Williamstown is a city in Wood 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, along the

Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...

. It is part of the Parkersburg–Vienna metropolitan area. The population was 2,997 at the 2020 census. The now closed Fenton Art Glass Company 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 (1755) as a ranger and spy and under Governor Dunmore (1774) fighting against the

Shawnee The Shawnee ( ) are a Native American people of the Northeastern Woodlands. Their language, Shawnee, is an Algonquian language. Their precontact homeland was likely centered in southern Ohio. In the 17th century, they dispersed through Ohi ...

. His home was on 400 acres on the

opposite the mouth of the

Muskingum River The Muskingum River ( ; ) 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 of Ohio ...

, site of

Marietta, Ohio Marietta is a city in Washington County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in Appalachian Ohio, southeastern Ohio at the confluence of the Muskingum River, Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, northeast of Parkersburg, West Virginia ...

, 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, listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1974. Located near Williamstown is the Henderson Hall Historic District.

Geography

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 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.

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 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, 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 cold ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Williamstown, West Virginia
/ref>

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 2,908 people, 1,254 households, and 848 families living in the city. 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 1,352 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 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 ...

, 0.2%

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 ...

, 0.5% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 0.4% from other races, and 0.8% 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 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 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, 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

of 2000, there were 2,996 people, 1,251 households, and 876 families living in the city. The

was 2,233.5 people per square mile (863.3/km²). There were 1,330 housing units at an average density of 991.5 per square mile (383.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.26%

, 0.20%

, 0.30% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.03% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races.

or Latino 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

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 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 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 ...

, 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.

Culture

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 driving paddle wheels to propel the craft through the water. In antiquity, paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, whereby the first uses were wh ...

) 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.

Fenton Glass

Founded in 1905 by brothers Frank L. and John W. Fenton, the Fenton Art Glass Company 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