Editing Wellsburg, West Virginia

{{Short description|City in West Virginia, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Wellsburg, West Virginia
| settlement_type    = [[List of municipalities in West Virginia|City]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = 
<!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = Wellsburg (Taber Andrew Bain) - Flickr.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Wellsburg in 2008
| image_flag         = Flag of Wellsburg, West Virginia.png
| image_seal         = Seal of Wellsburg, West Virginia.png

<!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = File:Brooke County West Virginia Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Wellsburg Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Wellsburg in Brooke County, West Virginia.
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type   = 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  = [[Brooke County, West Virginia|Brooke]]

<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Daniel Dudley
| leader_title1      = City Manager
| leader_name1       = Stephen Maguschak
| established_title  = Chartered
| established_date   = 1791 and 1887<ref name="West Virginia Blue Book">{{cite book|last=[[West Virginia Legislature]]|first=|title=West Virginia Blue Book, 2017-2018|url= https://www.wvlegislature.gov/legisdocs/publications/bluebook/2017-2018/0943_WVS_BlueBook.pdf|chapter=Section Ten: Municipalities|year=2018|publisher=West Virginia Legislature|location=Charleston, West Virginia|page=1031}}</ref>
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| 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     = 3.44
| area_land_km2      = 2.51
| area_water_km2     = 0.93
| area_total_sq_mi   = 1.33
| area_land_sq_mi    = 0.97
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.36

<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est     = 2401
| 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=2 July 2022}}</ref>
| population_total   = 2455
| population_density_km2 = 1006.97
| population_density_sq_mi = 2608.25

<!-- General information -->
| timezone           = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 206
| elevation_ft       = 676
| coordinates        = {{coord|40|16|39|N|80|36|34|W|region:US-WV|display=inline}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 26070
| area_code          = [[Area code 304|304]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 54-85324<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1555938<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
| website            = {{Official website|https://www.cityofwellsburg.us/}}
| footnotes          = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = <ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>
}}

'''Wellsburg''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Brooke County, West Virginia]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=2011-06-07|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The [[2020 United States census|2020 census]] recorded a population of 2,455.<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/> It is a part of the [[Weirton–Steubenville metropolitan area]]. The city's economy includes several telemarketing facilities, and a factory that does metal fabrication and plastics molding.<ref name="e-WV">{{cite web|url=http://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/983|title=The West Virginia Encyclopedia: Wellsburg|date=August 3, 2023|access-date=2023-08-29 |author= Ruby A. Greathouse|publisher=West Virginia Humanities Council}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Main Street, Wellsburg, W. Va (84269).jpg|thumb|Wellsburg in the early 20th century]]
The town was laid out in 1790, and its post office was opened on September 1, 1870.

In 1772, the Cox brothers, Friend, Israel, and Jonathan, made [[Cabin rights|tomahawk rights]] claims totaling {{convert|1,200|acre|km2}} in the area now including Wellsburg. In March 1788, Charles Prather purchased {{convert|481|acre|km2}} from the Cox heirs for $3,000. In 1791, Prather petitioned Ohio County to incorporate the town of Charlestown, Virginia, naming it after himself. The original name continued until 1816, when it was changed to Wellsburg, to avoid confusion with [[Charles Town, West Virginia|Charles Town, Jefferson County]]. The new name was in honor of Alexander Wells, Charles Prather's son-in-law, builder of the first large flour warehouse in the east. Late in 1890, nearby Midway and Lazearville were annexed to Wellsburg.<ref name="e-WV"/><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/earlywesterntrav04thwa/page/108/mode/2up |title=Early Western Travels, 1748–1846 |editor-last=Thwaites |editor-first=Reuben Gold |volume=4 |year=1904 |publisher=The Arthur H. Clark Company |page=108 |via=[[Archive.org]] |access-date=2023-08-29}}{{Open access}}</ref>

Wellsburg was the home of [[Patrick Gass]], the last surviving member of the Lewis and Clark expedition and author of a memoir of the famous journey. Here also was the home of [[Joseph Doddridge]], author of ''Notes on the Settlement and Indian Wars''.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Richards |first=Samuel J. |title=The East-West Divide and Frontier Efforts of the Reverend Dr. Joseph Doddridge |url=https://doi.org/10.5325/pennhistory.85.4.0460 |journal=Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies |volume=85 |issue=4 |pages=460–487}}</ref> In 1832, the original [[Grimes Golden]] apple tree was found just east of Wellsburg. The first glass factory in Western Virginia was built at Wellsburg in 1813.<ref name="e-WV"/>

Wellsburg has a [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Brooke County, West Virginia|number of entries]] on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. The most notable are [[Miller's Tavern]] and [[Wellsburg Wharf]]. The [[Wellsburg Historic District]] was listed in 1982.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Geography==
Wellsburg is located at {{coord|40|16|39|N|80|36|34|W|type:city}} (40.277370, -80.609349),<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=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> along the [[Ohio River]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.34|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|0.98|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.36|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=2013-01-24|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=2012-07-02}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 1366
|1880= 1815
|1890= 2235
|1900= 2588
|1910= 4189
|1920= 4918
|1930= 6398
|1940= 6255
|1950= 5787
|1960= 5514
|1970= 4600
|1980= 3963
|1990= 3385
|2000= 2891
|2010= 2805
|2020= 2455
|estyear=2021
|estimate=2401
|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>
}}

===2010 census===
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=2013-01-24}}</ref> of 2010, there were 2,805 people, 1,312 households, and 767 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|2862.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,463 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1492.9|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.3% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.9% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.4% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.1% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.2% of the population.

There were 1,312 households, of which 22.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.5% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.76.

The median age in the city was 48.3 years. 17.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.8% were from 25 to 44; 30.5% were from 45 to 64; and 22.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.0% male and 53.0% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 2,891 people, 1,361 households, and 815 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|3,104.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 1,493 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,603.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.68% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.01% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.10% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.10% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.03% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.07% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.24% of the population.

There were 1,361 households, out of which 20.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.78.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 17.9% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 24.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,298, and the median income for a family was $36,750. Males had a median income of $29,808 versus $18,707 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $18,498. About 11.4% of families and 14.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
The county high school is [[Brooke High School]], part of [[Brooke County Schools]]. Wellsburg has one primary school and one middle school, with the county's consolidated high school and Alternate Learning Center situated nearby. Brooke County Public Library is also located in Wellsburg.<ref name="e-WV"/>

==Notable people==
*[[Kristan Hawkins]] (1985–present) - pro-life activist and president of Students for Life of America
*[[Russ Craft]] (1919–2009) - American football defensive back in the NFL
*[[Glenn Davis (athlete)]] (1934–2009) - American Olympic Gold medalist hurdler and sprinter and American football wide receiver for [[Detroit Lions]].
*[[Philip Doddridge (Virginia politician)|Philip Doddridge]] (1773–1832) - politician and advocate for western (now West) Virginia in Richmond and Washington, D.C.; [[Doddridge County, West Virginia|Doddridge County]] named in his honor<ref>{{cite web |title=DODDRIDGE, Philip |url=https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/12316 |website=history.house.gov |publisher=US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Richards |first1=Samuel J. |title=Reclaiming Congressman Philip Doddridge from Tidewater Cultural Imperialism |journal=West Virginia History: A Journal of Regional Studies |date=Fall 2019 |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=1–26 |doi=10.1353/wvh.2019.0019 }}</ref>
*[[Isaac H. Duval]] (1824–1902) - American Civil War General and Congressman 
*[[Patrick Gass]] (1771–1870) - Member of the Lewis and Clark expedition
*Maj. Gen. [[William Campbell Langfitt]] (1860–1934)
*[[Joe Pettini]] (b. 1955) - [[Major League Baseball]] player, and coach for the [[St. Louis Cardinals]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Wellsburg, West Virginia}}
* [http://www.smalltownpapers.com/listBCR.htm The Brooke County Review - Local newspaper]

{{Coord|display=title|40.27737|-80.609349}}

{{Brooke County, West Virginia}}
{{West Virginia municipalities}}
{{Northern Panhandle of West Virginia}}
{{West Virginia county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Brooke County, West Virginia]]
[[Category:County seats in West Virginia]]
[[Category:West Virginia populated places on the Ohio River]]
[[Category:Cities in West Virginia]]
[[Category:Weirton–Steubenville metropolitan area]]
[[Category:1791 establishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:1887 establishments in West Virginia]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1791]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1887]]
[[Category:Wellsburg, West Virginia| ]]