Williamstown is a city in
Wood 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 Bur ...
, United States, along the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
. It is part of the
Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna metropolitan area. The population was 2,997 at the 2020 census. The now closed
Fenton Art Glass Company
The Fenton Art Glass Company is a glass manufacturer founded in 1905 by brothers Frank L. Fenton and John W. Fenton.
History
The original factory was in an old glass factory in Martins Ferry, Ohio in 1905. The factory at one time was owned by the ...
was located in the city.
History
Williamstown was named for Isaac Williams (1737–1820), who settled here in 1787. Williams had served under
General Braddock
Major-General Edward Braddock (January 1695 – 13 July 1755) was a British officer and commander-in-chief for the Thirteen Colonies during the start of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the North American front of what is known in Europe ...
(1755) as a ranger and spy and under
Governor Dunmore (1774) fighting against the
Shawnee
The Shawnee are an Algonquian-speaking indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands. In the 17th century they lived in Pennsylvania, and in the 18th century they were in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with some bands in Kentucky a ...
. His home was on 400 acres on the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
opposite the mouth of the
Muskingum River
The Muskingum River (Shawnee: ') is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. An important commercial route in the 19th century, it flows generally southward through the eastern hill country o ...
, site of
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in, and the county seat of, Washington County, Ohio, United States. It is located in southeastern Ohio at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, northeast of Parkersburg, West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, Mar ...
, which was founded about a year after he arrived. Other local namesakes include Williams Creek and Williams District. The settlement was known as "Williamsport" to Ohio River travelers until 1822 when the present name was formalized.
Located in Williamstown is the
Tomlinson Mansion
Tomlinson Mansion is a historic home located at Williamstown, Wood County, West Virginia. It was built in 1839, and is a two-story, "L"-shaped brick building with a slate-covered gable roof. The front facade features a small, pediment-like ro ...
, listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1974.
Located near Williamstown is the
Henderson Hall Historic District
Henderson Hall Historic District is a National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)-listed historic district in Boaz, Wood County, West Virginia. The primary contributing property is Henderson Hall, a home in the Italianate style from the firs ...
.
Geography
Williamstown is located at (39.399574, −81.450558).
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 city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Williamstown is bordered by Marietta, Ohio to the west of the city across the Ohio River and Boaz, WV to the south on WV Route 14. The city is approximately 14 miles north of Parkersburg, WV. Interstate 77 runs through the northeastern tip of the city.
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 2,908 people, 1,254 households, and 848 families living in the city. 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 1,352 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.7%
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 ...
, 0.2%
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, 0.3%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.1%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.4% 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 0.8% 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 0.7% of the population.
There were 1,254 households, of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% 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, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.4% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.84.
The median age in the city was 44 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.3% were from 25 to 44; 30.5% were from 45 to 64; and 18.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.9% male and 53.1% 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 2,996 people, 1,251 households, and 876 families living in the city. 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 2,233.5 people per square mile (863.3/km
2). There were 1,330 housing units at an average density of 991.5 per square mile (383.2/km
2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.26%
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 ...
, 0.20%
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 ...
, 0.30%
Native American, 0.47%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.03% 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 0.73% 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 0.67% of the population.
There were 4,123 households, out of which 2.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% 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, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 69.9% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $54,818, and the median income for a family was $44,189. Males had a median income of $39,475 versus $21,415 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 $28,219. About 7.0% of families and 8.3% 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 7.6% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.
Education
There were formerly two elementary schools that fed into
Williamstown High School, home of the "Yellowjackets": Waverly Elementary, located in
Waverly and the old Williamstown elementary. Williamstown-Waverly Elementary, which opened in Williamstown in 2020, is now the only elementary school in the city. The high school has approximately 702 students. Wood County Christian School is also located within the city limits of Williamstown, with students from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade.
Local events and culture
![Williamstown Bridge WV](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Williamstown_Bridge_WV.jpg)
Since 1976, the Ohio River Sternwheel Festiva
has been a major event on both sides of the Ohio River, in the towns of Williamstown and Marietta, Ohio. The celebration was created around the races of the sternwheelers (also known as the
paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or steamboat powered by a steam engine that drives paddle wheels to propel the craft through the water. In antiquity, paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses wer ...
) that the Mid-Ohio Valley is known for, and today there are pageants, live music, food and a grand fireworks display. The event brings many local community members back to the area around the Labor Day weekend in the month of September.
When the first Fireman's Ice Cream Social was held in 1944, the Williamstown Volunteer Fire Company was already in its 42nd year of service to the community. "The Social" is a homecoming for both current and former residents. Current attendance approaches 3,500 as people of all ages gather in Tomlinson Park, the third Friday evening in July each year, to enjoy hot dogs, popcorn, soft drinks, coffee, pies and cakes that are donated by community members, and more than one hundred gallons of ice cream provided by the volunteer firefighters. The annual event brings the community together and now raises about $8,000 a year for firefighter training and equipment upgrades.
The Saturday following the Ice Cream Social, the Williamstown High School Alumni Association holds an Annual Dinner at the high school, for all WHS alumni. Most WHS class reunions are also held that same July weekend.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. 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, Williamstown 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 freezing ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Climate Summary for Williamstown, West Virginia
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Fenton Glass
Founded in 1905 by brothers Frank L. and John W. Fenton, the Fenton Art Glass Company
The Fenton Art Glass Company is a glass manufacturer founded in 1905 by brothers Frank L. Fenton and John W. Fenton.
History
The original factory was in an old glass factory in Martins Ferry, Ohio in 1905. The factory at one time was owned by the ...
is the largest manufacturer of hand made glass in the United States. The firm is now led by third- and fourth-generation Fenton family members.
After officials of Fenton Art Glass announced the fifth generation family company would shut down the 100-year-old factory at the end of 2007, thousands of loyal Fenton customers reacted with an outpouring of orders, selling out the QVC show that was to be its last in just minutes instead of the scheduled 2-hour show. Fenton is now open and working to stay open; tours are run daily through the gift shop and orders are placed online, on QVC and via its decades-old catalog. Fenton Art Glass Company has officially stopped making glass.
As of May 24, 2012 completion the sale of selected assets as scheduled. This included the sale of the name and logo, the formulas for the glass, molds and other materials that were used by the company. However, today the company now makes handcrafted glass jewelry; including beads and Teardrop earrings. The jewelry is made in many of the classic Fenton colors and styles popular with collectors
On June 2, 2017, the Wood County Board of Education purchased the factory and surrounding properties to build a new elementary school.
References
External links
{{authority control
Cities in Wood County, West Virginia
West Virginia populated places on the Ohio River
Cities in West Virginia