Editing Upshur County, West Virginia

{{Short description|County in West Virginia, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county        = Upshur County
 | state         = West Virginia
 | seal                 = Seal of Upshur County, West Virginia.png
 | founded date       = March 26
 | founded year         = 1851
 | named for            = [[Abel Parker Upshur]]
 | seat wl          = Buckhannon
 | largest city wl  = Buckhannon
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 355
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 355
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 0.1
 | area percentage      = 0.03%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 23816
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2024
 | population_est       = 23529 {{loss}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | web                  = www.upshurcounty.org
 | ex image             = Upshur County Courthouse Buckhannon.jpg
 | ex image cap         = The Upshur County Courthouse, designed by architect [[Harrison Albright]]<ref name="Albright">{{Cite book |last=Cutright |first=W |title=The History of Upshur County, West Virginia |publisher=Clearfield |year=2009 |isbn=978-0806346359 |page=280}}</ref> pictured in Buckhannon in 2006
 | time zone           = Eastern
 | district             = 2nd }}

'''Upshur County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[West Virginia]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 23,816.<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/upshurcountywestvirginia/PST045221 |access-date=January 29, 2025 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Buckhannon]].<ref name="GR6">{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The county was formed in 1851 from [[Randolph County, West Virginia|Randolph]], [[Barbour County, West Virginia|Barbour]], and [[Lewis County, West Virginia|Lewis]] counties and named for [[Abel Parker Upshur]], a distinguished [[wikt:statesman|statesman]] and [[jurist]] of [[Virginia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Archived copy |url=http://www.wvculture.org/history/wvcounties.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010923185022/http://www.wvculture.org/history/wvcounties.html |archive-date=September 23, 2001 |access-date=February 4, 2013}}</ref> Upshur served as [[United States Secretary of State]] and [[United States Secretary of the Navy|Secretary of the Navy]] under [[President of the United States|President]] [[John Tyler]].

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|355|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|354.9|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.1|mi2|km2}} (0.03%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_54.txt |access-date=July 31, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> The county falls within the [[United States National Radio Quiet Zone]]. The highest elevation in Upshur County is 3,160 feet, near Sugar Run on the Randolph and Upshur County lines just outside Palace Valley and Hemlock. It is reported there as an elevation marker at the site.

In 1863, West Virginia's counties were divided into [[civil township]]s, with the intention of encouraging local government. This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872 the townships were converted into [[minor civil division|magisterial districts]].<ref>Otis K. Rice & Stephen W. Brown, ''West Virginia: A History'', 2nd ed., University Press of Kentucky, Lexington (1993), p. 240.</ref>  Upshur County was divided into six districts: Banks, Buckhannon, Meade, Union, Warren, and Washington. In the 1990s, the six historic magisterial districts were consolidated into three new districts: First, Second, and Third.<ref>[[United States Census Bureau]], [[United States Census|U.S. Decennial Census]], Tables of Minor Civil Divisions in West Virginia, 1870–2010.</ref>

===Major highways===
* [[File:US 33.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 33 in West Virginia|U.S. Highway 33]]
* [[File:US 48.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 48#West Virginia|U.S. Highway 48]]
* [[File:US 119.svg|23px]] [[U.S. Route 119#West Virginia|U.S. Highway 119]]
* [[File:WV-4.svg|20px]] [[West Virginia Route 4]]
* [[File:WV-20.svg|20px]] [[West Virginia Route 20]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Harrison County, West Virginia|Harrison County]] (north)
* [[Barbour County, West Virginia|Barbour County]] (northeast)
* [[Randolph County, West Virginia|Randolph County]] (southeast)
* [[Webster County, West Virginia|Webster County]] (south)
* [[Lewis County, West Virginia|Lewis County]] (west)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1860= 7292
|1870= 8023
|1880= 10249
|1890= 12714
|1900= 14696
|1910= 16629
|1920= 17851
|1930= 17944
|1940= 18360
|1950= 19242
|1960= 18292
|1970= 19092
|1980= 23427
|1990= 22867
|2000= 23404
|2010= 24254
|2020= 23816
|estyear=2024
|estimate=23529
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2024">{{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=October 18, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=January 16, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=January 16, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/wv190090.txt |access-date=January 16, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |access-date=January 16, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF" />
}}

=== 2020 census ===
As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 23,816 people and 9,599 households residing in the county. There were 11,178 housing units in Upshur County. The racial makeup of the county was 94.4% [[White American|White]], 0.9% [[African American]], 0.7% [[Asian American|Asian]], 0.2% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.6% from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#Race|other races]], and 3.8% from [[Multiracial American|two or more races]]. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanics or Latinos]] of any race were 1.3% of the population.

There were 26,143 households, of which 44.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 28% had a female householder with no spouse present,19.5% had a male householder with no spouse present. The average household and family size was 2.94. The median age in the county was 41.9 years with 20.8% of the population under 18. The median income for a household in the city was $44,470 and the poverty rate was 20%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Upshur_County,_West_Virginia?g=0500000US54097 |access-date=March 1, 2023 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 24,254 people, 9,619 households, and 6,528 families living in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">{{Cite web |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US54097 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213033544/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US54097 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> The population density was {{convert|68.4|PD/sqmi}}. There were 11,099 housing units at an average density of {{convert|31.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}.<ref name="census-density">{{Cite web |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US54097 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213233733/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US54097 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 97.6% white, 0.7% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1" /> In terms of ancestry, 18.1% were [[Germans|German]], 13.8% were [[Americans|American]], 10.6% were [[Irish people|Irish]], and 8.6% were [[English people|English]].<ref name="census-dp2">{{Cite web |title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US54097 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213015750/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US54097 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

Of the 9,619 households, 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.1% were non-families, and 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age was 40.9 years.<ref name="census-dp1" />

The median income for a household in the county was $36,114 and the median income for a family was $44,937. Males had a median income of $36,517 versus $25,420 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,823. About 14.1% of families and 19.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.7% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">{{Cite web |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US54097 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213015143/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US54097 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

=== 2000 census ===
As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 24,254 people, 9,619 households, and 6,528 families living in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|68.4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 11,099 housing units at an average density of {{convert|31.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|racial makeup]] of the county was 97.6% White, 0.7% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1% from two or more races. 1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,619 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.4 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.7% from age 0 to 19, 7.60% from 20 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 97 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,381, whereas the median income for families was 44,937 . Males had a median income of $36,517 versus $25,420 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $19,498. About 14.1% of families and 19.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 26.7% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Communities==
===City===
* [[Buckhannon, West Virginia|Buckhannon]] (county seat)

===Magisterial districts===
====Current====
* First
* Second
* Third

====Historic====
Upshur County was divided into six townships on July 31, 1863. They were replaced in the 1990s.
* Banks District, named for [[Nathaniel Prentiss Banks]]
* Buckhannon District, named for the county seat, the City of Buckhannon
* Meade District, named for General [[George Gordon Meade]]
* Union District, named for military soldiers serving the Union cause
* Warren District, named for [[Gouverneur Kemble Warren]]
* Washington District, named for President [[George Washington]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=12em}}
* [[Abbott, West Virginia|Abbott]]
* [[Adrian, West Virginia|Adrian]]
* [[Alexander, West Virginia|Alexander]]
* [[Alton, West Virginia|Alton]]
* [[Arlington, Upshur County, West Virginia|Arlington]]
* [[Atlas, West Virginia|Atlas]]
* [[Beans Mill, West Virginia|Beans Mill]]
* [[Canaan, West Virginia|Canaan]]
* [[Carter, West Virginia|Carter]]
* [[Craddock, West Virginia|Craddock]]
* [[Daysville, West Virginia|Daysville]]
* [[Deanville, West Virginia|Deanville]]
* [[Eden, Upshur County, West Virginia|Eden]]
* [[Ellamore, West Virginia|Ellamore]]
* [[Evergreen, West Virginia|Evergreen]]
* [[Excelsior, Upshur County, West Virginia|Excelsior]]
* [[Five Forks, Upshur County, West Virginia|Five Forks]]
* [[Freeman, Upshur County, West Virginia|Freeman]]
* [[French Creek, West Virginia|French Creek]]
* [[Frenchton, West Virginia|Frenchton]]
* [[Gaines, West Virginia|Gaines]]
* [[Gale, West Virginia|Gale]]
* [[Goodwin, West Virginia|Goodwin]]
* [[Gormley, West Virginia|Gormley]]
* [[Goshen, West Virginia|Goshen]]
* [[Gould, West Virginia|Gould]]
* [[Hampton, West Virginia|Hampton]]
* [[Heavener Grove, West Virginia|Heavener Grove]]
* [[Hemlock, Upshur County, West Virginia|Hemlock]]
* [[Hinkleville, West Virginia|Hinkleville]]
* [[Hodgesville, West Virginia|Hodgesville]]
* [[Holly Grove, West Virginia|Holly Grove]]
* [[Hoover Town, West Virginia|Hoover Town]]
* [[Imperial, West Virginia|Imperial]]
* [[Ingo, West Virginia|Ingo]]
* [[Ivy, West Virginia|Ivy]]
* [[Kanawha Head, West Virginia|Kanawha Head]]
* [[Kedron, West Virginia|Kedron]]
* [[Kesling Mill, West Virginia|Kesling Mill]]
* [[Lorentz, West Virginia|Lorentz]]
* [[McCuetown, West Virginia|McCuetown]]
* [[Midvale, West Virginia|Midvale]]
* [[Nebo, Upshur County, West Virginia|Nebo]]
* [[Newlonton, West Virginia|Newlonton]]
* [[Overhill, West Virginia|Overhill]]
* [[Palace Valley, West Virginia|Palace Valley]]
* [[Post Mill, West Virginia|Post Mill]]
* [[Queens, West Virginia|Queens]]
* [[Red Rock, West Virginia|Red Rock]]
* [[Reger, West Virginia|Reger]]
* [[Rock Cave, West Virginia|Rock Cave]]
* [[Rocky Ford, West Virginia|Rocky Ford]]
* [[Ruraldale, West Virginia|Ruraldale]]
* [[Sago, West Virginia|Sago]]
* [[Sand Run, West Virginia|Sand Run]]
* [[Selbyville, West Virginia|Selbyville]]
* [[Shahan, West Virginia|Shahan]]
* [[South Buckhannon, West Virginia|South Buckhannon]]
* [[Swamp Run, West Virginia|Swamp Run]]
* [[Tallmansville, West Virginia|Tallmansville]]
* [[Tenmile, West Virginia|Tenmile]]
* [[Tennerton, West Virginia|Tennerton]]
* [[Teter, West Virginia|Teter]]
* [[Vegan, West Virginia|Vegan]]
* [[White Oak, Upshur County, West Virginia|White Oak]]
* [[Wilsontown, West Virginia|Wilsontown]]
* [[Yokum, West Virginia|Yokum]]
* [[Zion, West Virginia|Zion]]
{{div col end}}

==Politics==
Whereas most of West Virginia has seen a rapid and continuing shift to the Republican Party since the 1990s, Upshur County—though strongly Democratic during the [[Second Party System]]—has ever since statehood been a Republican stronghold due to its powerful [[Southern Unionist|Unionist]] sympathies from [[American Civil War|Civil War]] days, and the association of the Democratic Party with the “Slave Power” and creating a war the yeoman residents had no desire to fight.<ref>Denton, Lawrence M.; ''Unionists in Virginia: Politics, Secession and Their Plan to Prevent Civil War'', {{ISBN|1625852797}}</ref> The solitary post-Civil War Democrat to win the county has been Lyndon Johnson in 1964, and he won by only 168 votes. Since 1896, only two other Democrats—[[Jimmy Carter]] in 1976 and [[Bill Clinton]] in 1996—have topped forty percent in the county.
{{PresHead|place=Upshur County, West Virginia|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=March 28, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|7,633|2,033|193|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|7,771|2,256|196|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|7,005|1,766|527|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|5,939|2,158|201|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|5,911|2,925|135|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|6,191|3,034|68|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|5,165|2,770|188|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|3,325|3,052|1,070|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|3,505|3,161|1,587|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|4,813|3,065|16|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|5,951|2,468|47|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|4,751|2,867|481|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|4,789|3,513|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|6,449|1,795|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|4,565|2,319|427|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|3,606|3,774|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|5,123|2,590|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|5,707|2,081|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|5,938|2,234|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|5,068|2,323|28|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|5,332|2,026|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|6,086|2,862|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1936|Republican|5,745|3,163|26|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1932|Republican|5,077|3,147|68|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|5,277|1,683|57|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|4,930|1,952|137|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|4,936|1,418|42|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|2,553|1,019|68|West Virginia}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Progressive|835|895|1,767|West Virginia}}

==Economy==
Economy includes coal mining and timber, as well as higher education—the Upshur County seat of Buckhannon is home to the small, private, liberal arts institution [[West Virginia Wesleyan College]]. The [[West Virginia State Wildlife Center]] in [[French Creek, West Virginia|French Creek]] also generates some income as a popular tourist attraction. Upshur County also gained international attention during the [[Sago Mine disaster]] in 2006; the blast and ensuing aftermath trapped 13 coal miners for nearly two days, only one of whom survived.<ref>{{Cite web |title=13 coal miners are trapped in Sago Mine disaster; 12 die |url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/13-coal-miners-are-trapped-in-sago-mine-disaster-west-virginia |access-date=March 5, 2022 |website=HISTORY |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Upshur County, West Virginia]]
* [[Sago Mine disaster]]
* [[West Virginia Wesleyan College]]
* [[West Virginia State Wildlife Center]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.buchamber.com/ Buckhannon-Upshur Chamber of Commerce]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060114083657/http://boe.upsh.k12.wv.us/ Upshur County Board of Education]
* [http://www.upshurda.com/ Upshur County Development Authority]
* [http://upshurcounty.lib.wv.us/ Upshur County Public Library]
* [http://www.upshurcountyhistoricalsociety.com/ Upshur County Historical Society]
* [http://www.therecorddelta.com/ The Record Delta newspaper]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060104082056/http://www.wvstrawberryfestival.com/strawberry/strawberryhome.nsf/ West Virginia Strawberry Festival]
* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvupshur/ Upshur County WVGenWeb]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Upshur County, West Virginia
|North     = [[Harrison County, West Virginia|Harrison County]]
|Northeast = [[Barbour County, West Virginia|Barbour County]]
|East      =
|Southeast = [[Randolph County, West Virginia|Randolph County]]
|South     = [[Webster County, West Virginia|Webster County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Lewis County, West Virginia|Lewis County]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Upshur County, West Virginia}}
{{West Virginia}}

{{coord|38.90|-80.23|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-WV_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Upshur County, West Virginia| ]]
[[Category:1851 establishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1851]]