Hamlin, originally named "Hamline," is a town in Lincoln 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 Mud River. The population was recorded as 1,040 at the 2020 census. It is 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 st ...

of Lincoln County. Hamlin is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 census, the MSA had a population of 287,702. New definitions from February 28, 2013 placed the population at 363,000.

History

The town was established in 1833 by an act of the

Virginia General Assembly The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the oldest continuous law-making body in the Western Hemisphere, the first elected legislative assembly in the New World, and was established on July 30, 161 ...

. Hamlin was named for Bishop

Leonidas Lent Hamline Leonidas Lent Hamline (pronounced as if it were ''Hamlin'') (1797 in Burlington, Connecticut – 1865) was an American Methodist Episcopal bishop and a lawyer. He is the eponym of Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, and of Hamline Avenue ...

of the Methodist Church. A former postmaster claimed that Bishop Hamline added the "E" to his last name.

Government

Hamlin is governed by five council members and a mayor and recorder. The mayor is Chris Wilkinson, with Daniel Mckay as recorder and Roy Lambert, Olive Hager, Bob Stickler, Trina Barrett and Buddy Wade as the five council members. Elections took place in 2014. The mayor, recorder and council members are elected to four-year terms.

Geography

Hamlin is located at (38.278946, -82.106825). 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 , all land.

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, Hamlin 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.

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 1,142 people, 467 households, and 311 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 528 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 99.0%

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 ...

, 0.1% Native American, 0.1%

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 ...

, 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 ...

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 467 households, of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% 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, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.4% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% 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 2.82. The median age in the town was 43.2 years. 19.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23% were from 25 to 44; 26.1% were from 45 to 64; and 21.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 46.2% male and 53.8% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,119 people, 478 households, and 312 families living in the town. The

was 1,949.7 inhabitants per square mile (758.0/km²). There were 527 housing units at an average density of 918.2 per square mile (357.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.84%

, 0.09%

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 ...

, 0.27% Native American, and 0.80% from two or more races.

of any race were 0.54% of the population. There were 478 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were

living together, 17.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.77. In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.0% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 80.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.7 males. The median income for a household in the town was $22,143, and the median income for a family was $30,250. Males had a median income of $30,000 versus $17,059 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 $13,728. About 20.3% of families and 22.6% 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 t ...

, including 38.0% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

* Lloyd G. Jackson, politician * J. S. Pridemore, oil industrialist *

Stephanie Thacker Stephanie Dawn Thacker (née Young; born August 22, 1965) is a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Early life and education Born Stephanie Dawn Young in Huntington, West Virginia, she was ...

, federal judge, US 4th Circuit Court of Appeals *

Chuck Yeager Brigadier General Charles Elwood Yeager ( , February 13, 1923December 7, 2020) was a United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot who in October 1947 became the first pilot in history confirmed to have exceeded the ...

, aviator

References

{{West Virginia county seats Towns in Lincoln County, West Virginia County seats in West Virginia Populated places established in 1835 1835 establishments in Virginia Towns in West Virginia