Kanawha County ( ) is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the U.S. state of

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 180,745, making it West Virginia's most populous county. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

is Charleston, which is also the state capital. Kanawha County is part of the Charleston, WV Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The county began taking formation on November 14, 1788, under the authorization of the Virginia General Assembly and was founded on October 5, 1789. The county was named for the

Kanawha River The Kanawha River ( ) is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi (156 km) long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, its valley has been a significant industrial region of the st ...

, which in turn was named after a Native American tribe that lived in the area. (WV County Etymology) During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...

, a number of state

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

and

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry in ...

regiments were organized in the county for both Confederate Army and

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

service. In 1863 West Virginia's counties were divided into

civil township A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States that is subordinate to a county, most often in the northern and midwestern parts of the country. The term town is used in New England, New York, and Wisconsin to ref ...

s, 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. Kanawha County was divided into ten districts: Big Sandy, Cabin Creek, Charleston, Elk, Jefferson, Loudon, Malden, Poca, Union, and Washington. In the 1970s the historic districts were consolidated into five new magisterial districts: District 1, District 2, District 3, District 4, and District 5. A District 6 was created in the 1980s, but in the 1990s the county was redistricted again, reducing the number of magisterial districts to four: District 1, District 2, District 3, and District 4. Kanawha County was the site of a bloody miners' strike in 1912, and a school textbook controversy in 1974, that resulted in bombings, and received national attention.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.0%) is water. It is the fourth-largest county in West Virginia by area.

Adjacent counties

* Roane County (north) *

Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman: * Clay County, Alabama * Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County) * Clay County, Flo ...

(northeast) * Nicholas County (east) * Fayette County (east) * Raleigh County (southeast) * Boone County (south) * Lincoln County (southwest) * Putnam County (west) * Jackson County (northwest)

Major highways

* Interstate 64 * Interstate 77 * Interstate 79 * U.S. Route 60 * U.S. Route 119 * West Virginia Route 4 * West Virginia Route 25 * West Virginia Route 34 * West Virginia Route 61 * West Virginia Route 62 * West Virginia Route 94 *

West Virginia Route 114 West Virginia Route 114 is a north–south state highway located in the Charleston, West Virginia area. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 60 (Washington Street) east of downtown Charleston. The northern terminus of the ro ...

* West Virginia Route 214 * West Virginia Route 501 * West Virginia Route 601 * West Virginia Route 622 * West Virginia Route 817

Demographics

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 200,073 people, 86,226 households, and 55,960 families living in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 222 people per square mile (86/km²). There were 93,788 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile (40/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.46%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 6.97% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.21% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. 0.59% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. There were 86,226 households, out of which 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.00% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 12.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.10% were non-families. 30.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.84. The age distribution was 21.30% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 16.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $33,766, and the median income for a family was $42,568. Males had a median income of $33,842 versus $24,188 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $20,354. About 11.20% of families and 14.40% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 20.60% of those under age 18 and 10.50% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

2010 United States census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...

, there were 193,063 people, 84,201 households, and 52,172 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 92,618 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 89.1% white, 7.3% black or African American, 1.0% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 14.8% were

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 14.2% were Irish, 13.9% were

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

, and 13.4% were

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

. Of the 84,201 households, 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.0% were non-families, and 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age was 42.4 years. The median income for a household in the county was $42,669 and the median income for a family was $54,203. Males had a median income of $42,522 versus $31,754 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,439. About 9.7% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the

, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Kanawha County was dominated by the Democratic Party for much of the 20th century, albeit to a lesser extent than much of West Virginia. Since 2004 it has been won by Republicans in presidential elections, although, as an urban county, the swing to the Republicans has not been as vast as in much of the rest of the state. The county seat and state capital of Charleston is heavily Democratic.

Elected officials

Economy

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, there are approximately 5,481 private sector businesses within Kanawha County. There are 89,768 people who are currently employed who live in Kanawha County.

Recreation

Events

* FestivALL *Charleston Sternwheel Regatta (Returning 2022) * Live on the Levee * Vandalia Gathering * Rib Fest * Charleston Rod Run Doo Wop * Majorette Festival - Daily Mail Kanawha County Majorette and Band Festival * Pinch Reunion * St. Albans Festival of Lights

Attractions

* Clay Center (West Virginia) * West Virginia State Capitol * West Virginia Cultural Center * South Charleston Mound * Mardi Gras Casino and Resort * Charleston Civic Center * Heritage Tower Museum

Sports

Charleston Dirty Birds The Charleston Dirty Birds are an American professional baseball team based in Charleston, West Virginia. They are a member of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a partner league of Major League Baseball. The Di ...

- Baseball team *

West Virginia United West Virginia United (formerly West Virginia Chaos and West Virginia Alliance FC) is an American association football, soccer team based in Charleston, West Virginia. Founded in 2003, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the Americ ...

- Soccer club

Communities

Cities

* Charleston (county seat) *

Dunbar Dunbar () is a town on the North Sea coast in East Lothian in the south-east of Scotland, approximately east of Edinburgh and from the English border north of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Dunbar is a former royal burgh, and gave its name to an ...

* Marmet * Montgomery (part) *

Nitro Nitro may refer to: Chemistry *Nitrogen, a chemical element and a gas except at very low temperatures, with which many compounds are formed: **Nitro compound, an organic compound containing one or more nitro functional groups, -NO2 **Nitroalkene, ...

(part) * Smithers (part) * South Charleston * St. Albans

Towns

* Belle * Cedar Grove *

Chesapeake Chesapeake often refers to: *Chesapeake people, a Native American tribe also known as the Chesepian * The Chesapeake, a.k.a. Chesapeake Bay *Delmarva Peninsula, also known as the Chesapeake Peninsula Chesapeake may also refer to: Populated plac ...

* Clendenin *

East Bank Transjordan, the East Bank, or the Transjordanian Highlands ( ar, شرق الأردن), is the part of the Southern Levant east of the Jordan River, mostly contained in present-day Jordan. The region, known as Transjordan, was controlled by num ...

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popu ...

* Handley *

Pratt Pratt is an English surname. Notable people with the surname include: A–F * Abner Pratt (1801–1863), American diplomat, jurist, politician, lawyer * Al Pratt (baseball) (1847–1937), American baseball player * Andy Pratt (baseball) (born 19 ...

Magisterial districts

*District 1 *District 2 *District 3 *District 4

Census-designated places

* Alum Creek (part) * Big Chimney * Chelyan * Coal Fork * Cross Lanes * Elkview * Jefferson * Pinch * Rand *

Shrewsbury Shrewsbury ( , also ) is a market town, civil parish, and the county town of Shropshire, England, on the River Severn, north-west of London; at the 2021 census, it had a population of 76,782. The town's name can be pronounced as either 'Sh ...

* Sissonville *

Tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, alt ...

Unincorporated communities

* Aarons *

Acme Acme is Ancient Greek (ακμή; English transliteration: ''akmē'') for "the peak", "zenith" or "prime". It may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Acme'' (album), an album by the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion * Acme and Septimius, a fictional ...

* Acup *Airport Village * Amandaville * Amelia * Annfred * Arborland Acres * Barren Creek * Blackhawk * Blakeley * Blount * Blue Creek * Blundon * Bream * Brounland * Burnwell * Cabin Creek *

Carbon Carbon () is a chemical element with the symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalent—its atom making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds. It belongs to group 14 of the periodic table. Carbon ma ...

* Cinco * Coalburg * Coalridge * Coco * Corton * Crede * Crown Hill * Davis Creek * Dawes * Decota * Dial *

Diamond Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, b ...

* Dickinson * Donwood * Dry Branch * Dungriff * Dupont City * East Nitro * East Side * Edgewood * Elk * Elk Forest * Elk Hills * Emmons (part) * Eskdale * Etowah * Falling Rock * Ferrell * Fivemile * Forest Hills * Forks of Coal * Fort Hill * Frame * Gallagher * Giles * Green Valley * Greencastle * Grippe * Guthrie * Hansford * Hernshaw * Hicumbottom * Highlawn * Hillsdale * Hitop * Holly * Hollygrove * Hollyhurst * Hugheston * Institute * Island Branch * Ivydale * Jarrett * Jarretts Ford * Joplin * Kanawha Estates * Kayford * Kelly Hill * Kendalia * Laing * Leewood * Loudendale * Lower Falls * Malden *

Mammoth A mammoth is any species of the extinct elephantid genus ''Mammuthus'', one of the many genera that make up the order of trunked mammals called proboscideans. The various species of mammoth were commonly equipped with long, curved tusks an ...

* Meadowbrook * Mink Shoals * Pocatalico * Pond Gap * Port Amherst * Putney *

Quick Quick, as an adjective, refers to something moving with high speed. Quick may also refer to: In business * Quick (restaurant), a Belgian fast-food restaurant chain * Quick (sportswear), a Dutch manufacturer of sportswear * Quick (automobile) ...

* Quincy * River Bend * Rocky Fork * Rock Lake Village * Rutledge * Sanderson * Tyler Heights * Tyler Mountain

Notable people

* Robert Alexander, NFL football player *

Anthony Bass Anthony Edward Bass (born November 1, 1987) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Ch ...

, NFL football player * George Crumb, composer * Aaron Dobson,

Super Bowl champion The Super Bowl is the annual American football game that determines the champion of the National Football League (NFL). The game culminates a season that begins in the previous calendar year, and is the conclusion of the NFL playoffs. The winner ...

football player *

Ryan Dorsey Ryan Keith Dorsey (born July 19, 1983) is an American actor, known for playing Earl on '' Justified'' and Duquesne “Dime Bag” Baker on ''Ray Donovan''. His personal life, particularly his marriage to Naya Rivera, has garnered significant media ...

, actor *

Jon Elmore Jonathan Elmore (born December 20, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for Marshall. High school Born in Charleston, West Virginia, Elmore averaged 31. ...

, NBA basketball player * Conchata Ferrell, actress and three-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee, best known for her role as Berta on '' Two and a Half Men'' * Jennifer Garner, actress and Golden Globe and SAG award winner *

Elizabeth Harden Gilmore Elizabeth Harden Gilmore (1909-1986) was a business leader and civil rights advocate. She was the first woman to be licensed as an assistant funeral director in Kanawha County, West Virginia on October 28, 1938, and as a funeral director on Nov ...

, business leader and civil rights advocate *

Gary Gregor Gary W. Gregor (born August 13, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player. A forward/ center from the University of South Carolina, Gregor played in the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association as a ...

, NBA basketball player * Alex Hawkins, two-time NFL champion football player *

Alexis Hornbuckle Alexis Kay'ree Hornbuckle (born October 16, 1985) is an American professional basketball player who played several seasons in the Women's National Basketball Association. She is the only player to win an NCAA title and WNBA title in the same year ...

, two-time WNBA champion basketball player *

T. D. Jakes Thomas Dexter Jakes (born June 9, 1957), known as T. D. Jakes, is an American bishop, author and filmmaker. He is the bishop of The Potter's House, a non-denominational American megachurch. Jakes's church services and Evangelistic sermons are ...

, megachurch pastor * Carl Lee, NFL football player * Earl Lloyd,

Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...

inductee and the first African-American basketball player to play in an NBA game * Kathy Mattea, country music and bluegrass singer * Renee Montgomery, two-time WNBA champion basketball player *

Randy Moss Randy Gene Moss (born February 13, 1977) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennesse ...

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coa ...

inductee and holder of the NFL record for receiving touchdowns in a season * Lou Myers, actor, best known for his role as Vernon Gaines on '' A Different World'' * Les Palmer, NFL champion football player * Phil Pfister, strongman competitor and winner of the 2006 World's Strongest Man competition * Kristen Ruhlin, actress *

Ryan Switzer Ryan Switzer (born November 4, 1994) is a former American football wide receiver and punt returner. Switzer played college football at North Carolina and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round (133rd overall) of the 2017 NFL Draf ...

, NFL football player *

Booker T. Washington Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American c ...

, highly influential educator, author, orator, presidential advisor, and co-founder of the

Tuskegee Institute Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU), formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute, is a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. It was founded on Independence Day in 1881 by the state legislature. The campus was de ...

* Jerry West,

inductee, nine-time NBA champion as both a player and an executive, and the basis for the silhouette on the NBA logo since 1971 * Jason Williams, an American former professional basketball player who was a point guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for twelve seasons

Footnotes

References

External links

Kanawha County CommissionKanawha County Public LibraryKanawha County SchoolsWVGenWeb Kanawha County
;Convention & Visitors Bureau * Charleston, WV - http://www.charlestonwv.com/ * Dunbar, WV - http://www.wvcommerce.org/travel/travelplanner/attraction/Dunbar-Convention-and-Visitors-Bureau-CVB/3843/default.aspx * Nitro, WV - https://web.archive.org/web/20130727150319/http://nitrowvcvb.org/ * South Charleston, WV - https://web.archive.org/web/20121019071540/http://www.southcharlestonwv.org/SCCVB/Welcome.html {{authority control 1789 establishments in Virginia Populated places established in 1789 Charleston, West Virginia metropolitan area Counties of Appalachia