Alderson, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Monroe County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,583 people, 5,447 households, and 3,883 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 7,267 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
Counties. Although split physically by the river, the town functions as one entity, including that of town government. The population was 1,091 at the 2000 census.
History
The Alexander McVeigh Miller HouseAlexander McVeigh Miller House
Alexander McVeigh Miller House, also known as the Mittie Clark Miller House and "The Cedars," is a historic home located at Alderson, Greenbrier County, West Virginia. It was built starting in 1881, and is a large, "T"-shaped frame dwelling. It features three-bay verandas and a full height,...
in Greenbrier County is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Sunset Hill
Sunset Hill (Alderson, West Virginia)
"Sunset Hill", also known as the Alderson Home, is a historic home located at Alderson, Monroe County, West Virginia. The main farmhouse was built in 1880, and is a two-story I house with side gables and a two story ell. The front facade features a gable portico supported by four Doric order...
is listed in Monroe County. The Alderson Bridge
Alderson Bridge
The Alderson Bridge, also known as Alderson Memorial Bridge, is a historic concrete arch bridge in Alderson, West Virginia. It crosses the Greenbrier River, which separates Greenbrier and Monroe counties. The bridge once carried Monroe Street but is now closed to traffic...
and Alderson Historic District
Alderson Historic District
Alderson Historic District is a national historic district located at Alderson, Greenbrier County and Monroe County, West Virginia. The district encompasses 196 contributing buildings and three contributing sites located in the commercial district and surrounding residential section...
are located in both counties.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 1.0 square miles (2.5 km²). 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (6.25%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,091 people, 481 households, and 305 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,214.5 inhabitants per square mile (468.0/km²). There were 586 housing units at an average density of 652.3 per square mile (251.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.83% White, 6.60% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.18% Asian, and 2.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.10% of the population.
There were 481 households out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $23,043, and the median income for a family was $29,028. Males had a median income of $31,000 versus $20,938 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $14,474. About 17.8% of families and 22.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.7% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, the national passenger rail service, provides service to Alderson under the Cardinal route.
Economy
The Federal Bureau of PrisonsFederal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is a federal law enforcement agency subdivision of the United States Department of Justice and is responsible for the administration of the federal prison system. The system also handles prisoners who committed acts considered felonies under the District of Columbia's...
facility Federal Prison Camp, Alderson, where media mogul Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
was imprisoned, is the largest employer in Alderson. Marguerite Higgins of The Washington Times
The Washington Times
The Washington Times is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It was founded in 1982 by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon, and until 2010 was owned by News World Communications, an international media conglomerate associated with the...
said that the fact that Stewart was sent to FPC Alderson was "a boon" for Alderson. A portion of FPC Alderson is located in unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Monroe County
Monroe County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,583 people, 5,447 households, and 3,883 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 7,267 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
, while the other portion of the prison lies in unincorporated Summers County
Summers County, West Virginia
Summers County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 13,927. Its county seat is Hinton. Summers County was created by an act of the West Virginia General Assembly on February 27, 1871 from parts of Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer and Monroe...
.
The Alderson Federal Prison Camp is located on the spot on which the earliest settlers of the area chose to settle and called their settlement Baughman's Fort. Baughman's Fort was built in the 1750s and the settlement was supposedly destroyed by Native Americans shortly thereafter, though no factual evidence exists to support this theory. Few archaeological remains of the early fort remain after the building of the Federal Prison Camp in the early 20th century. Only notations in early journals refer to the location of the fort.
Betty Alderson, who is married to a descendant of the original founders of Alderson, stated "every business profited" when Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
was incarcerated at Alderson and media attention was focused on the community. Residents planted bulbs into a garden that was to be named "Martha's Garden."
Local Events
Alderson has the largest Fourth of July Celebration in West Virginia. Each year the events span an entire week, always ending with a "Rubber Ducky" race on the Greenbrier River. Each year, events include...a fireman's rodeo, an old-fashion gospel sing, a band each night, a car show, a grand parade, field events, talent show, pageant, fireworks and more.Notable People Born in Alderson
Ada Beatrice Queen Victoria Louise Virginia Smith, better known as Bricktop (August 14, 1894 – February 1, 1984) was an American dancer, singer, vaudevillian, and self-described saloonSaloon
Saloon may refer to:* Saloon , a style of car body.* Saloon , a musical group.* Western saloon, a historical style of American bar.* Bar , a venue for alcoholic beverage consumption....
-keeper who owned the nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
Chez Bricktop in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
from 1924 to 1961, as well as clubs in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. She has been called "...one of the most legendary and enduring figures of 20th-century American cultural history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
."