Boone County, West Virginia

Boone County, West Virginia
Boone County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,809. Its county seat is Madison. Boone County is part of the Charleston, WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. Leading industries and chief agricultural products in Boone County include coal, lumber, natural gas, tobacco, and strawberries.
History
The county was formed in 1847 with territories annexed from Kanawha, Cabell, and Logan counties. It was named for frontiersman Daniel Boone, who lived in the Great Kanawha Valley from 1789 until 1795.
In 1863, West Virginia's counties were divided into civil townships, 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. Boone County was divided into five districts: Crook, Peytona, Scott, Sherman, and Washington. Between 1980 and 1990, the county was redivided into three magisterial districts: District 1, District 2, and District 3.
On February 1, 2006, two fatal mining accidents occurred in the communities of Uneeda and Wharton in Boone County. These two deaths with the addition of January's Sago Mine disaster and the Aracoma Alma Mine disaster caused West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin to close all of West Virginia's mines in a "mine safety stand-down."
Geography
Boone County lies in the central southwestern part of West Virginia. Its terrain consists of low wooded mountains, carved with drainages. The terrain slopes to the north and west, with its highest point at its south corner, at ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.3%) is water.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 119
West Virginia Route 3
West Virginia Route 17
West Virginia Route 85
West Virginia Route 94
West Virginia Route 99
Adjacent counties
Kanawha County - northeast
Raleigh County - east
Wyoming County - south
Logan County - west
Lincoln County - northwest
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 24,629 people, 9,928 households, and 7,014 families in the county. The population density was . There were 11,070 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 98.5% white, 0.5% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 15.4% were German, 13.3% were American, 12.9% were Irish, and 8.3% were English.
Of the 9,928 households, 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.4% were non-families, and 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age was 40.7 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,783 and the median income for a family was $47,981. Males had a median income of $51,740 versus $32,110 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,457. About 15.6% of families and 19.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.9% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,535 people, 10,291 households, and 7,460 families in the county. The population density was . There were 11,575 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 98.53% White, 0.65% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.07% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. 0.46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
The largest ancestry groups in Boone County are English (13%), Irish (12%) and German (11%).
There were 10,291 households, out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.50% were married couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.50% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.92.
The county contained 23.20% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 26.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,669, and the median income for a family was $31,999. Males had a median income of $34,931 versus $19,607 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,453. About 18.30% of families and 22.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.90% of those under age 18 and 13.90% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
With the exception of the 1972 Nixon landslide, Boone County voted Democratic in every presidential election from 1924 until 2012. In 2012, Republican Mitt Romney won over sixty percent of the vote in the process of becoming the first presidential candidate to sweep every county in the state. Also in 2012, in the state's Democratic primaries, Boone County was one of the West Virginia counties that voted for eccentric perennial candidate Keith Russell Judd, who at the time was still in prison on felony charges, over incumbent president Barack Obama.
Education
Madison
Brookview Elementary School
Madison Elementary School
Ramage Elementary School
Madison Middle School
Scott High School
Van
Van Elementary School
Van Jr./Sr. High School
Seth
Ashford-Rumble Elementary School
Sherman Elementary School
Whitesville Elementary School
Sherman Junior High School
Sherman Senior High School
Communities
City
Madison (county seat)
Towns
Danville
Sylvester
Whitesville
Magisterial districts
District 1
District 2
District 3
Census-designated places
Comfort
Greenview
Racine
Twilight
Van
Unincorporated communities
Andrew
Ashford
Bald Knob
Bandytown
Barrett
Bigson
Bim
Bloomingrose
Blue Pennant
Bob White
Bradley
Brushton
Cameo
Cazy
Clinton
Clothier
Coopertown
Dartmont
Drawdy
Easly
Eden
Elk Run Junction
Emmons (part)
Foch
Foster
Fosterville
Garrison
Gordon
Grippe
Havana
Hewett
Hopkins Fork
Janie
Jeffrey
Julian
Keith
Kirbyton
Kohlsaat
Lanta
Lick Creek
Lindytown
Low Gap
Manila
Marnie
Marthatown
Maxine
Milltown
Morrisvale
Nellis
Nelson
Onego
Orgas
Ottawa
Peytona
Pondco
Powell Creek
Prenter
Price Hill
Quinland
Ramage
Ridgeview
Rumble
Secoal
Seth
Sharlow
South Madison
Turtle Creek
Uneeda
Washington Heights
West Junction
Wharton
Williams Mountain
Notable people
Hasil Adkins, musician
Billy Edd Wheeler, songwriter
D. Ray White, mountain dancer, father of Jesco White
Jesco White, "the Dancing Outlaw", mountain dancer, son of D. Ray White
See also
Hobet Coal Mine
Fork Creek Wildlife Management Area
The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia, a documentary film set in Boone County
National Register of Historic Places listings in Boone County, West Virginia
Upper Big Branch Miners Memorial, a roadside memorial in Whitesville to honor the 29 men killed in an explosion at the Upper Big Branch Coal Mine on April 5, 2010.
References
External links
Boone County Community and Economic Development Office
WVGenWeb Boone County
1847 establishments in Virginia
Populated places established in 1847
Charleston, West Virginia metropolitan area
Counties of Appalachia