Fairmont, West Virginia

Fairmont, West Virginia
City

Downtown Fairmont and the Monongahela River in 2006
Nickname(s): "Friendly City"
Motto: "Spend a Day... Spend a Lifetime"

Location in Marion County and the state of West Virginia.
Coordinates: 39°28′53″N 80°8′36″W / 39.48139°N 80.14333°W / 39.48139; -80.14333Coordinates: 39°28′53″N 80°8′36″W / 39.48139°N 80.14333°W / 39.48139; -80.14333
Country United States
State West Virginia
County Marion
Government
 • Type Council-manager government
 • Mayor Ron Straight
 • Deputy Mayor Thomas Mainella
 • City Manager Robin I. Gomez
Area[1]
 • Total 9.00 sq mi (23.31 km2)
 • Land 8.62 sq mi (22.33 km2)
 • Water 0.38 sq mi (0.98 km2)
Elevation 984 ft (300 m)
Population (2010)[2]
 • Total 18,704
 • Estimate (2014)[3] 18,740
 • Density 2,169.8/sq mi (837.8/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes 26554-26555
Area code(s) 304
FIPS code 54-26452
GNIS feature ID 1560581[4]
Website fairmontwv.gov
Child laborers at Monougal Glass Works in Fairmont, 1908. Photo by Lewis Hine.
Marion County Courthouse in Fairmont

Fairmont is a city in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 18,704 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Marion County.[5]

History

Geography

The Tygart Valley River and the West Fork River join in Fairmont to form the Monongahela River. Buffalo Creek, a tributary of the Monongahela River, flows through the northern part of the city.[11]

According to the US Army Corp of engineers, Fairmont, West Virginia, is the port city farthest from the ocean (2,085 miles) via an inland waterway.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.00 square miles (23.31 km2), of which, 8.62 square miles (22.33 km2) is land and 0.38 square miles (0.98 km2) is water.[1]

Climate

Climate data for Fairmont, West Virginia
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 38
(3)		 42
(6)		 53
(12)		 64
(18)		 73
(23)		 80
(27)		 83
(28)		 82
(28)		 76
(24)		 65
(18)		 53
(12)		 42
(6)		 62.6
(17.1)
Average low °F (°C) 20
(−7)		 22
(−6)		 30
(−1)		 38
(3)		 49
(9)		 57
(14)		 61
(16)		 60
(16)		 53
(12)		 41
(5)		 33
(1)		 25
(−4)		 40.8
(4.8)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.45
(87.6)		 2.95
(74.9)		 4.07
(103.4)		 3.59
(91.2)		 4.85
(123.2)		 4.24
(107.7)		 4.92
(125)		 4.18
(106.2)		 3.51
(89.2)		 3.03
(77)		 3.68
(93.5)		 3.38
(85.9)		 45.85
(1,164.8)
Source: weather.com

Transportation

Highways

Fairmont is located in the North-Central region of the state, along West Virginia's I-79 High Tech Corridor. Major highways include:

Airports

Fairmont Municipal Airport (Frankman Field) is a public use airport located two nautical miles (4 km) southwest of the central business district of Fairmont. It is owned by the Fairmont-Marion County Regional Airport Authority.[12]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1850683—
18607043.1%
1870621−11.8%
188090044.9%
18901,02313.7%
19005,655452.8%
19109,71171.7%
192017,85183.8%
193023,15929.7%
194023,105−0.2%
195029,34627.0%
196027,477−6.4%
197026,093−5.0%
198023,863−8.5%
199020,210−15.3%
200019,097−5.5%
201018,704−2.1%
Est. 201518,733[13]0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]
2014 Estimate[3]

2010 census

At the 2010 census,[2] there were 18,704 people, 8,133 households and 4,424 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,169.8 inhabitants per square mile (837.8/km2). There were 9,200 housing units at an average density of 1,067.3 per square mile (412.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 88.9% White, 7.5% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 8,133 households of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.7% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.6% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.83.

The median age was 36.8 years. 18% of residents were under the age of 18; 16.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25% were from 25 to 44; 24.4% were from 45 to 64; and 16.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 19,097 people, 8,447 households and 4,671 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,438.5 per square mile (941.7/km2). There were 9,755 housing units at an average density of 1,245.6 per square mile (481.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 90.16% White, 7.26% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population.

There were 8,447 households of which 21.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.7% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.83.

18.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 14.9% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.

The median household income was $25,628 and the median family income was $37,126. Males had a median income of $27,944 vand females $20,401. The per capita income was $16,062. About 12.6% of families and 20.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.0% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Fairmont has a Council-manager government, whereby the mayor serves as chairman of the city council and the city manager takes care of the day-to-day operations. The current mayor, Ronald J. (Ron) Straight was elected to a two-year term as Mayor in January 2013.[15]

Current City Council

[15]

[16]

Past Mayors

  • William Elza Arnett, 1906-1908
  • Matthew M. Neely, 1908–1910
  • William Conaway
  • A.C. West
  • Fred T. Wilson, 1935–1940
  • Fred T. Wilson, 1944–1945
  • Albert F. Robertson, 1947–1950
  • James H. Hanway, 1951–1955
  • Wiliam G. Meyer, 1959
  • Forrest L. Springer
  • Albert F. Robinson
  • J. Richard Davis
  • William M. Hawkins
  • James L. Turner, 1979
  • Robert K. Powell, 1980
  • James L. Turner, 1981
  • Robert K. Powell, 1982
  • Gregory T. Hinton, 1982-1984
  • Robert M. Drummond, Sr., 1984- 1985
  • Carl J. Snyder, 1985-1986
  • Robert M. Drummond, Jr., 1986-1990
  • Wayne A. Stutler, 1990-1994
  • Charles G. Manly II, 1994–1996
  • Nick L. Fantasia, 1996–2006
  • S. Scott Sears, 2007–2009
  • Matt Delligatti, 2009–2010
  • Bill Burdick, 2011–2012
  • Ronald J. Straight, Sr. 2013-2016

Landmarks

Fairmont Senior High School

Fairmont Senior High School (FSHS) is an historic secondary school, listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 22, 2002.[17] Architect William B. Ittner, who is responsible for over three dozen entries in the National Register, designed the school in the late 1920s. The school's architectural classification is Colonial Revival, with a stone foundation, brick walls, and asphalt shingle roofing.

Fairmont State University

Fairmont State University is a public university with an approximate enrollment of 7,700 students. The institution offers master's degrees in business, education, teaching, criminal justice, and nursing, in addition to 90 baccalaureate and 50 associate degrees. Originally named Fairmont Normal School, the college was located on the corner of Fairmont Avenue and Second Street and moved to its present location in 1917.[18]

Pricketts Fort State Park

Pricketts Fort is a 22-acre (8.9 ha) West Virginia state park and site of an historic fort built to defend early European settlers from raids by hostile Native Americans. The feuds were generally over territory the settlers appropriated following the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1768).

Other

Notable people

Mary Lou Retton, the first female gymnast from outside Eastern Europe to win the Olympic all-around title
Nick Saban, head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide college football team and winner of five national championships

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
  2. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
  3. 1 2 "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  4. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  6. ↑ Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. p. 236.
  7. ↑ Pepperoni Roll History
  8. ↑ Floyd Abrams, Speaking Freely, published by Viking Press (2005), Page 153-58
  9. ↑
  10. ↑
  11. ↑ West Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Me.: DeLorme. 1997. p. 25. ISBN 0-89933-246-3.
  12. ↑ FAA Airport Master Record for 4G7 (Form 5010 PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. Effective May 31, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  14. ↑ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved August 27, 2013.
  15. 1 2 "The City of Fairmont - City Council". http://www.fairmontwv.gov. External link in |work= (help)
  16. ↑ http://www.fairmontwv.gov
  17. ↑ National Park Service (2008-04-15). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  18. ↑ Images of America: Marion County by Thomas J. Koon
  19. ↑ NASA IV&V Facility
  20. ↑ "Former Philly Councilwoman Augusta Clark Dies at 81". WCAU. 2013-10-14. Retrieved 2013-11-23.
  21. ↑ Biography of Mary Lou Retton
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