Editing Belle, West Virginia

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Belle, West Virginia
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = West Dupont Avenue - Belle, West Virginia.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = West Dupont Avenue in Belle
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =
|image_blank_emblem       = Logo of Belle, West Virginia.png
|blank_emblem_type        = Logo


<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = File:Kanawha County West Virginia Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Belle Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 
|map_caption              = Location of Belle in Kanawha County, West Virginia.

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[West Virginia]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in West Virginia|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Kanawha County, West Virginia|Kanawha]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_54.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 2.02
|area_land_km2            = 1.79
|area_water_km2           = 0.23
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.78
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.69
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.09

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_est           = 1146
|pop_est_as_of            = 2021
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021">{{cite web   |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |website=Census.gov |publisher=US Census Bureau |access-date=July 3, 2022}}</ref>
|population_total         = 1171
|population_density_km2   = 630.00
|population_density_sq_mi = 1631.88

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 183
|elevation_ft             = 600
|coordinates              = {{coord|38|14|2|N|81|32|30|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 25015
|area_code                = [[Area code 304|304]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 54-05836<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1553846<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://www.townofbellewv.com/}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}

'''Belle''' is a town in [[Kanawha County, West Virginia|Kanawha County]], [[West Virginia]], United States, situated along the [[Kanawha River]]. The population was 1,171 at the 2020 census.<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/> Belle was [[incorporation (municipal government)|incorporated]] on December 13, 1958, by the Kanawha County [[Circuit Court]]. It is the home of the Belle Bulldogs Elementary School.

Belle Reynolds, an early postmaster, gave the town her first name.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kenny|first=Hamill|title=West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015009099824;view=1up;seq=131|year=1945|publisher=The Place Name Press|location=Piedmont, WV|page=103}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.78|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|0.69|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.09|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 24, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=January 25, 2012 }}</ref>

===Pollution===
Pollution had been noted in the air and water around Belle between 1988 and 2002, caused by the [[DuPont]] facility located there.  Water releases of pollutants from the facility increased by 385%, and air releases decreased by 94.3%, during that time period.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.scorecard.org/env-releases/facility.tcl?tri_id=25015DPNTB901WE#facility_info|title=GoodGuide|website=www.scorecard.org|access-date=December 9, 2020}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=June 2014}}

==History==
On December 8, 2020, at approximately 10 pm, an explosion occurred at the Optima [[chemical plant|Chemical Plant]] in the town, promoting a shelter-in-place to be issued for the town and surrounding areas. The explosion left one dead and three injured.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wkbn.com/news/national-world/shelter-in-place-order-issued-after-explosion-at-west-virginia-chemical-plant/|title=Shelter-in-place order lifted after explosion at West Virginia chemical plant|date=December 9, 2020|access-date=December 9, 2020}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1960= 2559
|1970= 1786
|1980= 1621
|1990= 1421
|2000= 1259
|2010= 1260
|2020= 1171
|estyear=2021
|estimate=1146
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
[[File:Samuel Shrewsbury Sr. House - Belle, West Virginia.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Samuel Shrewsbury Sr. House]] in Belle is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Kanawha County, West Virginia|National Register of Historic Places]]]]
[[File:Dupont_Belle_works_1973.png|thumb|right|DuPont Belle Works on US Route 60 at Belle, June 1973]]

===2010 census===
At the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] there were 1,260 people, 571 households, and 365 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|1826.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 639 housing units at an average density of {{convert|926.1|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2010 census|racial makeup]] of the town was 97.7% White, 0.6% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3%.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 24, 2013}}</ref>

Of the 571 households 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.1% were non-families. 34.2% of households were one person and 14.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.77.

The median age in the town was 43.1 years. 20.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.8% were from 25 to 44; 28.6% were from 45 to 64; and 18.8% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the town was 45.4% male and 54.6% female.

===2000 census===
At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 1,259 people, 569 households, and 364 families living in the town. The population density was 1,766.2 inhabitants per square mile (684.7/km{{sup|2}}). There were 647 housing units at an average density of 907.7 per square mile (351.8/km{{sup|2}}).  The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makeup]] of the town was 95.31% White, 0.87% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.87% from other races, and 2.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.27%.<ref name="GR2" />

Of the 569 households 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 32.7% of households were one person and 14.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.79.

The age distribution was 20.8% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.0 males.

The median household income was $34,118 and the median family income  was $43,203. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $22,969 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,636. About 8.6% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Sports==
Belle is home to the women's tackle football team [[West Virginia Wildfire]].

==Notable people==
* [[Jason Williams (basketball, born 1975)|Jason Williams]], [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] player
* [[Randy Moss]], [[NFL]] player

==References==
<references />

{{Kanawha County, West Virginia}}
{{West Virginia municipalities}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Kanawha County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:Towns in West Virginia]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Kanawha River]]
[[Category:Charleston, West Virginia metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Coal towns in West Virginia]]