Richwood is a city in Nicholas 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 B ...

, United States. In 2020, the census showed Richwood with a population of 1,661. During the 19th and early 20th century Richwood was a booming coal and lumber town. Richwood has a very rich history, including the formation of the Cherry River Navy civic organization to draw attention to issues important to the community. Richwood has also become known statewide as the "

Ramp An inclined plane, also known as a ramp, is a flat supporting surface tilted at an angle from the vertical direction, with one end higher than the other, used as an aid for raising or lowering a load. The inclined plane is one of the six clas ...

Capital of the World". Each year, in April, the city hosts a large festival that draws visitors from around the country.

History

The area surrounding the forks of the Cherry River has been populated since the late 1700s. During the 19th century, the area was a sparsely settled semi- wilderness of homesteads and subsistence farms. This changed in 1898 when a

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

was extended into the area, then known as Cherry Tree Bottoms. In 1901, the town was incorporated with its present name referencing the abundant hardwood forests in the area. Soon, the area possessed a large

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...

and the world's largest

clothespin A clothespin (US English), or clothes peg (UK English) is a fastener used to hang up clothes for drying, usually on a clothes line. Clothespins come in many different designs. Design During the 1700s laundry was hung on bushes, limbs or lin ...

factory. The town was once home to several large businesses and industries. In addition to the sawmill and the clothespin factory, there were other factories that produced wood-based products such as axe-handles and paper.

Coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal is formed when ...

also came into the industry picture during Richwood's boom-era during pre-Depression years. Banking was a white-collar industry that succeeded in the city with the large companies investing into the city's financial corporations. Once the large factories closed or relocated, many of the people followed. The final hit was when the coal industry took a downward turn and most of the local coal mines ceased operation. Richwood now seeks to be reborn as both an

artisan An artisan (from french: artisan, it, artigiano) is a skilled craft worker who makes or creates material objects partly or entirely by hand. These objects may be functional or strictly decorative, for example furniture, decorative art ...

community and a

technology Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and Reproducibility, reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in me ...

center. The Downtown Richwood Historic District was 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 ...

in 2001. Richwood is the headquarters of the Cherry River Navy community organization. It was founded by John Teets, A.B. Campbell, and Lee Reese to promote the construction of a since-built missing link in

West Virginia Route 39 West Virginia Route 39 is an east–west state highway in West Virginia. The western terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 60 and West Virginia Route 16 in Gauley Bridge. The eastern terminus is at the Virginia Virginia, officially the ...

between Richwood and Marlinton. On June 23, 2016, a historically severe flood impacted portions of West Virginia. Richwood was among the towns most heavily affected. Flood damage resulted in significant damage to area infrastructure and condemnation of the Richwood High School and Richwood Middle School buildings. In 2021 former Richwood mayor Bob Henry Baber was sentenced to 1–10 years in jail and to pay restitution for defrauding the city after the major flood in 2016. He had pressured a city clerk to write him out a check for volunteer work done after the flood. In 2021 Ashley Freeman, the wife of a police chief of Richwood who had just resigned from his position a week before, was also charged with embezzling over $4,000 from the town's

Little League Little League Baseball and Softball (officially, Little League Baseball Inc) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization The Cherry River is formed at Richwood by the confluence of its north and south forks. Some of the city is relatively flat bottom land located along the river valley while neighborhoods are located on steep adjoining hillsides. 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 t ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Climate

The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. 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, Richwood has a

marine west coast climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...

, abbreviated "Cfb" 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 in ...

of 2010, there were 2,051 people, 889 households, and 543 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 1,163 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.1%

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 o ...

, 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 ...

, 0.4% Native American, and 2.2% 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 forme ...

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 ...

people of any race were 0.7% of the population. There were 889 households, of which 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% were married couples living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.9% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% 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 2.78. The median age in the city was 49 years. 18.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.7% were from 25 to 44; 29.9% were from 45 to 64; and 24.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 2,477 people, 1,030 households, and 674 families living in the city. The

was 1,464.1 persons per square mile (565.9/km²). There were 1,233 housing units at an average density of 728.8 houses per square mile (281.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.83%

, 0.16%

, 0.24% Native American, 0.36% Asian, and 0.40% from two or more races.

people of any race were 0.40% of the population. There were 1,030 households, out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.85. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.0% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $21,620, and the median income for a family was $28,287. Males had a median income of $25,948 versus $18,533 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 $12,213. About 23.3% of families and 29.2% 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 43.4% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

While Richwood was the economic center for Nicholas County for most of the 20th century, the county seat of Summersville has come to be the primary retail and business center during the past 25 years. This is mostly due to the improvement of U.S. Route 19 to a four-lane highway and the development of business along the corridor. Richwood, however, is still by default the political and economic center of eastern Nicholas County, as it is the only incorporated city in the immediate area. The city has a small shopping plaza which houses Dollar General. There have been efforts to attract visitors to the area for the natural environment of the adjacent

Monongahela National Forest The Monongahela National Forest is a national forest located in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. It protects over of federally managed land within a proclamation boundary that includes much of the Potomac Highlands Regi ...

. The mayor welcomed attendees of the 2005 Rainbow Gathering that was held in the forest and took the opportunity to encourage craftspeople to buy property and set up businesses there. Richwood operates the small Richwood Municipal Airport, which is located in the nearby

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

of New Hope.

Local places of interest

Richwood has a mountain setting with close proximity to Monongahela National Forest and access to a great number of recreational areas. Three tributaries of the

Gauley River The Gauley River is a river in West Virginia. It merges with the New River to form the Kanawha River, a tributary of the Ohio River. The river features numerous recreational whitewater areas, including those in Gauley River National Recreation Ar ...

( Williams River, Cranberry River, and Cherry River) all flow wild within this portion of the forest. A scenic highway and visitors center also lie at the intersection of WV 39 and WV 150, which is close to the Cranberry Glades Botanical Area and the Cranberry Wilderness. The Cranberry Glades Botanical Area is the southernmost Canadian-style bog in the world. Summit Lake offers the only flat water recreation in the immediate area. Richwood is also home to Cherry Hill Country Club, a nine-hole golf course located on top of Hinkle Mountain.

Education

Three schools, operated by the Nicholas County Board of Education, serve Richwood students: Cherry River Elementary, Richwood Middle School, and Richwood High School. In 2005, the girls' high school

softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

team won the school its first team state championship in any sport. Due to flooding on June 23, 2016, both Richwood High School and Richwood Middle School have been temporarily relocated. The Nicholas County Board of Education plans on renovating the Cherry River Elementary site to house all three of Richwood's schools.

Healthcare

Camden Family Health is the primary healthcare provider within Richwood. It operates a rural health clinic with a full staff including MD, FNP, and RN access. Summersville Regional Medical Center, located in the county seat, offers the nearest emergency room and hospital. Two hospitals were previously located in Richwood. McClung Hospital was open during the city's boom years in the early 1900s. Richwood Area Community Hospital, formerly known as Sacred Heart Hospital, operated from 1954 until June 2008, when it was forced to close due to poor finances.

Emergency services

The Richwood Volunteer Fire Department serves as Richwood's primary fire and rescue service. They hold an ISO Class rating of 4. They serve the community from their central station located in the middle of town, and provide fire and rescue services to Richwood and surrounding areas. Richwood Police Department is the city's primary police force. They serve the community from their office located in the municipal building. The Nicholas County Sheriff's Department and West Virginia State Police, which has a detachment located in the city, also provide police service as needed. Emergency medical services are provided by Redi-Care Ambulance. They are a private ambulance company with one station located in the east end of town. They typically house one ALS unit and one BLS unit at all times.

Transportation

Richwood's primary road is a two-lane highway carrying West Virginia Routes 39 and 55. These highways provide access to U.S. Route 19 to the west and U.S. Route 219 to the east. The original construction of the road portion from Marlinton to Richwood through the

was spuured by the Cherry River Navy civic organization, reducing what was a three-hour drive on indirect alternate routes to a current 45-minute drive. It is considered one of the most scenic drives in West Virginia, providing access to a number of National Forest recreation sites. In the town's early years, the

was a popular form of transporting wood, coal, and passengers in and out of Richwood on a daily basis. As time wore on, however, rail traffic decreased. By the early 1980s, trains had been completely replaced by road transportation in the area. The tracks were removed by the end of the decade and the old railroad grade was transformed into a gravel rail-trail for hiking and bicycling.

Notable people

* Michael Barrett, basketball player and winner of the 1968 Olympic gold medal * Peter Brunette, film critic and historian *

Jim Comstock James Franklin Comstock (25 February 1911, Richwood, West Virginia - 22 May 1996, Huntington, West Virginia) was a West Virginia writer, newspaper publisher and humorist. He founded the weekly ''West Virginia Hillbilly'' (1957-1980) and compiled ...

, editor of ''The West Virginia Hillbilly'' and ''Richwood News Leader'' * Nancy Douglas, Confederate spy * Marian McQuade, founder of National Grandparents Day

References

External links

City of Richwood

History and pictures from Richwood
{{authority control Cities in West Virginia Cities in Nicholas County, West Virginia