Editing Gauley Bridge, West Virginia

{{short description|Town in West Virginia, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Gauley Bridge, West Virginia
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Gauley Bridge-27527-1.jpg
|imagesize                = 300px
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = File:Fayette County West Virginia Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Gauley Bridge Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 300px
|map_caption              = Location of Gauley Bridge in Fayette County, West Virginia.
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- 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        = [[Fayette County, West Virginia|Fayette]]

<!-- 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           = 4.22
|area_land_km2            = 4.10
|area_water_km2           = 0.12
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.63
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.58
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.05

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2010 United States Census|2010]]
|population_est           = 553
|pop_est_as_of            = 2019
|population_footnotes     = <ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>
|population_total         = 614
|population_density_km2   = 134.93
|population_density_sq_mi = 349.56

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 247
|elevation_ft             = 810
|coordinates              = {{coord|38|10|4|N|81|11|49|W|region:US-WV|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 25085
|area_code                = [[Area code 304|304]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 54-30364<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              = 1554543<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                  = https://local.wv.gov/gauleybridge/Pages/default.aspx
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse"/>
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}
'''Gauley Bridge''' is a town in [[Fayette County, West Virginia|Fayette County]], [[West Virginia]], United States. The population was 614 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]]. The [[Kanawha River]] is formed at Gauley Bridge by the confluence of the [[New River (Kanawha River)|New]] and [[Gauley River|Gauley]] Rivers. Two miles to the southwest of Gauley Bridge, in [[Glen Ferris, West Virginia|Glen Ferris]], is [[Kanawha Falls]], a popular stopping point on [[Midland Trail (West Virginia)|Midland Trail Scenic Highway]].

The community was named after a bridge over the Gauley River near the original town site.<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=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015009099824;view=1up;seq=290;size=125|archive-url=https://archive.today/20160828004331/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015009099824;view=1up;seq=290;size=125|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 28, 2016|year=1945|publisher=The Place Name Press|location=Piedmont, WV|page=262}}</ref> Gauley Bridge was close to the site of the [[Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster]], in which hundreds of people died in the 1920s and 1930s.

==Geography==
Gauley Bridge is located at {{Coord|38.167815|-81.197079|type:city_region:US|format=dms|display=inline}} (38.167815, -81.197079).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|1.63|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|1.58|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.05|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/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=July 2, 2012 }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1980= 1177
|1990= 691
|2000= 738
|2010= 614
|estyear=2019
|estimate=553
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|date=May 24, 2020|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref>
|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>
}}

===2010 census===
[[File:Railroad-themed mural in the town of Gauley Bridge, West Virginia LCCN2015634256.tif|thumb|Railroad-themed mural in Gauley Bridge photographed by Carol M. Highsmith]]
As of the [[census]]<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 2010, there were 614 people, 279 households, and 159 families living in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|388.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 361 housing units at an average density of {{convert|228.5|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.9% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 0.8% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.5% of the population.

There were 279 households, of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.0% were non-families. 37.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.3% 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 2.87.

The median age in the town was 43.5 years. 19.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.9% were from 25 to 44; 30% were from 45 to 64; and 17.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 738 people, 325 households, and 205 families living in the town. The [[population density]] was 458.6 inhabitants per square mile (177.0/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 374 housing units at an average density of 232.4 per square mile (89.7/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the town was 97.43% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.68% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.68% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.22% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.36% of the population.
[[Image:Gauley Bridge-27527-2.jpg|thumb|left|250px|{{center|One of several roadside [[historical marker]]s in Gauley Bridge.  The town of [[Glen Ferris]] can be seen in the background.}}]]
There were 325 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $22,500, and the median income for a family was $25,987. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $19,688 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $11,820. About 26.7% of families and 33.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 49.7% of those under age 18 and 24.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Transportation==
[[U.S. Route 60 in West Virginia|U.S. Route 60]], [[WV 16]], and [[WV 39]] all intersect in Downtown Gauley Bridge.

==Notable person==
*[[MacGillivray Milne]], 27th [[List of Governors of American Samoa|Governor of American Samoa]]
*[[Larry Clay Jr]], 1st.  [[Federal jury found him guilty of sex trafficking and obstruction of justice]]

==References==
<references />

{{Fayette County, West Virginia}}
{{West Virginia municipalities}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Fayette County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:Towns in West Virginia]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Kanawha River]]
[[Category:West Virginia populated places on the New River]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Gauley River]]