Romney is a town in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

of Hampshire County,

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 ...

, United States. The population was 1,722 at the 2020 census.

History

Established by consecutive acts of the Virginia

House of Burgesses The House of Burgesses was the elected representative element of the Virginia General Assembly, the legislative body of the Colony of Virginia. With the creation of the House of Burgesses in 1642, the General Assembly, which had been established ...

and approved by the governor on December 23, 1762, Romney and Mecklenburg (later renamed Shepherdstown), in Jefferson County, are the oldest towns in

. The bill containing the ''Act for establishing the town of Romney, in the county of Hampshire, and for other purposes therein-mentioned,'' is listed 20th on a list of approved "publick and private bills" and is immediately followed by ''An Act for establishing the town of Mecklenburg, in the county of Frederick.'' Originally settled in 1725 by hunters and traders, Romney was known as Pearsall's Flats and was the site of the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...

stockade Fort Pearsall. Named for the

Cinque Ports The Confederation of Cinque Ports () is a historic group of coastal towns in south-east England – predominantly in Kent and Sussex, with one outlier ( Brightlingsea) in Essex. The name is Old French, meaning "five harbours", and alludes to ...

town of Romney,

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

, England, by

Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (22 October 16939 December 1781), was a Scottish peer. He was the son of Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, and Catherine Colepeper, daughter of Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper. The on ...

, the town still bears place names and symbols from its colonial past such as its Marsham Street, named for Robert Marsham, 2nd Baron Romney. It is also home to the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind and the nation's First Confederate Memorial in Indian Mound Cemetery.

Geography

Romney is located at (39.344915, -78.756960). 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 An economy is an area of th ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally cold 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, nota ...

system, Romney has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Romney, West Virginia
/ref>

Transportation

Romney is served by two primary highways, the more prominent of them being

U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlantic ...

. US 50 heads eastward from Romney towards Winchester and Interstate 81. To the west, US 50 intersects U.S. Route 220, climbs the Allegheny Front, briefly enters Garrett County,

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; ...

, and then returns to West Virginia, eventually reaching

Grafton Grafton may refer to: Places Australia * Grafton, New South Wales Canada * Grafton, New Brunswick * Grafton, Nova Scotia * Grafton, Ontario England * Grafton, Cheshire * Grafton, Herefordshire *Grafton, North Yorkshire * Grafton, Oxfordshi ...

. The other primary highway serving Romney is West Virginia Route 28, which heads southward towards Moorefield and north towards Cumberland,

and Interstate 68. Although not usually used for daily transport, the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad has its terminal here.

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 in ...

of 2010, there were 1,848 people, 843 households, and 410 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...

was . There were 967 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.8%

White White is the lightness, 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 diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 2.7%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population. There were 843 households, of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.2% 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, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 51.4% were non-families. 46.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 26.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.83. The median age in the city was 41.9 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.3% were from 25 to 44; 23% were from 45 to 64; and 23.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 44.1% male and 55.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,940 people, 884 households, and 454 families living in the city. The

was 2,114.3 people per square mile (814.2/km²). There were 974 housing units at an average density of 1,061.5 per square mile (408.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.91%

, 1.91%

, 0.05% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.21% from other races, and 0.41% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.67% of the population. There were 884 households, out of which 21.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.7% were

living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.6% were non-families. 44.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 26.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.97 and the average family size was 2.72. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 20.1% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 26.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 76.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 68.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $22,261, and the median income for a family was $34,271. Males had a median income of $28,667 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 city was $15,765. About 17.2% of families and 24.6% 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 ...

, including 29.5% of those under age 18 and 18.2% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

* Hampshire High School Sports Complex, US Route 50 East ** Baseball Field, Cross Country Trails, Running Track, Soccer Field, Softball Field * Hampshire Park & 4-H Camp, South Branch River Road (CR 8) ** Picnic Pavilions, Baseball Field, Basketball Court, Volleyball Court, Tennis Courts * Old Romney High School, 111 School Street ** Baseball Field, Basketball Courts, Football Field, Running Track * Romney Recreation Center, 260 School Street ** Swimming Facilities * West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind Grounds, East Main Street ** Baseball Field, Basketball Courts, Picnic Pavilions, Running Track, Soccer Field, Swimming Facilities

Notable people

Stephen Ailes Stephen Ailes (May 25, 1912 – June 30, 2001) was a prominent member of the District of Columbia Bar and a partner in the firm of Steptoe & Johnson. He served as the United States Under Secretary of the Army from February 9, 1961, to January 2 ...

, 8th

United States Secretary of the Army The secretary of the Army (SA or SECARMY) is a senior civilian official within the United States Department of Defense, with statutory responsibility for all matters relating to the United States Army: manpower, personnel, reserve affairs, insta ...

* William Armstrong, U.S. Representative *

John Rinehart Blue John Rinehart Blue (October 13, 1905 – May 27, 1965) was an American military officer, educator, businessperson, and politician in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Blue was a Democratic Party (United States), Democratic member of the West Vir ...

, state legislator *

William C. Clayton William C. Clayton (January 24, 1831 – March 11, 1915) was an American educator, lawyer, politician, and businessperson in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Clayton served in the West Virginia Senate representing the Eleventh Senatorial Distr ...

, state legislator * Edna Brady Cornwell, First Lady of West Virginia * John J. Cornwell, 15th

Governor of West Virginia A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

William B. Cornwell William Benjamin Cornwell (November 25, 1864 – April 8, 1926) was an American lawyer, businessperson, newspaper editor and publisher, and railroad and lumber, timber executive in the U.S. state of West Virginia. He was an older brother of writ ...

, lawyer and businessman *

John Collins Covell John Collins Covell (December 19, 1823 – June 4, 1887) was a 19th-century American educator and school administrator specializing in deaf education in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia. Born in 1823 in Rhode Island, Covell was th ...

, principal of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind * Samuel Lightfoot Flournoy, state legislator * Samuel Lightfoot Flournoy, lawyer * Henry Bell Gilkeson, state legislator and principal of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind * Howard Hille Johnson, founder of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind *

James Sloan Kuykendall James Sloan Kuykendall (December 9, 1878 – February 12, 1928) was an American farmer, lawyer, and Democratic politician in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Kuykendall was twice elected as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates repre ...

, state legislator *

Charles S. Lawrence Charles S. Lawrence (December 22, 1892 – June 12, 1970) was a United States Army colonel who would survive the Bataan Death March to later become the first Executive Vice President of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). Early life and car ...

, Institute of Food Technologists Executive Vice President * Thomas Bryan Martin, colonial-era Virginia politician * Angus William McDonald,

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

colonel * Marshall McDonald, United States Fish Commissioner * Jerry Mezzatesta, state legislator *

Alexander W. Monroe Alexander W. Monroe (December 29, 1817 – March 16, 1905) was a prominent American lawyer, politician, and military officer in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia. Monroe served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1850–1 ...

, Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates *

Samuel Mulledy Samuel A. Mulledy ( ; March 27, 1811 – January 8, 1866) was an American Catholic priest and Jesuit who served as president of Georgetown College in 1845. Born in Virginia, he was the brother of Thomas F. Mulledy, who was a prominent 19th- ...

, academic * Thomas Mulledy, academic *

Ann Pancake Ann Pancake is an American fiction writer and essayist. She has published short stories and essays describing the people and atmosphere of Appalachia, often from the first-person perspective of those living there. While fictional, her short storie ...

, author *

Chet Pancake Chet Pancake is an American filmmaker and musician. He is a co-founder of the Red Room Collective, the High Zero Foundation, the Charm City Kitty Club and the Transmodern Festival. He is currently an assistant professor in the Film and Media Art ...

, filmmaker * Sam Pancake, actor * Isaac Parsons, state legislator * Isaac Parsons, Confederate military officer and politician * Lee Hawse Patteson, First Lady of West Virginia *

Randall Terry Randall Allen Terry (born 1959) is an American activist and political candidate. Terry founded the anti-abortion organization Operation Rescue, which he later abandoned. Beginning in 1987, the group became particularly prominent for blockading t ...

, anti-abortion activist *

Christian Streit White Christian Streit White (March 10, 1839 – January 28, 1917) was an American military officer, lawyer, court clerk, pisciculturist, and politician in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia. During the American Civil War, White serve ...

, local politician * John Baker White, local politician * John Baker White, West Virginia Board of Control member * Robert White, Attorney General of West Virginia * Robert White, state legislator * Charles M. Williams,

Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate business school of Harvard University, a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. It is consistently ranked among the top business schools in the world and offers a large full-time MBA ...

professor * Andrew Wodrow, local politician *

Joshua Soule Zimmerman Joshua Soule Zimmerman (January 16, 1874 – September 2, 1962) was an American lawyer, politician, and orchardist in the U.S. state of West Virginia. In the early years of the 20th century, Zimmerman served as the Prosecuting Attorney for Hamp ...

, state legislator

References

* Ailes, John C. ''Romney, West Virginia, 1762-1962''. Romney, West Virginia, Hampshire Review, 1962. * Ambler, Charles Henry. "Romney In The Civil War." ''West Virginia History'', Charleston, West Virginia, 1943–44. Arc 1. 4: 5. * Ansel, William H., Jr. ''Frontier Forts Along The Potomac And Its Tributaries''. Parsons, West Virginia, McClain Publishing Company, reprint 1995. * Brannon, Selden W. ''Historic Hampshire''. Parsons, West Virginia, McClain Printing Company, 1976. * Hampshire County 250th Anniversary Committee: ''Hampshire County, West Virginia, 1754-2004''. 2004. * Maxwell, Hu. ''History of Hampshire County, West Virginia: From its earliest settlement to the present''. Morgantown, West Virginia, A.B. Boughner, 1897. * Romney Town Council. ''Historic Romney, 1762-1937''. Romney, 1937. * Sauers, Richard A. ''The Devastating Hand of War: Romney, West Virginia During the Civil War''. Leesburg, Virginia, Gauley Mount Press, 2000. FirstRomneyHighSchool

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Romney, West Virginia 1762 establishments in Virginia Cities in Hampshire County, West Virginia Cities in West Virginia County seats in West Virginia Hampshire County, West Virginia, in the American Civil War Northwestern Turnpike Populated places established in 1762 Populated places in the Cumberland, MD-WV MSA Populated places on the South Branch Potomac River American Civil War sites in West Virginia