  • Fairfax Stone State Park

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1820 3,422
1830 5,144 50.3%
1840 6,866 33.5%
1850 11,708 70.5%
1860 13,312 13.7%
1870 14,555 9.3%
1880 19,091 31.2%
1890 20,355 6.6%
1900 22,727 11.7%
1910 26,341 15.9%
1920 27,996 6.3%
1930 29,043 3.7%
1940 30,416 4.7%
1950 31,399 3.2%
1960 27,233 −13.3%
1970 25,455 −6.5%
1980 30,460 19.7%
1990 29,037 −4.7%
2000 29,334 1.0%
2010 33,520 14.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13]
1990–2000[14] 2010–2020[15]

2010 census[]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 33,520 people, 12,895 households, and 9,038 families residing in the county.[16] The population density was 51.7 inhabitants per square mile (20.0 /km2). There were 15,097 housing units at an average density of 23.3 per square mile (9.0 /km2).[17] The racial makeup of the county was 97.6% white, 1.1% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.7% of the population.[16] In terms of ancestry, 29.4% were German, 14.3% were Irish, 9.5% were American, and 8.9% were English.[18]

Of the 12,895 households, 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.9% were non-families, and 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age was 42.0 years.[16]

The age distribution was 19.55% under the age of 18, 7.36% from 18 to 24, 27.58% from 25 to 44, 29.83% from 45 to 64, and 15.68% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.63 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.48 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,753 and the median income for a family was $46,622. Males had a median income of $38,713 versus $25,808 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,329. About 10.1% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.[19]

Politics[]

Whereas most of West Virginia has become a Republican bastion in the 21st century after having leaned heavily Democratic between the New Deal and Bill Clinton, Preston County has always been a Republican stronghold, if not quite so rock-ribbed as neighboring Grant County or Garrett County, Maryland. Those two counties have never voted for a Democrat since being created after the Civil War, whereas Preston County has voted Democratic on one occasion since then, during Lyndon Johnson’s 1964 landslide – although Johnson’s win over Barry Goldwater was much more decisive than his narrow victory in analogous Upshur County, and Bill Clinton came within 20 votes in 1996.

United States presidential election results for Preston County, West Virginia[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 11,190 76.79% 3,163 21.70% 220 1.51%
2016 9,538 74.73% 2,470 19.35% 756 5.92%
2012 7,889 70.54% 2,931 26.21% 363 3.25%
2008 7,325 62.10% 4,205 35.65% 266 2.26%
2004 7,855 65.85% 3,963 33.22% 111 0.93%
2000 6,607 63.29% 3,515 33.67% 317 3.04%
1996 4,257 41.31% 4,237 41.11% 1,812 17.58%
1992 4,429 42.20% 3,933 37.47% 2,133 20.32%
1988 5,804 56.92% 4,357 42.73% 35 0.34%
1984 6,955 63.05% 4,054 36.75% 22 0.20%
1980 5,828 54.23% 4,317 40.17% 601 5.59%
1976 5,719 50.55% 5,595 49.45% 0 0.00%
1972 7,807 72.39% 2,977 27.61% 0 0.00%
1968 5,636 55.16% 4,020 39.35% 561 5.49%
1964 4,015 39.06% 6,264 60.94% 0 0.00%
1960 6,908 62.07% 4,221 37.93% 0 0.00%
1956 7,953 70.27% 3,365 29.73% 0 0.00%
1952 8,059 65.32% 4,278 34.68% 0 0.00%
1948 6,020 62.73% 3,527 36.75% 49 0.51%
1944 6,785 69.36% 2,997 30.64% 0 0.00%
1940 8,213 63.46% 4,730 36.54% 0 0.00%
1936 7,553 58.11% 5,410 41.62% 34 0.26%
1932 6,359 56.05% 4,872 42.94% 115 1.01%
1928 7,783 76.18% 2,355 23.05% 78 0.76%
1924 6,396 68.22% 2,445 26.08% 534 5.70%
1920 6,729 74.73% 2,150 23.88% 125 1.39%
1916 3,838 68.09% 1,694 30.05% 105 1.86%
1912 1,461 24.70% 1,845 31.20% 2,608 44.10%



Communities[]

City[]

  • Kingwood

Towns[]

  • Albright
  • Brandonville
  • Bruceton Mills
  • Masontown
  • Newburg
  • Reedsville
  • Rowlesburg
  • Terra Alta, West Virginia
  • Tunnelton

Magisterial districts[]

Current[]

  • First
  • Second
  • Third
  • Fourth
  • Fifth

Historic[]

  • Grant
  • Kingwood
  • Lyon
  • Pleasant
  • Portland
  • Reno
  • Union
  • Valley

Census-designated place[]

  • Aurora

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Afton
  • Alpine Lake
  • Amboy
  • Arthurdale
  • Austen
  • Borgman
  • Bretz
  • Bull Run
  • Cascade
  • Clifton Mills
  • Colebank
  • Corinth
  • Cuzzart
  • Denver
  • Eglon
  • Etam
  • Evansville
  • Fellowsville
  • Gladefarms
  • Hardman (partial)
  • Hazelton
  • Herring
  • Hopemont
  • Hopewell
  • Horse Shoe Run
  • Howesville
  • Independence
  • Lenox
  • Little Sandy
  • Manheim
  • Macomber
  • Manown
  • Marquess
  • Mount Olivet
  • Mount Vernon
  • Orr
  • Pisgah
  • Pleasantdale
  • Preston
  • Rockville
  • Rodemer
  • Rohr
  • Ruthbelle
  • Saint Joe
  • Scotch Hill
  • Sell
  • Silver Lake
  • Sinclair
  • Snider
  • Stevensburg
  • Sugar Valley
  • Threefork Bridge
  • Turner Douglass
  • Valley Point
  • Victoria
  • West End
  • White Oak Springs
  • Zevely

See also[]

  • Briery Mountain Wildlife Management Area
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Preston County, West Virginia
  • Maryland v. West Virginia
  • Snake Hill Wildlife Management Area
  • Upper Deckers Creek Wildlife Management Area

References[]

  1. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Preston County, West Virginia" (in en). https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/prestoncountywestvirginia/POP010220. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ West Virginia Counties Archived September 23, 2001, at the Wayback Machine. Wvculture.org. Retrieved on July 24, 2013.
  4. ^ "Preston County Buckwheat Festival" (in en-US). https://www.visitmountaineercountry.com/events/buckwheat-festival/. 
  5. ^ Oren Morton, A History of Preston County, part 1 (Kingwood W.Va., Journal Publishing Company 1914) pp. 9-11
  6. ^ Morton p. 138
  7. ^ Otis K. Rice & Stephen W. Brown, West Virginia: A History, 2nd ed., University Press of Kentucky, Lexington (1993), p. 240.
  8. ^ United States Census Bureau, U.S. Decennial Census, Tables of Minor Civil Divisions in West Virginia, 1870–2010.
  9. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_54.txt. 
  10. ^ West Virginia encyclopedia; The Weather
  11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  13. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/wv190090.txt. 
  14. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  15. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/54/54077.html. 
  16. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US54077. 
  17. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US54077. 
  18. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US54077. 
  19. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US54077. 
  20. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 

Further reading[]

  • Cox, Connie Loraine, Our Place In History: Southwestern Preston County, West Virginia, Headline Books, Terra Alta, WV, 2005. (Written and oral histories, photographs)

External links[]

This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Preston County, West Virginia. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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