Kenova is a city in Wayne County, West Virginia, at the confluence of the Ohio and Big Sandy Rivers. The name of the town comes from its unique position where the borders of Kentucky, Ohio, and (West) Virginia meet. Founded in 1859 but not incorporated until 1894, the town's early history and development was centered around the railroad industry. It is home to a major Norfolk Southern Ohio River Bridge. CSX Transportation's former Chesapeake and Ohio Kanawha Subdivision travels through the town as well.
The population of Kenova was 3,485 at the 2000 census. Kenova is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 288,649.
The city is also near the site of the Southern Airways Flight 932 aviation disaster. In 1970, a plane carrying the Marshall University football team crashed on a hillside on approach to the Tri-State Airport, killing all on board. A movie about the tragedy, We Are Marshall, was released in 2006.
Education
Since the closing of Ceredo-Kenova and Buffalo-Wayne High Schools in 1998, Kenova Elementary is the lone public education facility within Kenova city limits. The school has been awarded multiple national blue ribbons in academic achievement. Buffalo Elementary and Buffalo Middle schools are also located near Kenova, but just outside city limits. The former Ceredo-Kenova High School, locally known as "C-K," boasted a great number of athletic state championships, including 12 in football and one in cheerleading. Buffalo can credit championships in boys' and girls' basketball and in football to their accomplishments. In 1998, Ceredo-Kenova and Buffalo-Wayne High Schools were closed and consolidated with Huntington, West Virginia based Vinson High School to form Spring Valley High School.
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 3,485 people, 1,594 households, and 996 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,887.9 people per square mile (1,112.0/km²). There were 1,767 housing units at an average density of 1,464.3/sq mi (563.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.23% White, 0.23% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.03% from other races, and 0.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.20% of the population.
There were 1,594 households out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.5% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 83.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,342, and the median income for a family was $29,688. Males had a median income of $27,656 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,485. About 14.5% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.4% of those under age 18 and 12.6% of those age 65 or over.
Dreamland Pool
Dreamland Pool, constructed in 1926, was once the largest swimming pool in the United States east of the Mississippi. Beginning in the 1940's, Dreamland featured an open-air entertainment pavilion that attracted big names like Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, and Frank Sinatra.[3] A fire in the 1970's destroyed the pavilion, but the rest of the facility survived and continued operations. About the size of a football field, Dreamland sports two cement floats equidistant to each other in the middle of the pool to allow swimmers a place to rest. Dreamland Pool was recently renovated in 2008.
The Pumpkin House
The 1891 Victorian home located at 748 Beech Street is listed on the National Historic Register and was once visited by President Grover Cleveland. It is also become known as the Pumpkin House, because of the more than 3000 hand-carved Jack-o-Lanterns which owner Ric Griffith, the town's current mayor, adorn it each Halloween. The Pumpkin House has received national media attention and has been featured on segments of NBC's Today Show and the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Notable natives
See also
References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ WSAZ news. "Dreamland Pool Opens Saturday". http://www.wsaz.com/newswestvirginia/headlines/19406174.html. Retrieved 2008-07-03. "One local pool in our region is now on the road to a comeback after nearly closing."
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