Charleston, West Virginia

Charleston is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of West Virginia and the seat of Kanawha County.^[7] Located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha rivers, the city had a population of 48,864 at the 2020 census and an estimated population of 48,018 in 2021.^[4]^[5] The Charleston metropolitan area had 210,605 residents in 2020.

Not to be confused with Charles Town, West Virginia.

Charleston, West Virginia

United States

West Virginia

Kanawha

1788

1794

Strong-Mayor Government

Amy Shuler Goodwin (D)

Members list

Benjamin Mishoe, Esq.

32.64 sq mi (84.54 km²)

31.50 sq mi (81.59 km²)

1.14 sq mi (2.95 km²)

597 ft (182 m)

48,864

48,018

US: 828th
WV: 1st

1,551.2/sq mi (598.9/km²)

153,199 (US: 214th)

255,020 (US: 191st)

UTC−5 (EST)

UTC−4 (EDT)

25301, 25302, 25304, 25305, 25311, 25314, 25317, 25321-25339, 25350-25358, 25362, 25364, 25375, 25387, 25389, 25392, 25396

304/681

54-14600^[6]

1558347^[3]

charlestonwv.gov

The first permanent settlement in the Kanawha Valley, Fort Morris, was built approximately 20 miles upstream of Charleston at the confluence of Kellys Creek near the burned ruins of Walter Kelly's cabin in the fall of 1773 by William Morris prior to Lord Dunmore's War, and was used extensively during the American Revolution.^[8] The town of Charleston was incorporated by the Virginia House of Delegates in 1794 with the trustees being William Morris, Leonard Morris, and Daniel Boone.^[9] Early industries important to Charleston included salt and the first natural gas well.^[10] Later, coal became central to economic prosperity in the city and the surrounding area. Today, trade, utilities, government, medicine, and education play central roles in the city's economy.

Charleston is the home of the Charleston Dirty Birds of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, and the annual 15-mile (24 km) Charleston Distance Run. Yeager Airport and the University of Charleston are in the city. West Virginia State University is in the local area as well as West Virginia University and Marshall University satellite campuses.

— Used for football, soccer, track, and festivals

University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field

— Stadium of the Charleston Dirty Birds

GoMart Ballpark

Cato Park — Charleston's largest municipal park, including a golf course, Olympic-size swimming pool and picnic areas

Coonskin Park — Includes swimming pool, boathouse, clubhouse with dining facilities, tennis courts, putt putt golf, an 18-hole par 3 golf course, driving range, and fishing lake. Schoenbaum Soccer Field and Amphitheatre inside the park is the home of soccer team

West Virginia United

Daniel Boone Park — A 4-acre (16,000 m²) park with a boat ramp, fishing and picnic facilities

Danner Meadow Park

— A 9,300-acre (38 km²) forest, including 46 campsites (in the community of Loudendale)

Kanawha State Forest

— An area at the junction of the Elk River and the Kanawha River, near Kanawha Boulevard.

Magic Island

Davis Park

Haddad Riverfront Park

Ruffner Park

Joplin Park ()

South Charleston

a public school in the community of Meadowbrook. It was established by the consolidation of Charleston High School and Stonewall Jackson High School. It opened in 1989.

Capital High School

a public school in the South Hills neighborhood. It opened in 1964.

George Washington High School

a Catholic school at the eastern edge of the city's downtown. It opened in 1923.

Charleston Catholic High School

Infrastructure[edit]

Utilities[edit]

Electricity in Charleston is provided by Appalachian Power, a division of American Electric Power of Columbus, Ohio. Appalachian Power is headquartered in Charleston. Suddenlink Communications provides the Charleston area's Cable TV. Landline phone service in Charleston is provided by Frontier Communications. The city's water supply is provided by Charleston-based West Virginia American Water, a subsidiary of American Water^[67] of Voorhees, NJ. The water that supplies Charleston is pumped from the Elk River and treated at the Kanawha Valley Water Treatment Plant. Charleston's natural gas is supplied by Mountaineer Gas, a division of Allegheny Energy of Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

Law enforcement[edit]

The Charleston Police Department (CPD) is the second largest police department in the state of West Virginia,^[68] while being the largest municipal/city police department in the state. In 2008, Charleston Police had 168 sworn officers, 2 Animal Control Officers, and 29 civilian employees.^[68]

Healthcare[edit]

CAMC (Charleston Area Medical Center) a complex of hospitals throughout the city.

Thomas Health is a complex of hospitals and health care centers in the Charleston area.^[69]

Highland Hospital (Kanawha City) is a behavioral health facility.

, Slovakia (2009)^[75]

Banská Bystrica

Charleston's sister city is:^[74]

was built in Charleston in 1922 by the Charles Ward Engineering Works. She served as an Army transport and later a cruise ship on San Francisco Bay. She is now preserved as a floating restaurant in Burlingame, California, just south of San Francisco.

Charleston, West Virginia