Salem, West Virginia | |
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![]() Main Street in Salem in 2006 | |
![]() Location of Salem in Harrison County, West Virginia (left) and of Harrison County in West Virginia (right) | |
Coordinates: 39°17′0″N80°33′46″W / 39.28333°N 80.56278°W | |
Country | United States |
State | West Virginia |
County | Harrison |
Area | |
• Total | 1.34 sq mi (3.47 km2) |
• Land | 1.34 sq mi (3.47 km2) |
• Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
Elevation | 1,050 ft (320 m) |
Population | |
• Total | 1,490 |
• Estimate (2021) [2] | 1,470 |
• Density | 1,137.52/sq mi (439.20/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
ZIP Code | 26426 |
Area code | 304 |
FIPS code | 54-71380 [3] |
GNIS feature ID | 1546280 [4] |
Website | cityofsalem |
Salem is a city in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,485 at the 2020 census. [2] It is located at the junction of U.S. Route 50 and West Virginia Route 23; the North Bend Rail Trail passes through the city. [5] Salem University is located in Salem.
Salem is located at 39°17′0″N80°33′46″W / 39.28333°N 80.56278°W (39.283411, -80.562731), [6] along Salem Fork, a tributary of Tenmile Creek, [5] in western Harrison County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.34 square miles (3.47 km2), all land. [7]
Salem was settled in the summer of 1790 — as "New Salem" — by forty Seventh Day Baptist families from Shrewsbury, New Jersey. Notable settler family names included Lippincott, Maxson, Babcock, Plumer, Davis, and Fitz-Randolph. New Salem was formally chartered and made a town by legislative enactment of the Virginia Assembly on December 19, 1794, on land owned by Samuel Fitz Randolph. John Patterson, John Davis, Samuel Lippincott, James Davis, Zebulon Maxon, Benjamin Thorp, Thomas Clayton, William Davis, Jacob Davis, George Jackson and John Haymond were appointed its first trustees.
By the 1870s, the town was more frequently being called "Salem" than "New Salem", as the separation of West Virginia from Virginia in 1863 had diminished the need to distinguish it from the town named Salem near Roanoke. The United States Postal Service made the change official in March 1884. Salem was incorporated by the state of West Virginia on 25 February 1905.
As late as 1870, Charles A. Burdick came to town as a Seventh Day Baptist missionary, feeling the need for an educational institution in the area, opened a school, though it operated for only two semesters. In 1888, the Eastern Seventh Day Baptist Association provided for the construction of the Salem Academy, which later became a college in 1890, existing to this day. [8]
Salem has a history of large fires. The same full city block has burned down twice in the city's history. The north side of Main Street downtown burned once in 1901 and again on March 2, 2006. The more recent fire burned the old city bank building, several store fronts, and several residences; five structures in all were damaged. The fire was determined to have been started by a hot water tank in an apartment. The fire departments' ability to put out the blaze was hampered by a limited city water supply; they were forced to draw water from the nearby creek. [9]
The Salem College Administration Building and Salem Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [10]
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1880 | 248 | — | |
1890 | 310 | 25.0% | |
1900 | 746 | 140.6% | |
1910 | 2,169 | 190.8% | |
1920 | 2,920 | 34.6% | |
1930 | 2,943 | 0.8% | |
1940 | 2,571 | −12.6% | |
1950 | 2,578 | 0.3% | |
1960 | 2,366 | −8.2% | |
1970 | 2,597 | 9.8% | |
1980 | 2,706 | 4.2% | |
1990 | 2,063 | −23.8% | |
2000 | 2,006 | −2.8% | |
2010 | 1,586 | −20.9% | |
2020 | 1,490 | −6.1% | |
2021 (est.) | 1,470 | [2] | −1.3% |
U.S. Decennial Census [11] |
As of the census [12] of 2010, there were 1,586 people, 662 households, and 384 families living in the city. The population density was 1,183.6 inhabitants per square mile (457.0/km2). There were 834 housing units at an average density of 622.4 per square mile (240.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.5% White, 4.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population.
There were 662 households, of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.4% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.0% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.88.
The median age in the city was 36.1 years. 20.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 15.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.1% were from 25 to 44; 26.3% were from 45 to 64; and 14.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.
Salem University is a private university in the city, founded in 1888 by Seventh Day Baptists. [8] The Salem College Administration Building was completed in 1910 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. [10]
Harrison County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,921. Its county seat is Clarksburg.
Salem is an independent city in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,346. It is the county seat of Roanoke County, although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Salem with Roanoke County, which surrounds both Salem and the neighboring City of Roanoke, for statistical purposes. Salem has its own courthouse and sheriff's office, but shares a jail with Roanoke County, which is located in the Roanoke County Courthouse complex in Salem. The Roanoke County Sheriff's Office and Roanoke County Department of Social Services are also located within Salem, though the county administrative offices are located in unincorporated Cave Spring.
Chester is a city in northern Hancock County, West Virginia, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,214 at the 2020 census. Located immediately south of Ohio and just west of Pennsylvania, Chester is the northernmost city in West Virginia. It is a part of the Weirton–Steubenville metropolitan area, and is home to the World's Largest Teapot.
Bridgeport is a city in eastern Harrison County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 9,325 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Clarksburg micropolitan area in North Central West Virginia. Bridgeport had its beginning in pre-American Revolutionary War times. In 1764, John Simpson entered the area and gave his name to Simpson Creek. Bridgeport was chartered in 1816.
Nutter Fort is a town in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, incorporated in 1923. The town is a southeastern suburb of Clarksburg.
West Milford is a town in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 452 at the 2020 census.
Worthington is a town in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 158 at the 2010 census. Worthington was incorporated in 1893 and named for Colonel George Worthington, an early settler. U.S. Route 19 passes through the town.
Hartford City, also known as Hartford, is a town in Mason County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 509 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Point Pleasant, WV–OH Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Mason, also known as Mason City, is a town in Mason County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 865 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Point Pleasant, WV–OH Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Elkins is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, West Virginia, United States, along the Tygart Valley River. The community was incorporated in 1890 and named in honor of Stephen Benton Elkins, a U.S. Senator from West Virginia. The population was 6,950 at the 2020 census and estimated at 6,895 in 2021. Elkins is home to Davis and Elkins College and the Mountain State Forest Festival, held in early October every year.
Harman is a town in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 96 at the 2020 census.
Mill Creek is a town in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States, along the Tygart Valley River. The population was 563 at the 2020 census.
Montrose is a town in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 141 at the 2020 census.
Cairo is a town in Ritchie County, West Virginia, United States, along West Virginia Route 31, the North Fork of the Hughes River, and the North Bend Rail Trail. The population was 174 at the 2020 census.
Ellenboro is a town in Ritchie County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 222 at the 2020 census. The town is located at the junction of U.S. Route 50 and West Virginia Route 16; the North Bend Rail Trail also passes through the town. The town was named for Ellen Mariah Williamson, the eldest daughter of the family that granted a right of way for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to build their line through the town; an earlier name for the community was Shumley. Ellenboro was incorporated in 1903.
Pennsboro is a city in Ritchie County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,050 at the 2020 census. The city is located at the junction of U.S. Route 50 and West Virginia Route 74; the North Bend Rail Trail also passes through the city.
Flemington is a town in Taylor County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 311 at the 2020 census. Flemington was incorporated in 1922 by the West Virginia Circuit Court, and named for James Fleming, an early settler in the area originally from Hampshire County.
Davis is a town in Tucker County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Blackwater River. The population was 595 at the 2020 census.
Thomas is a city and former coal town in Tucker County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 623 at the 2020 census.
Elizabeth is a town in and the county seat of Wirt County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Little Kanawha River. The population was 724 as of the 2020 census.
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