Boomer, West Virginia
Census-designated place (CDP)
Houses in Boomer in 1975
Houses in Boomer in 1975
Boomer is located in West Virginia
Boomer
Boomer
Boomer is located in the United States
Boomer
Boomer
Coordinates: 38°09′02″N 81°17′14″W / 38.15056°N 81.28722°W / 38.15056; -81.28722
CountryUnited States
StateWest Virginia
CountyFayette
Area
[1]
 • Total1.481 sq mi (3.84 km2)
 • Land1.382 sq mi (3.58 km2)
 • Water0.099 sq mi (0.26 km2)
Elevation
646 ft (197 m)
Population
 (2010)[2]
 • Total615
 • Density420/sq mi (160/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
25031
Area code(s)304 & 681
GNIS feature ID1536227[3]

Boomer is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. Boomer is located on the north bank of the Kanawha River, 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Smithers. Boomer has a post office with ZIP code 25031.[4] As of the 2010 census, its population was 615.[2]

History

The community takes its name from nearby Boomer Branch Creek.[5]

The Boomer Coal and Coke Company operated four drift opening mines in Boomer Hollow during the early 1900s. The mine employed a large number of locals, to include many Italian immigrants who settled in the small town. On November 30, 1915, there was an explosion at the Number 2 Mine, which left 23 miners dead. 27 miners were rescued from the mine seven hours after the explosion, after they baracaded themselves into an area with fresh air.[6]

On February 16, 2015, the town, along with neighboring Adena Village, was evacuated following the derailment of a C&O train consisting of two locomotives and 109 rail cars. The train, carrying crude oil, quickly exploded into a fireball, destroying one residence and causing substantial damage to surrounding residences in both Adena Village and Boomer. Crude oil swiftly flowed into the Kanawha River and set the water ablaze for over a half mile.[7]

Demographics

2020 census

Boomer CDP, West Virginia – Racial and Ethnic Composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[8] Pop 2020[9] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 524 491 85.20% 81.97%
Black or African American alone (NH) 72 49 11.71% 8.18%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 1 0 0.16% 0.00%
Asian alone (NH) 1 0 0.16% 0.00%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 0 0.00% 0.00%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 1 4 0.16% 0.67%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 12 51 1.95% 8.51%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4 4 0.65% 0.67%
Total 615 599 100.00% 100.00%

References

  1. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  2. 1 2 "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  3. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Boomer, West Virginia
  4. ↑ ZIP Code Lookup Archived June 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. p. 124.
  6. ↑ "Boomer No. 2 Mine Explosion". usminedisasters.miningquiz.com. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  7. ↑ BBC News article on the accident
  8. ↑ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Boomer CDP, West Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
  9. ↑ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Boomer CDP, West Virginia". United States Census Bureau.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.