Falling Spring is a town in
Greenbrier County
Greenbrier County () is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 32,977. Its county seat is Lewisburg. The county was formed in 1778 from Botetourt and Montgomery counties in Virginia.
History
P ...
,
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
, United States. It is also known as Renick
[ from the name of its post office ( ZIP Code 24966). The population was 171 at the 2020 census.]
History
In 1769, Major William Renick from Augusta County, Virginia
Augusta County is a county in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The second-largest county of Virginia by total area, it completely surrounds the independent cities of Staunton and Waynesboro. Its county ...
, settled on an entry of in the northern area of Greenbrier County, an area north of Lewisburg known as Falling Spring.
Spring Creek Presbyterian Church was established in 1783. The first pastor was Rev. John McCue. The original site of the church was in Spring Creek, about south of Renick.
A school was established in the town in 1796. In 1928 the public school system established Renick High School in what is now the Renick Junior High School building.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad was built through the center of town around 1900, following the Greenbrier River
The Greenbrier River is a tributary of the New River, long,McNeel, William P. "Greenbrier River." ''The West Virginia Encyclopedia''. Ken Sullivan, editor. Charleston, WV: West Virginia Humanities Council. 2006. . in southeastern West Virginia ...
. In 1901, Pitts and Colley built a large store next to the railroad depot and many businesses followed. The railroad line is now the Greenbrier River Trail.
The Bank of Renick was established in 1909 with the Rev. J.S. Wickline as the first and only president. The bank at one time was considered one of the best banks in the Greenbrier Valley.
The post office of Falling Spring was established in the early part of the 1800s. The post office's name was changed to "Renick" in 1913 by the postal service, due to confusion with the mail service with the community of Falling Spring, Virginia
Falling Spring is an unincorporated community in Alleghany County, Virginia, United States. The name also applies to Falling Spring Falls, a cascade of water nestled in the Alleghany Highlands. The property of the falls and surrounding acreage wa ...
. Today, the post office is still in service and delivers mail not only to the town of Falling Spring, but to the surrounding communities of Auto and Friars Hill.
Sources: The Renick Ruritan club, Former Mayor David Ramsey
Geography
Falling Spring is located at (37.991232, -80.355182).
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Government
In February 1924, the town of Renick became incorporated with the first meeting of Renick Town Council and consisted of a mayor, recorder, and five council members. The town council meets once a month with elections held every four years for members who each serve a four-year term. At present time, the Mayor of Renick is Patrick Roberts (R), with Melinda L. Workman acting as Recorder/Treasurer and City Council Members Twyla B. Diehl, Jill Callison, John Simmons, James R. Holmes, and Angie Lewis. The City Attorney is Charles R. "Rusty" Webb.
2017 Renick Election
Renick elected a mayor, recorder and five council members. Mayor Patrick Roberts and recorder Melinda L. Workman ran unopposed. Five candidates for city council seeking to fill five open seats were Jill Callison, Twyla B. Diehl, James R. Holmes, Angie Lewis, and John Simmons
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Renick has a humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Falling Spring, West Virginia
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Demographics
2010 census
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 211 people, 82 households, and 61 families living in the town. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 106 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 94.3% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.5% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.5% Native American, 0.9% from other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.9% of the population.
There were 82 households, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 25.6% were non-families. 18.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.92.
The median age in the town was 41.5 years. 22.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.2% were from 25 to 44; 33.2% were from 45 to 64; and 11.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 46.0% male and 54.0% female.
2000 census
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 209 people, 85 households, and 57 families living in the town. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 411.1 people per square mile (158.2/km2). There were 113 housing units at an average density of 222.2 per square mile (85.5/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 100.00% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.48% of the population.
There were 85 households, out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $25,469, and the median income for a family was $25,750. Males had a median income of $23,500 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the town was $10,721. About 23.6% of families and 24.9% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 43.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 5.1% of those 65 or over.
References
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Towns in Greenbrier County, West Virginia
Towns in West Virginia