LOGAN County, WV

Logan County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 36,743. Its county seat is Logan. Logan County comprises the Logan, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Charleston–Huntington–Ashland, WV–OH–KY Combined Statistical Area.

History

Logan County was formed in 1824 from parts of Giles, Tazewell, Cabell, and Kanawha counties, then part of the state of Virginia. It is named for Chief Logan, famous Native American chief of the Mingo tribe. Logan was one of fifty Virginia counties that became part of the new state of West Virginia in 1863, by an executive order of Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, even though Logan Country had voted for secession in the April 4, 1861 convention.

Within months of its admission to the Union, West Virginia's counties were divided into civil townships, with the intention of encouraging local government. This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872 the townships were converted into magisterial districts. Logan County was divided into five districts: Chapmanville, Hardee, Logan, Magnolia, and Triadelphia. A sixth district, Lee, was formed in 1878 from portions of Hardy and Magnolia Districts. In 1895, Mingo County was formed from Hardee, Lee, and Magnolia Districts, along with portions of Chapmanville and Triadelphia Districts.

In the 1960s, Chapmanville District was discontinued, and two new districts, Guyan and Island Creek, formed from its territory, along with portions of Logan and Triadelphia Districts. The county was redistricted again in the 1980s, resulting in nine magisterial districts: Buffalo, Chapmanville, East, Guyan, Island Creek, Logan, Northwest, Triadelphia, and West. However, in the following decade these were consolidated into three districts: Central, Eastern, and Western.

In 1921 it was the location of the Battle of Blair Mountain, one of the largest armed uprisings in U.S. history. More recently, the Buffalo Creek Flood of February 26, 1972, killed 125 people when a coal slurry dam burst under the pressure of heavy rains, releasing over of waste and water in a wave onto the valley below. The communities of Lorado and Lundale were destroyed and 14 other communities heavily damaged, including Saunders, Amherstdale, Crites, and Latrobe.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.4%) is water.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 37,710 people, 14,880 households, and 10,936 families living in the county. The population density was 83 people per square mile (32/km²). There were 16,807 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile (14/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.33% White, 2.59% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. 0.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 14,880 households, out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 12.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.50% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.10% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 26.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,603, and the median income for a family was $29,072. Males had a median income of $31,515 versus $20,212 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,102. About 20.80% of families and 24.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.60% of those under age 18 and 14.40% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 36,743 people, 14,907 households, and 10,512 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 16,743 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 96.5% white, 2.1% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.1% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 16.6% were Irish, 13.3% were German, 7.8% were English, and 6.9% were American.

Of the 14,907 households, 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.5% were non-families, and 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 42.4 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,465 and the median income for a family was $43,475. Males had a median income of $39,462 versus $26,571 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,614. About 17.6% of families and 21.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.8% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Logan County, being historically secessionist and between the New Deal and the 1990s heavily unionized, was once powerfully Democratic. Before the 2008 election, the only Republican to carry the county had been Herbert Hoover in 1928, due to strong anti-Catholicism against Al Smith in this "Bible Belt" region. Logan was the only county in West Virginia to be carried by George McGovern in his disastrous 1972 campaign, and between 1976 and 2000 no Republican reached 40 percent of the county's vote. Over the past three presidential elections swings to the Republican Party have averaged thirty percentage points and Democratic vote percentages have plummeted to levels historically more typical of unionist, traditionally Republican counties like Grant.

Communities

Incorporated communities

Magisterial districts

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

School districts