Summersville is a city in
Nicholas County,
West Virginia
West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...
, United States. The population was 3,459 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 parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of Nicholas County.
History
Summersville was laid out in 1824. The city was named for Lewis Summers, a local judge who had introduced the bill to create Nicholas County.
Summersville was home to both Union and Confederate encampments during the Civil War. The town was mostly burned down by the Confederate spy
Nancy Hart Douglas during the war. The town was rebuilt by 1884.
In 1914, Nicholas County High School was established, then located downtown in the
"Old Main". More buildings were built on the campus to house the growing student body until a new building north of town was finished in 1978.
Construction on
Summersville Dam began in 1960 and was finished and dedicated by President
Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1966.
Since the upgrade of
U.S. Route 19 through Summersville from a two lane highway to a four lane highway, the city has become the economic center of Nicholas County. The road is commonly used by northern travelers as a shortcut to the
south
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
.
Summersville is home to the annual Potato Festival.
On June 23, 2016 flooding impacted Summersville. This resulted in Summersville Middle School being demolished and relocated to a modular setting after flood waters damaged the school. Ground was broken on a new campus for Summersville Middle School, Nicholas County High School, and the Nicholas County Career and Technical Center on June 2, 2020.
Geography
Summersville is located at (38.283342, -80.844207).
It is located just north of the
Gauley River which is famous for its challenging whitewater. The river is impounded by a large dam which creates
Summersville Lake, creating flatwater recreation as well.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town 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 divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Summersville has a
marine west coast climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.
Climate Summary for Summersville, West Virginia
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Demographics
The median income for a household in the town was $29,783, and the median income for a family was $43,314. Males had a median income of $33,633 versus $22,348 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the town was $23,217. About 6.9% of families and 12.7% 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 8.1% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2018 Summersville has been home to a major economical increase due to a 303 mi 42in. natural gas pipeline running through eastern Nicholas county, bringing in close to 1,000 more people to the county generating more revenue for businesses, Lodging and much more.
2010 census
As of the census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2010, there were 3,572 people, 1,640 households, and 974 families living in the town. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing 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 geog ...
was . There were 1,761 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.4% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.4% African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.3% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.
There were 1,640 households, of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.1% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.6% were non-families. 36.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.77.
The median age in the town was 43 years. 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.2% were from 25 to 44; 30.4% were from 45 to 64; and 17.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 46.8% male and 53.2% female.
Education
Summersville is served by the Nicholas County Board of Education, which operates three schools, Summersville Elementary School, Summersville Middle School (Summersville Junior High School until 2006), and Nicholas County High School, in Summersville.
Summersville is also home to New Life Christian Academy, a private school.
New River Community and Technical College maintains a campus in Summersville.
In media
Summersville and surrounding locations are featured in the 2018 video game ''Fallout 76''.
See also
* Summersville Lake
* Gauley River National Recreation Area
References
External links
*
City of Summersville official website
Summersville Community TV
{{authority control
Cities in Nicholas County, West Virginia
Cities in West Virginia
County seats in West Virginia
Populated places on the Gauley River