Beckley, West Virginia City of Beckley, West Virginia Main Street in downtown Beckley in 2007.
Motto: The Gateway to Southern West Virginia Location of Beckley, West Virginia Location of Beckley, West Virginia State West Virginia Beckley is a town/city in and the governmental center of county of Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States.
It was established on April 4, 1838. Beckley was titled in honor of John James Beckley, who was the first Clerk of the House of Representatives and the first Librarian of Congress.
Beckley Centennial Medal Although established in 1838, Beckley existed only on paper at that time, "Alfred Beckley said he "was incessantly jeered and laughed at for his Paper Town..." Early in its history, the town was known as Beckley, Raleigh Court House, and, occasionally, Beckleyville.
The town was originally positioned in Fayette County, Virginia.
In 1850 the act of the Virginia council creating Raleigh County titled Beckley the county seat.
The town/city is sometimes called the "Smokeless Coal Capital", "The City of Champions" and the "Gateway To Southern West Virginia." Beckley had the first "community antenna" tv fitness in the United States, a forerunner of cable television. According to the United States Enumeration Bureau, the town/city has a total region of 9.50 square miles (24.60 km2), of which, 9.49 square miles (24.58 km2) is territory and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water. Due to its elevation, the climate of Beckley is either classified as mountain temperate or humid continental (Koppen Cfb or Dfb, in the order given), and the town/city straddles the border between USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 6 - B and 7 - A. Summers are warm and humid, usually a several degrees cooler than lower-elevation places inside the state, with some days of 90 F (32 C)+ highs annually.
Climate data for Beckley, West Virginia (Raleigh County Airport), 1981 2010 normals Average snowy days ( 0.1 in) 10.1 8.4 5.2 2.5 0 0 0 0 0 0.3 3.0 7.7 37.2 As of the census of 2010, there were 17,614 citizens , 7,800 homeholds, and 4,414 families living in the city.
The populace density was 1,856.1 inhabitants per square mile (716.6/km2).
There were 8,839 housing units at an average density of 931.4 per square mile (359.6/km2).
The ethnic makeup of the town/city was 72.3% White, 21.2% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.5% from other competitions, and 3.2% from two or more competitions.
There were 7,800 homeholds of which 25.6% had kids under the age of 18 residing with them, 36.8% were married couples residing together, 15.5% had a female homeholder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male homeholder with no wife present, and 43.4% were non-families.
37.5% of all homeholds were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone residing alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The average homehold size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.85.
The median age in the town/city was 41.6 years.
20.2% of inhabitants were under the age of 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.9% were from 25 to 44; 28.5% were from 45 to 64; and 17.9% were 65 years of age or older.
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,254 citizens , 7,651 homeholds, and 4,590 families living in the city. The populace density was 1,874.9 citizens per square mile (724.1/km2).
There were 8,731 housing units at an average density of 948.8 per square mile (366.4/km2).
The ethnic makeup of the town/city was 73.64% White, 22.89% African American, 0.14% Native American, 1.89% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other competitions, and 1.22% from two or more competitions.
There were 7,651 homeholds out of which 25.1% had kids under the age of 18 residing with them, 40.9% were married couples residing together, 16.2% had a female homeholder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families.
35.6% of all homeholds were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone residing alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The average homehold size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the city, the populace was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older.
The median income for a homehold in the town/city was $28,122, and the median income for a family was $38,110.
About 16.4% of families and 20.9% of the populace were below the poverty line, including 33.9% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.
Woodrow Wilson High School is Beckley's enhance high school.
Three universities are positioned in Beckley: WVU Beckley, University of Charleston-Beckley, and a branch ground of Concord University.
Additionally, New River Community and Technical College and Valley College are positioned in Beckley.
The town/city is the county-wide core for over 100,000 Southern West Virginia residents.
It is the eighth-largest town/city in West Virginia, exceeded in populace by Fairmont and followed by Martinsburg.
WV-3.svg West Virginia Route 3 WV-10.svg West Virginia Route 10 WV-16.svg West Virginia Route 16 WV-210.svg West Virginia Route 210 Amtrak services Beckley at Prince Station in Prince, West Virginia.
Greater Beckley's only airport is Beckley Raleigh County Memorial Airport.
Beckley is well known for two primary tourist attractions: The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and Tamarack.
Smith, Governor of West Virginia United States Enumeration Bureau.
Raleigh County West Virginia.
West Virginia Division of Culture and History.
"Station Name: WV BECKLEY RALEIGH CO AP".
"Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015".
United States Enumeration Bureau.
City of Beckley Website History of Beckley and Raleigh County Municipalities and communities of Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States Municipalities of West Virginia State of West Virginia
Categories:
Beckley, West Virginia - Cities in West Virginia - Cities in Raleigh County, West Virginia - County seats in West Virginia - Mining communities in West Virginia - Micropolitan areas of West Virginia - Populated places established in 1838 - Coal suburbs in West Virginia - 1838 establishments in Virginia
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