Union is a town in Monroe 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. Union’s population is 427 as of

2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...

. 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 Monroe County.

History

Monroe County was established by an act of the Assembly of Virginia on January 14, 1799, occupying land formerly a part of Greenbrier County. Union did not yet exist when the county's first court convened in 1799. However, shortly after Monroe County was created, James Alexander offered 25 acres of land, including a lot for a courthouse which in time became the town of Union. On January 6, 1800, the Virginia Assembly passed an act creating the town of Union and naming William Haynes, John Gray, John Byrnside, James Handley, Michael Erskine, John Hutchinson, and Isaac Estill trustees. By 1810, at least sixteen lots had been sold in the newly laid out town of Union and a courthouse and jail were built at its center. In 1835, Union had 400 inhabitants and supported two hotels, two tanneries, a school, two churches, and two physicians. Union's location on stage coach lines which carried settlers across the Allegheny Mountains helped to fuel the region's growth, as did the several mineral spring resorts which operated in Monroe County, including Sweet Springs, Red Sulphur Springs, and Salt Sulphur Springs, all within a twenty-five mile radius of Union. Little activity during the American Civil War occurred around Union other than troop movements, especially in 1864 when regiments of the U.S. Army under General Crook encamped near the town. Small skirmishes occurred throughout the war in the vicinity of Union and Monroe County. A majority of the citizens of Union supported the Confederacy and opposed the creation of West Virginia which included Monroe County. Union was incorporated in 1868. The town of Union retains much of its historic architecture, with many structures dating to the antebellum period when the local economy was thriving from the resort industry. The present Monroe County Courthouse, built in 1881, displays the fashionable Romanesque style of the late-19th century. Historic churches in Union include the Old Baptist Church (1845), Old Methodist Episcopal Church/Ames Clair Hall (1857), All Saints Episcopal Church (1875), Union United Methodist Church (1889), and the Union Presbyterian Church (1922). The Monroe County Historical Society preserves several historic structures in the town, including the Caperton Law Office, Owen Neel House, Clark-Wisemen House, Ames Clair Hall, and the Old Baptist Church. In recognition of the history of Union and the integrity of its preserved streetscape, the Union Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. East of Union is Rehoboth Church, built in 1784; it is the oldest existing church building in West Virginia.

Geography

Union is located at (37.591211, -80.543022). 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 , all land.

Demographics

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 565 people, 264 households, and 156 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 310 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 94.9%

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 ...

, 2.5%

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 ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.9% from other races, and 1.6% 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 0.7% of the population. There were 264 households, of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% 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, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.9% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.7% 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 44.3 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.4% were from 25 to 44; 24.2% were from 45 to 64; and 24.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 548 people, 267 households, and 148 families living in the town. The

was 1,216.6 inhabitants per square mile (470.2/km²). There were 309 housing units at an average density of 686.0 per square mile (265.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.16%

, 3.47%

, 0.91% Native American, 0.36% Asian, and 1.09% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.18% of the population. There were 267 households, out of which 21.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were

living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.2% were non-families. 40.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.75. In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.7% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 22.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $21,797, and the median income for a family was $30,833. Males had a median income of $22,500 versus $14,773 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 $12,870. About 15.4% of families and 17.8% 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 20.0% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

* Allen T. Caperton (1810–1876) — Confederate States and U.S. Senator * Augustus A. Chapman —

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

congressman and lawyer, brigadier general for the Confederacy in the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

* Matthew W. Clair — among the first

bishops in the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, th ...

* Thomas H. Stack, S.J. — American Jesuit, artilleryman for the Confederacy in the

; shortest-serving president of

Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private university, private Catholic Jesuits, Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus, a Catholic Religious order (Catholic), religious order, t ...

References

External links

{{authority control Towns in Monroe County, West Virginia Towns in West Virginia County seats in West Virginia