Ronceverte, West Virginia
Ronceverte, West Virginia | ||
---|---|---|
![]() Ronceverte Depot, April 2009 | ||
FIPS code 54-70156[4] | | |
GNIS feature ID | 2390647[2] | |
Website | cityofroncevertewv |
Ronceverte is a city in
Culture and history
Ronceverte might have been named "Edgar", for the high number of Edgars who lived in the town, but the name was settled by a leading
Ronceverte is
The river is still inseparable from the culture of the town itself, considered one of the earliest significant
The Hokes Mill Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. The Ronceverte Historic District was listed in 2005.[9]
Railroad
Ronceverte is a proud railroad town, a part of the C&O lines that connected Pocahontas County to Hinton, and to Clifton Forge, Virginia. Ronceverte was part of the "Gravel Girtie" line where Hinton-based train cars were sent to the limestone quarry at Fort Spring and loaded with crushed lime. This cargo was sent to Clifton Forge where it fluxed in the large furnaces.
During
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.73 square miles (4.48 km2), of which 1.70 square miles (4.40 km2) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2) is water.[10]
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1880 | 395 | — | |
1890 | 481 | 21.8% | |
1900 | 968 | 101.2% | |
1910 | 2,157 | 122.8% | |
1920 | 2,319 | 7.5% | |
1930 | 2,254 | −2.8% | |
1940 | 2,265 | 0.5% | |
1950 | 2,301 | 1.6% | |
1960 | 1,882 | −18.2% | |
1970 | 1,981 | 5.3% | |
1980 | 2,312 | 16.7% | |
1990 | 1,754 | −24.1% | |
2000 | 1,557 | −11.2% | |
2010 | 1,765 | 13.4% | |
2020 | 1,572 | −10.9% | |
2021 (est.) | 1,559 | [3] | −0.8% |
U.S. Decennial Census[11] |
Ronceverte's economic area is in the downtown section, crossed with railroad tracks for the former
2010 census
As of the
There were 753 households, of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.8% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% 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 2.87.
The median age in the city was 43.6 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.4% were from 25 to 44; 27.6% were from 45 to 64; and 20.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.3% male and 53.7% female.
2000 census
As of the
There were 686 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% 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 2.77.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,400, and the median income for a family was $27,500. Males had a median income of $31,307 versus $20,313 for females. The
Theater and drama
In the late 1880s, a man was traveling through on the rail and saw a very pretty young woman at the Ronceverte Depot. The incident inspired a song, "The Pretty Girl of Ronceverte", written by Thomas Thackston and set to music by Charles Pratt. The music is on display at the Ronceverte Public Library.[13]
On September 10–19 the Outdoor Amphitheater stages Riders of the Flood, a popular historical drama based on the book by Pocahontas County author W. E. Blackhurst for the Riders of the Flood Outdoor Drama.[14] The play's theme is a demonstration of Ronceverte's importance in the turn of the 20th century, when its St. Lawrence Boom and Lumber Company was the largest softwood mill in the country,[15] and traces of its industry have sculpted Ronceverte's portion of the Greenbrier River to the shape it is today. All proceeds from the play are recycled back into the town of Ronceverte with the intention of improving the community, uplifting its economy, and fostering civic pride. Riders of the Flood is a member of West Virginia's Institute for Outdoor Drama.[16] At this point, it is a purely volunteer program, as is its sequel, Big Dreams, Restless Spirit.
See also
- List of cities in West Virginia
References
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ronceverte, West Virginia
- ^ a b c d "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021". Census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Ronceverte--Name Chosen for Our Town"--Riders of the Flood Historic Newsletter, 2000.
- ^ 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. 540.
- ^ Greenbrier River Org.
- ^ "The Flood of 1985 remembered". November 2, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
- ^ Ronceverte Public Library
- ^ Riders of the Flood Outdoor Drama
- ^ St. Lawrence Boom and Lumber Co.
- ^ WV Institute for Outdoor Drama
External links
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