Parkersburg, West Virginia
Parkersburg, West Virginia | ||
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FIPS code 54-62140 | | |
GNIS feature ID | 2390632[3] | |
Website | parkersburgwv |
Parkersburg is a city in and the county seat of Wood County, West Virginia, United States.[5] Located at the confluence of the Ohio and Little Kanawha rivers, it is the state's fourth-most populous city and the center of the Parkersburg–Vienna metropolitan area. The city's population was 29,749 at the 2020 census, and its metro population was 89,490.[4] The city is about 14 miles (23 km) south of Marietta, Ohio.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad reached Parkersburg in 1857, but lacked a crossing over the Ohio River until after the American Civil War. When the B&O completed the Parkersburg Bridge (CSX) 1868–1870 to Belpre, it was the longest railroad bridge in the world.
The
History
Settlers at first named the city Newport when they settled it in the late 18th century following the American Revolutionary War. This was part of a westward migration of settlers from parts of Virginia to the east, closer to the Atlantic Ocean. A town section was laid out on land granted to Alexander Parker for his Revolutionary War service. Virginia made grants of land to veterans for their war service. The title conflicts between Parker and the city planners of Newport were settled in 1809 in favor of his heirs. The town was renamed Parkersburg in 1810. It was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in 1820. It was rechartered as a city in 1860.[6]
The town was the western terminus of both the
Parkersburg served as a transportation and medical center for Union forces during the American Civil War. It developed further as a transportation hub in the gas and oil boom following that war.[9]
In the late 19th century, Parkersburg emerged as a major oil refining center serving nearby oilfields at Volcano and Burning Springs. The Camden Consolidated Oil Company, founded in 1866 by future U.S. Senator Johnson Newlon Camden, dominated the refining business and was sold to Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company in 1875. Camden became a Standard director and vice president and, along with John W. Davis, dominated West Virginia politics until the early 20th century.[10]
In the post-World War II period, Parkersburg became one of the leading industrial centers of the Ohio Valley, producing chemicals, glass, O. Ames tools, textiles (especially American Viscose Company rayon), plastics and polymers, iron, and steel.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.35 square miles (31.99 km2), of which 11.82 square miles (30.61 km2) is land and 0.53 square miles (1.37 km2) is water.[14]
The city is situated at the confluence of the Little Kanawha and Ohio rivers. The Little Kanawha River divides the north and south sides of the city. Worthington Creek, a tributary of the Little Kanawha River, flows through the eastern part of the city.[15]
Neighborhoods
The North End of the city includes the Beechwood, Downtown, Fairview Heights, Granada Hills, Julia-Ann Square, Meadowcrest, Oakwood Estates, Quincy Hill, Riverside, Woodland Park, North End, Worthington, and East End neighborhoods.
The southern part of the City of Parkersburg, South Parkersburg was a separate city until it became part of Parkersburg in 1950. Suburban parts of southern Wood County include
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers, cold winters and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. According to the
Climate data for Parkersburg Airport, West Virginia (1991–2020 normals,[a] extremes 1926–present)
| |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 78 (26) |
79 (26) |
89 (32) |
91 (33) |
95 (35) |
100 (38) |
104 (40) |
102 (39) |
102 (39) |
96 (36) |
86 (30) |
78 (26) |
104 (40) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 65 (18) |
67 (19) |
76 (24) |
84 (29) |
88 (31) |
91 (33) |
93 (34) |
93 (34) |
90 (32) |
83 (28) |
75 (24) |
66 (19) |
94 (34) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 40.2 (4.6) |
44.4 (6.9) |
54.2 (12.3) |
66.9 (19.4) |
74.9 (23.8) |
82.1 (27.8) |
85.3 (29.6) |
84.7 (29.3) |
78.5 (25.8) |
66.8 (19.3) |
54.8 (12.7) |
44.4 (6.9) |
64.8 (18.2) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 32.0 (0.0) |
35.0 (1.7) |
43.6 (6.4) |
54.6 (12.6) |
63.3 (17.4) |
71.0 (21.7) |
74.7 (23.7) |
73.5 (23.1) |
66.9 (19.4) |
55.4 (13.0) |
44.7 (7.1) |
36.3 (2.4) |
54.2 (12.3) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 23.7 (−4.6) |
25.7 (−3.5) |
32.9 (0.5) |
42.4 (5.8) |
51.6 (10.9) |
59.9 (15.5) |
64.1 (17.8) |
62.4 (16.9) |
55.2 (12.9) |
43.9 (6.6) |
34.6 (1.4) |
28.3 (−2.1) |
43.7 (6.5) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | 2 (−17) |
5 (−15) |
14 (−10) |
26 (−3) |
34 (1) |
47 (8) |
54 (12) |
52 (11) |
41 (5) |
29 (−2) |
19 (−7) |
10 (−12) |
−1 (−18) |
Record low °F (°C) | −24 (−31) |
−10 (−23) |
−3 (−19) |
18 (−8) |
28 (−2) |
36 (2) |
44 (7) |
40 (4) |
32 (0) |
21 (−6) |
4 (−16) |
— | −24 (−31) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.27 (83) |
3.11 (79) |
3.67 (93) |
3.62 (92) |
4.17 (106) |
4.44 (113) |
4.45 (113) |
3.38 (86) |
3.18 (81) |
2.98 (76) |
2.88 (73) |
3.36 (85) |
42.51 (1,080) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 7.9 (20) |
5.5 (14) |
4.2 (11) |
0.9 (2.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.8 (2.0) |
2.8 (7.1) |
22.1 (56) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 14.5 | 12.2 | 13.4 | 13.2 | 13.2 | 11.4 | 12.1 | 9.8 | 8.8 | 11.5 | 10.7 | 13.2 | 144.0 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 6.7 | 4.9 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 4.3 | 20.4 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 115.5 | 131.0 | 182.3 | 208.1 | 248.0 | 257.3 | 255.0 | 245.2 | 212.5 | 193.9 | 117.1 | 93.4 | 2,259.3 |
Percent possible sunshine | 38 | 44 | 49 | 52 | 56 | 58 | 56 | 58 | 57 | 56 | 39 | 32 | 51 |
Source: |
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1850 | 1,218 | — | |
1860 | 2,493 | 104.7% | |
1870 | 5,546 | 122.5% | |
1880 | 6,582 | 18.7% | |
1890 | 8,408 | 27.7% | |
1900 | 11,703 | 39.2% | |
1910 | 17,842 | 52.5% | |
1920 | 20,050 | 12.4% | |
1930 | 29,623 | 47.7% | |
1940 | 30,103 | 1.6% | |
1950 | 29,684 | −1.4% | |
1960 | 44,797 | 50.9% | |
1970 | 44,208 | −1.3% | |
1980 | 39,946 | −9.6% | |
1990 | 33,862 | −15.2% | |
2000 | 33,099 | −2.3% | |
2010 | 31,492 | −4.9% | |
2020 | 29,749 | −5.5% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[21] |
2020 census
As of the census[22] of 2020, there were 29,749 people, 13,119 households, and 7,305 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,524.0 inhabitants per square mile (1,028.7/km2). There were 15,246 housing units at an average density of 1,316.6 per square mile (508.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.8%
There were 13,119 households, of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.5% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.3% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.96.
The median age in the city was 42 years. 20.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.7% were from 25 to 44; 27% were from 45 to 64; and 21.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.
2010 census
As of the
There were 13,807 households, of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% were married couples
The median age in the city was 41.2 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25% were from 25 to 44; 27.5% were from 45 to 64; and 18% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.
2000 census
In the city the population was spread out, with 21.2% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,120, and the median income for a family was $29,731. Males had a median income of $28,320 versus $18,203 for females. The
Arts and culture
Events
The Annual Mid-Ohio Valley Multi-Cultural Festival is held in June, and is an international festival featuring traditional dance and music and an international marketplace.[24][25] The Parkersburg Homecoming Festival is held in August and features a parade, fireworks, half-marathon, competitions and entertainment.[26][27]
The Taste of Parkersburg is an event held around Memorial Day each year since 2006 which features food and drinks from local vendors.[28]
The Downtown Throwdown is a BBQ and beer festival held in September. It is co-hosted by Downtown PKB and the Parkersburg Area Jaycees and was started in 2014.[29]
Tourism
Several museums are located in Parkersburg, including the Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History,
Parks and recreation
There are several parks in the area, including Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park,[33] Bicentennial Park, Corning Park, Point Park, Southwood Park, Quincy Park, City Park, Johnson T. Janes Park, Friendship Park, Fort Boreman Historical Park, Mountwood Park and Fries Park.
Sports
The Wood County Ravens, a semi-professional football team, was based in the city. The Ravens were a part of the now defunct Mountain State Football League.[34]
Parkersburg was home to the Ohio Valley Redcoats, a minor league baseball team, until 1998. The city was in negotiations to bring professional baseball back to Parkersburg but those negotiations fell through because of lack of support from the community.[35]
In 2008, the city and its three high schools placed second in ESPN's TitleTown USA competition. By 2008, the city's high school athletic programs had amassed 192 overall state championships.[36]
Pollution
High levels of PFOA, also known as C8, originating in landfills used by the DuPont/Chemours Washington Works chemical company have been noted in Parkersburg drinking water. Despite a 2004 class-action legal settlement obligating DuPont to install a drinking water filtration plant if asked, local water district officials have not, as of 2016, asked for one.[37] [38]
Education
Higher education
- Mountain State College, a private, for-profit, two-year college, is located in the city.
- West Virginia University at Parkersburg, a public college, is located on the outskirts of the city.
- Parkersburg Bible College, a private Christian school
- Centurion Bible College
Primary and secondary
Parkersburg is the home of the Parkersburg High School Big Reds, Parkersburg South High School Patriots, and the Parkersburg Catholic High School Crusaders. The Wood County Technical Center and the Caperton Center for Applied Technology is part of Wood County Public Schools. There were, as of May 2020, five middle schools and 16 elementary schools dispersed throughout the city.[39]
Media
The Parkersburg News and Parkersburg Sentinel were the city's two major daily newspapers until 2009 when they combined to form one daily edition, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel[40]. The same company also publishes The Marietta Times and Graffiti, West Virginia's alternative news magazine.
There are many radio stations broadcasting from Parkersburg, including 106.1 Z106 (WRZZ),102.1 The River (WRVB), U.S. 107 WNUS, MIX 100 (WDMX), V96.9 (WVVV), WXIL, Froggy 99.1, 103.1 The Bear, and WPKM 96.3 FM "the Beat" which is the college radio station of West Virginia University at Parkersburg.
(Fox / CW+) are sister stations.Transportation
Parkersburg is served by two major highways, Interstate 77 and US 50. Other routes through the city include WV routes 2, 14, 47, 68, 95 and 618.
Parkersburg is served by Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport, with three flights a day Monday through Friday from Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Parkersburg is served by freight rail. Passenger rail is no longer available. Into the 1960s, several major long distance train routes made stops in Parkersburg. These included the
Notable people
- Allen Appel, novelist
- Walt Barnes, professional football player and actor[41]
- Dick Biddle, college football coach
- Harman Blennerhassett, ally of Aaron Burr and owner of Blennerhassett Island
- Zac Boggs, soccer player
- Ziegfeld Girland silent film actress
- Edwin Catmull, president of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios[42]
- Jim Dawson, cultural historian[43]
- Paul Dooley, Hollywood character actor
- Leah Bodine Drake, poet
- Edmund Burke Fairfield, 12th Lieutenant Governor of Michigan and Chancellor of University of Nebraska[44]
- Chase Fieler, professional basketball player
- Dave Foggin, member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, born in Parkersburg[45]
- Paul Goldsmith, member of Motorcycle Hall of Fame
- Linda Goodman, astrology author
- Tommy Hanlon, Jr., Australian television presenter
- Dick Hoblitzel, outfielder in Major League Baseball
- John D. Hoblitzell Jr., U.S. Senator, born and raised in Parkersburg
- West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals
- Cy Hungerford, political cartoonist for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- Jacob B. Jackson, Governor of West Virginia 1881–85
- John Jay Jackson, Jr., U.S. federal judge[42]
- Lily Irene Jackson (1848–1928), artist and daughter of John Jay Jackson, Jr.
- Robert Lichello, author
- Tom Lopienski, NFL player
- Leon Claire Metz, historian, author, documentary personality, lecturer on American West[42]
- Hunter Holmes Moss, Jr., Republican U.S. Representative
- Earle "Greasy" Neale (1891–1973), professional football and baseball player[42]
- Harold Newhart, Olympic gymnast
- Gary Null, nutritionist and author
- Devon Odessa, actress and film producer
- Mayor of Columbus, Ohio
- Bill Robinson, jazz singer[42]
- Morgan Spurlock, Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker, humorist, television producer, screenwriter, and political activist[42]
- Mick Staton, Republican, U.S. Representative
- William E. Stevenson, Governor of West Virginia, 1869–71
- Brenton Strange, NFL Player for the Jacksonville Jaguars[46]
- Felix Stump, admiral in U.S. Navy and Commander, United States Pacific Fleet[42]
- Nick Swisher, professional baseball player and Steve's son
- Steve Swisher, professional baseball player and Nick's father
- Peter G. Van Winkle, Republican U.S. Senator
- Richard Watts, Jr., film critic for New York Herald Tribune
- Gibby Welch, professional football player[42]
- Albert B. White, Governor of West Virginia, 1901–05
- Deron Williams, professional basketball player[42]
- Jay Wolfe, West Virginia State Senator and U.S. Senate candidate[42]
In popular culture
- The Mark Ruffalo film Dark Waters, released in 2019, was based in events mainly from the City of Parkersburg.[47]
- Parkersburg was the set for the 1962 television series It's a Man's World.[48]
- Other films shot in the city are The Barbecue.[48]
- Parkersburg was featured in a 2013 episode of the NBC post-apocalyptic science fiction television drama series Revolution.[49]
Sister cities
|
See also
- Hughes River Wildlife Management Area
- List of cities and towns along the Ohio River
- List of Registered Historic Places in West Virginia
- Vienna, WV
- Grand Central Mall
General sources
The West Virginia Encyclopedia. The WV Humanities Council. June 20, 2006.
References
- ^ Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
- ^ "Tom Joyce wins second term as Parkersburg's mayor". The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Parkersburg, West Virginia
- ^ a b c "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021". Census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Hendricks, R. F. "Parkersburg". e-WV: The WV Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ Sturm, Philip. "Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike". e-WV: The WV Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Parkersburg Bridge, Ohio River, Parkersburg, Wood County, WV, Historic American Engineering Record, accessed August 22, 2012
- ^ Hendricks, R. F. "Parkersburg". e-WV: The WV Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ Bernard, Allen; Matchen, David. "Natural Gas and Petroleum". e-WV: The WV Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
- ^ Hendricks, R. F. "Parkersburg". e-WV: The WV Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ "They May Not Be New, But They Will Have an Impact".
- ^ "Bureau of the Fiscal Service - History". Bureau of the Fiscal Service. 2013. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
- ISBN 0-89933-246-3.
- ^ "Parkersburg, West Virginia Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase.
- ^ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ "Station: Parkersburg Wood CO AP, WV". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ "Station: Parkersburg Airport, WV". U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1981–2010). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ "WMO Climate Normals for Parkersburg/WSO WV 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
- ^ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved August 27, 2013.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
- ^ 2012 Census Estimate Archived January 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Mid-Ohio Valley Multi-Cultural Festival". Mid-Ohio Valley Multi-Cultural Festivalmerce. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "annual mid-ohio valley multi-cultural festival". West Virginia Department of Commerce. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "parkersburg homecoming festival". West Virginia Department of Commerce. Retrieved June 7, 2014.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Parkersburg Homecoming Festiva". Parkersburg Homecoming Festival. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "Taste of Parkersburg - Downtown PKB". Downtown PKB. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
- ^ "Downtown Throwdown BBQ & Brewfest". Downtown PKB. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
- ^ "The Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History". The Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "Oil and Gas Museum". Oil and Gas Museumy. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "The Parkersburg Nostalgic Gazette". Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park". Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "Semi-Pro Football: Ravens vs. Black Bears". www.wtap.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- ^ "Aaron Timothy Sims". newsandsentinel.com/.
- ^ "Parkersburg, W.V., challenges for TitleTown". ESPN.com. June 20, 2008.
- ^ Rich, Nathaniel (January 6, 2016). "The Lawyer Who Became DuPont's Worst Nightmare". The New York Times.
- ^ Storyville, Poisoning America:The Devil We Know storyville poisoning america the devil we know
- ^ "National Center for Education Statistics". (IES) NCES.
- ^ http://www.newsandsentinel.com [bare URL]
- ^ "Walt Barnes". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Parkersburg, West Virginia". City-Data.com. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ISBN 978-1617745034. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ISBN 978-0403098446. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
- ^ "WV Legislature". www.wvlegislature.gov. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
- ^ "Jaguars draft Penn State TE Brenton Strange with No. 61 pick". jaguarswire.usatoday.com. April 28, 2023. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ "Dark Waters". December 6, 2019 – via www.imdb.com.
- ^ user-generated source]
- ^ "Revolution TV Show - the Love Boat - Revolution Recaps, Revolution Reviews, Revolution Episodes | TWoP". Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
- ^ "WV town helps sister city in tornado recovery". June 1, 2008.
Further reading
- Parkersburg, 1907: A Souvenir of the City of Parkersburg, W. M. Barnes Directory Co., 1907, OL 6983396M
- Philip W. Sturm. A River to Cross: The Bicentennial History of Wood County, West Virginia. Published 1999 by The Bicentennial Commission of Wood County, WV. Josten Publishing Co., State College, PA
- Philip W. Sturm. Wood County Reflections: A Pictorial History. Published 2005, Donning Company Publishers, Virginia Beach, VA.
- Bernard L. Allen. Parkersburg: A Bicentennial History. Parkersburg Bicentennial Committee. Printed 1985 by Josten Publishing Co., State College, PA.
External links
- Parkersburg News and Sentinel newspaper
- Parkersburg's website
- Greater Parkersburg Tourism
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.