Lewisburg, West Virginia

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Lewisburg, West Virginia
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Lewisburg, West Virginia


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = West Virginia
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Greenbrier

government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
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unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 9.9
area_land_km2 = 9.9
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 3.8
area_land_sq_mi = 3.8
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 3624
population_density_km2 = 367.2
population_density_sq_mi = 951.0

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 634
elevation_ft = 2080
latd = 37 |latm = 48 |lats = 15 |latNS = N
longd = 80 |longm = 26 |longs = 25 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 24901
area_code = 304
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 54-46636GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1541811GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Lewisburg is a city in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,624 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Greenbrier CountyGR|6.

Geography

Lewisburg is located at coor dms|37|48|15|N|80|26|25|W|city (37.804076, -80.440408)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.9 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 3,624 people, 1,746 households, and 1,000 families residing in the city. The population density was 951.0 people per square mile (367.3/km²). There were 1,929 housing units at an average density of 506.2/sq mi (195.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.73% White, 6.68% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.36% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.66% of the population.

There were 1,746 households out of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 38.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.69.

In the city the population was spread out with 17.8% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 24.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 79.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,857, and the median income for a family was $42,940. Males had a median income of $38,056 versus $21,386 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,139. About 12.4% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 16.6% of those age 65 or over.

History

Lewisburg is named after Andrew Lewis. In 1751 Lewis, as a young surveyor, established a camp near the spring behind the present courthouse. This spring has been known as the Lewis Spring since that time. During Pontiac's Rebellion in 1763, American Indians completely destroyed two of the early European settlements in Greenbrier County, killing the men and carrying off the women and children. This raid virtually eliminated all of the earliest settlers in the county. The American Indians were primarily Shawnees, and (according to undocumented tradition) were led by the famous leader Hokoleskwa, or Cornstalk.

By 1770 a fortified encampment called Fort Savannah was established at the Lewis Spring. In 1774, Governor Dunmore of Virginia instructed then-Colonel Andrew Lewis to gather "willing and able men" to go to the great Kanawha River and stand against the Native American forces that were attacking the Greenbrier Valley. In what became known as Lord Dunmore's War, over 1,490 men were assembled, some at Fort Pitt at present-day Pittsburgh, and others at Fort Union, on the site of present-day Lewisburg. These recruits included Lewis’s brother Charles, and others which history books refer to as one of the most remarkable assemblages of frontier leaders in American history. Thirteen were men of political and military distinction. Lewis's army marched down the New and Kanawha Rivers to the Ohio River, where they intended to cross over and invade the Ohio Country, which was the home of the Shawnees. The native Americans, led by Cornstalk, attempted to cut them off at the mouth of the Kanawha, where they fought an inconclusive battle that came to be known as the Battle of Point Pleasant. (cite book |author=Allan W. Eckert |title=The frontiersmen: a narrative |publisher=Jesse Stuart Foundation |location=Ashland, Ky |year=2001 |isbn=0-945084-90-0 |oclc= |doi=Pages 78, 98-99).

Lewisburg was formally established in 1782 by an act of the Virginia General Assembly.

To accommodate Virginians west of the mountains, several Virginia courts sat in Lewisburg, where Patrick Henry once successfully defended a client accused of murder. The town and the surrounding farms prospered and a number of spas and resort hotels were established at some of the outlying mineral springs.

During the Civil War a number of engagements were fought in and around Lewisburg. Several of the present buildings in town were used as a hospitals and barracks by both sides in this conflict, and bullet marks can still be seen in some today. The Virginia Supreme Court library, located in Lewisburg and now the Greenbrier County Library, was used as a hospital and has preserved a section of wall with soldiers' graffiti.

Today Lewisburg is home to the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, one of 26 osteopathic medical schools in the United States.

In 1978, a convert|236|acre|km2|sing=on area in the heart of Lewisburg was designated a National Register Historic District.

Attractions and events

Performing in its state-of-the-art facility in downtown Lewisburg, Greenbrier Valley Theatre is West Virginia's Official Year-Round Professional Theatre presenting theatrical performances, musical concerts, literary and poetry readings, a youth education program, and much more. In 1902, steel baron and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie built Carnegie Hall as a classroom building for the Lewisburg Female Institute, later the Greenbrier College for Women. Carnegie Hall, Inc. was incorporated in 1983 as a regional not-for-profit arts and education center. Today, the cultural center annually serves more than 75,000 patrons with live performances by artists from around the world, arts in education programming, classes, workshops, fine art exhibits, an independent film series and more. Carnegie Hall, Inc. is one of only four Carnegie Halls still in continuous use in the world.

Trillium Performing Arts Collective offers performance, classes and workshops in original dance, movement theatre, and music since 1982. Moving into the historic downtown 1939 Lewis Theatre provides expanded opportunity. Feature films are screened daily at the Lewis Theatre.

The Lost World Caverns are nearby, and feature self-guided tours and numerous rock formations. Organ Cave is also in the area.

The State Fair of West Virginia is held near Lewisburg every August.

Lewisburg is the site of West Virginia's largest Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day Celebration. The event includes a march through downtown Lewisburg, a community lunch, and a program commemorating the memory and legacy of Dr. King.

Notable people from Lewisburg

* Cleve Benedict - former congressman, West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture and US Undersecretary of Energy
* Pinckney Benedict - novelist, writer of short stories, and son of Cleve Benedict
* Bimbo Coles - Basketball Olympian, played for Miami Heat
* Seth McClung - Pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers Organization in Major League Baseball
* Johnny Olson - announcer, best known for his work on "What's My Line?", "Match Game", and "The Price is Right"
* Mason Patrick - United States Army general and air power advocate
* J.R. Roach - Musician & songwriter, best known as the drummer for Boston based Metal band Sam Black Church

References

External links

* [http://www.lewisburg-wv.com/ City of Lewisburg official web page]
* [http://www.greenbrierwv.com/ Greenbrier County Convention and Visitors Bureau]
* [http://www.gvedc.com/ Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation]
* [http://nrctc.edu/ New River Community and Technical College (NRCTC)]
* [http://www.wvsom.edu/ West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM)]
* [http://www.carnegiehallwv.com/ Carnegie Hall, Inc.]
* [http://www.gvtheatre.org/ Greenbrier Valley Theatre]
* [http://www.trilliumdance.org/ Trillium Performing Arts at the Lewis Theatre]