Keyser, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Keyser is a city in and the county seat
of Mineral County
, West Virginia
, United States
. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,303 at the 2000 census.
Keyser was originally called Paddy Town after Patrick McCarty, son of one of the original settlers. With the coming of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
in 1852, the destiny of the area changed from a quiet rural community to a thriving industrial center. The name was changed to New Creek Station and then to New Creek
. In 1861 the Civil War came rumbling through the valley. Fort Fuller was built on the present site of Potomac State College
, and Fort Piano entrenchments were established on New Creek Mountain. Because of the importance of the railroad, the town changed hands 14 times.
When West Virginia
became a state in 1863,there was some contention between Piedmont
and New Creek over the location of the county seat. As an inducement to have the county seat located in New Creek, the Davis brothers donated land for the courthouse in 1867 and is still in use.
In 1874, the town was incorporated as Keyser after William Keyser
, vice president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
The Thomas R. Carskadon House
and Mineral County Courthouse
are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
, a junior college that serves primarily as a feeder college to WVU's main campus in Morgantown.
Keyser's public schools are part of the Mineral County school system. The schools in Keyser include Fountain Primary School, which covers Pre-Kindergarten through Fourth Grade; Keyser Primary Middle School, which covers Kindergarten through Eighth Grade; Keyser High School, which covers Ninth through Twelfth Grades; Mineral County Alternative School; and the Mineral County Tech Center, a vocational school. The mascot of Keyser High is the "Golden Tornado."
crosses the Potomac River
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), all land.
/Devonian
Keyser Formation
, a limestone
, is located in a quarry and roadcut east of the town.
of 2000, there were 5,303 people, 2,241 households, and 1,333 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,791.7 people per square mile (1,077.6/km²). There were 2,542 housing units at an average density of 1,338.2 per square mile (516.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.55% Euro American, 7.07% Black, 0.23% Brown, 0.40% Asian, 0.32% from other races
, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population.
There were 2,241 households out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% were married couples
living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.5% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 13.5% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,718, and the median income for a family was $32,708. Males had a median income of $29,034 versus $20,818 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,813. About 16.3% of families and 18.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.2% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.
(Season 1, Episode 1,). British Ambassador Mark Brydon just landed from a round trip to the U.K. where he was told he will be nominated to a new position in the British Government. En route to the embassy, a plane that just departed explodes above the highway, killing all the passengers and a few people on the highway. Rapidly, the Secret Services pinpoint that it is a terrorist bombing and that the terrorist was of British nationality. British SAS are shown on a raid, the screen clearly labels the location "Keyser, West Virginia." One of their members is killed in a shoot out and dumped in a nearby stream located in the fictitious "Fairmont County, West Virginia."
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Mineral County
Mineral County, West Virginia
Mineral County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 28,212. Its county seat is Keyser.-Ancient history:...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,303 at the 2000 census.
History
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
in 1852, the destiny of the area changed from a quiet rural community to a thriving industrial center. The name was changed to New Creek Station and then to New Creek
New Creek
New Creek is an stream in eastern West Virginia in the United States. It is the third major West Virginia tributary to the North Branch Potomac River. Via the Potomac, it is part of the watershed of Chesapeake Bay.-Course:...
. In 1861 the Civil War came rumbling through the valley. Fort Fuller was built on the present site of Potomac State College
Potomac State College of West Virginia University
Potomac State College of West Virginia University is a two-year junior college affiliated as a division of West Virginia University. West Virginia's only residential junior college, it is located in Keyser, approximately away from WVU's main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States...
, and Fort Piano entrenchments were established on New Creek Mountain. Because of the importance of the railroad, the town changed hands 14 times.
When West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
became a state in 1863,there was some contention between Piedmont
Piedmont, West Virginia
Piedmont is a town in Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the 'Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 1,014 at the 2000 census. Piedmont was chartered in 1856...
and New Creek over the location of the county seat. As an inducement to have the county seat located in New Creek, the Davis brothers donated land for the courthouse in 1867 and is still in use.
In 1874, the town was incorporated as Keyser after William Keyser
William Keyser
William Keyser was an executive of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Baltimore Copper Company.- Youth and education :...
, vice president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
The Thomas R. Carskadon House
Thomas R. Carskadon House
Thomas R. Carskadon House also known as the Carskadon Mansion and "Radical Hill," is a historic home located at Keyser, Mineral County, West Virginia. It was built about 1886, and has two sections: a 2 1/2-story rectangular, brick main block and a two-story rear ell. It features a hip-on-mansard...
and Mineral County Courthouse
Mineral County Courthouse (Keyser, West Virginia)
Mineral County Courthouse is a historic courthouse located at Keyser, Mineral County, West Virginia. It was built in 1868 and expanded or remodeled in 1894 and 1938-1941. The The original section of the courthouse is a 2 1/2 story, brick building. The 1894 modifications are in the Romanesque...
are 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...
.
Education
Keyser is the home of the Potomac State College of West Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
, a junior college that serves primarily as a feeder college to WVU's main campus in Morgantown.
Keyser's public schools are part of the Mineral County school system. The schools in Keyser include Fountain Primary School, which covers Pre-Kindergarten through Fourth Grade; Keyser Primary Middle School, which covers Kindergarten through Eighth Grade; Keyser High School, which covers Ninth through Twelfth Grades; Mineral County Alternative School; and the Mineral County Tech Center, a vocational school. The mascot of Keyser High is the "Golden Tornado."
Geography
Keyser is located at 39°26′20"N 78°58′58"W (39.438851, -78.982663), just east of the point where the Allegheny FrontAllegheny Front
The Allegheny Front is the major southeast- or east-facing escarpment in the Allegheny Mountains in southern Pennsylvania, western Maryland, and eastern West Virginia, USA. The Allegheny Front delineates the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians to its east from the Appalachian Plateau to its west...
crosses the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 city has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), all land.
Geology
The type locality of the SilurianSilurian
The Silurian is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Ordovician Period, about 443.7 ± 1.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Devonian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya . As with other geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period's start and end are well identified, but the...
/Devonian
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
Keyser Formation
Keyser Formation
The Late Silurian to Early Devonian Keyser Formation is a mapped limestone bedrock unit in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.-Description:...
, a limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, is located in a quarry and roadcut east of the town.
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 5,303 people, 2,241 households, and 1,333 families residing in the city. 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 2,791.7 people per square mile (1,077.6/km²). There were 2,542 housing units at an average density of 1,338.2 per square mile (516.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.55% Euro American, 7.07% Black, 0.23% Brown, 0.40% Asian, 0.32% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population.
There were 2,241 households out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% 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, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.5% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 13.5% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,718, and the median income for a family was $32,708. Males had a median income of $29,034 versus $20,818 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 city was $13,813. About 16.3% of families and 18.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.2% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.
In popular culture
Keyser is mentioned in the BBC television mini series The State WithinThe State Within
The State Within is a 2006 Seven-episode British television political drama, written by Lizzie Mickery and Daniel Percival, produced by Grainne Marmion as a joint BBC–BBC America production, that was broadcast by BBC1 in the United Kingdom from Thursday, 2 November 2006.The protagonist of The State...
(Season 1, Episode 1,). British Ambassador Mark Brydon just landed from a round trip to the U.K. where he was told he will be nominated to a new position in the British Government. En route to the embassy, a plane that just departed explodes above the highway, killing all the passengers and a few people on the highway. Rapidly, the Secret Services pinpoint that it is a terrorist bombing and that the terrorist was of British nationality. British SAS are shown on a raid, the screen clearly labels the location "Keyser, West Virginia." One of their members is killed in a shoot out and dumped in a nearby stream located in the fictitious "Fairmont County, West Virginia."
Notable residents and natives
- Henry Louis Gates, Jr.Henry Louis Gates, Jr.Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr., is an American literary critic, educator, scholar, writer, editor, and public intellectual. He was the first African American to receive the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship. He has received numerous honorary degrees and awards for his teaching, research, and...
- Historian, author, academic; born in Keyser in 1950 - Jonah Edward KelleyJonah Edward Kelley-External links: *Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships entry for...
- World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
soldier awarded the Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
posthumously - Walter E. Rollins, (also known as Jack Rollins) - Songwriter who wrote "Frosty the SnowmanFrosty the Snowman"Frosty the Snowman" is a popular song written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson, and first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950. It was written after the success of Autry's recording of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" the previous year; Rollins and Nelson shipped the...
" and "Smokey BearSmokey BearSmokey Bear is a mascot of the United States Forest Service created to educate the public about the dangers of forest fires. An advertising campaign featuring Smokey was created in 1944 with the slogan, "Smokey Says – Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires". Smokey Bear's later slogan,...
" - John KrukJohn KrukJohn Martin Kruk is a former Major League Baseball player and current baseball analyst for ESPN.-Early life and career:...
- Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player, ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
baseball analyst - Harley Orrin StaggersHarley Orrin StaggersHarley Orrin Staggers, Sr. was a Democratic U.S. politician.-Education:Staggers graduated from Emory and Henry College in 1931 and did graduate work at Duke University.-Career:...
- United States Congressman - Leo MazzoneLeo MazzoneLeo David Mazzone is a former pitcher in minor league baseball and coach in Major League Baseball. He began working with the Atlanta Braves' organization in 1979.-Early life:...
- Major League Baseball pitching coach; born in Keyser - KixKix (band)Kix is an American hard rock/heavy metal band who achieved popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Band members continue to tour, recently appearing at the Rocklahoma festival in 2008 in Oklahoma and the M3 Rock Festival in May 2011 in the band's home state of Maryland.-Formation:Kix was...
- Band