Calhoun County, West Virginia

Infobox U.S. County
county = Calhoun County
state = West Virginia




map size = 225
founded = 1856
seat = Grantsville | area_total_sq_mi =281
area_water_sq_mi =0
area percentage = 0.01%
census yr = 2000
pop = 7582
density_km2 =10
web =
|

Calhoun County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2000, the population was 7,582. Its county seat is GrantsvilleGR|6. Calhoun County is named for South Carolina politician John C. Calhoun.

Calhoun County is home to five public parks, The Upper West Fork Park in Chloe on West Virginia Route 16, which offers free rough camping, camping hook ups for $5 a night, and free bluegrass music on summer Saturdays. The West Fork Park in Arnoldsburg on U.S. Route 33 hosts the annual Molasses Festival, offers camping and has a walking trail. Mt. Zion Park on West Virginia Route 16 hosts the annual Ox Roast. Calhoun County Park on West Virginia Route 16 includes hiking and bicycle trails, and is home to Heritage Village, historic buildings moved to the location then renovated to period history and includes a one room school house, and an old store. Wayne Underwood Park in Grantsville is the county's newest park, and includes a paved walking trail, a pavilion, and picnic tables.

Calhoun is home to the annual Ramp Festival in April, the [http://www.woodfestival.com West Virginia Wood Festival] in June, the Bluegrass Festival in May, another Bluegrass Festival in August, the West Virginia Molasses Festival in September, and Octoberfest Celebration. Also, the Hometown Country Christmas Craft show is sponsored by and held in the county court house the first week of December.

[http://www.hurherald.com The Hur Herald] is an online newspaper that features reporting on local issues and commentary from editors and community members. The website features an extensive collection of contemporary and historical local photographs.

Calhoun is also home to [http://heartwoodinthehills.org Heartwood in the Hills] , a school for the creative arts. Heartwood Students perform twice a year, at the annual Wood Festival Parade, and during the December Celebration, held the second weekend of December.

The community newspaper is [http://www.calhounchronicle.com The Calhoun Chronicle] , which comes out every Wednesday. The county is also served by [http://www.twolanelivin.com Two-Lane Livin'] , a regional lifestyles magazine issued once a month.

The local hospital is Minnie Hamilton Health Systems Inc., and there are two branches of the Calhoun County Committee on Aging, which serves senior citizens in the area.

The area is also served by the Little Kanawha Bus Company, with routes traveling to neighboring Gilmer and Roane Counties weekly. There is only one traffic light in the entire county - a flashing caution light at the intersection of Routes 5 and 16 in Grantsville.

Calhoun County is home to one of the last 500 drive-in theaters in the nation, [http://www.mountziondrivein.com Mt. Zion Drive In] . Calhoun also has one of the largest genealogy collections in the state, housed at Calhoun County Library. The library is also home to the "West Virginia Room" which includes books on West Virginia and by West Virginians.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 281 square miles (727 km²), of which, 281 square miles (727 km²) of it is land and 0 square miles (0 km²) of it (0.01%) is water.

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

*Ritchie County (north)
*Gilmer County (east)
*Braxton County (southeast)
*Clay County (south)
*Roane County (west)
*Wirt County (northwest)

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 7,582 people, 3,071 households, and 2,201 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 3,848 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.91% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races. 0.55% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,071 households out of which 28.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.30% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the population was spread out with 22.40% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 27.10% from 45 to 64, and 16.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 99.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $21,578, and the median income for a family was $26,701. Males had a median income of $25,609 versus $14,304 for females. The per capita income for the county was $11,491. About 19.10% of families and 25.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.40% of those under age 18 and 24.90% of those age 65 or over.

Notable residents

*Lester McCumbers, fiddler (b. 1921)

Links to Calhoun County Web Sites

* [http://www.hurherald.com The Hur Herald]
* [http://www.calhounchronicle.com The Calhoun Chronicle]
* [http://www.encountercalhoun.com Recreation in Calhoun County]
* [http://www.littlekanawha.com Little Kanawha Area Development Corporation]
* [http://www.calhounrealtyinc.com Calhoun Realty]
* [http://www.calhounchronicle.com/cache/ Calhoun County Geocaches]
* [http://www.geocities.com/mtziondrivein/ Mount Zion Drive-In theater]
* [http://www.woodfestival.com WV Wood Festival]
* [http://uwfvfd.tripod.com/ Upper West Fork Park & VFD]
* [http://www.heartwoodinthehills.com Heartwood in the Hills]

Cities and towns

Incorporated communities

*Town of Grantsville

Unincorporated communities

ee also

*USS Calhoun County (LST-519)

References