| Webster Springs, West Virginia | |
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
| Location of Webster Springs, West Virginia | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Webster |
| Settled as: | Fort Lick in 1860 |
| Incorporated as (town): | Addison in 1892 |
| Named for | Addison McLaughlin[1] |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Billy Skidmore[2] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.5 sq mi (1.2 km2) |
| • Land | 0.5 sq mi (1.2 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation[3] | 1,460 ft (445 m) |
| Population (2000)[4] | |
| • Total | 808 |
| • Density | 663.8/sq mi (256.3/km2) |
| • Median age (years) | 43.9 |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 26288 |
| Area code(s) | 304, 681 (beginning March 28, 2009) |
| FIPS code | 54101 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1560603 |
| Website | WebsterWV.com |
Webster Springs is a town in Webster County, West Virginia, United States. Although it was incorporated as Addison in 1892,[5] it is more frequently referred to as Webster Springs, the name of the town's post office.[1] It was named as such for Addison McLaughlin, upon whose land the town was originally laid out.[1] The population was 808 at the 2000 census.[4]
The town was famous in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for its numerous salt sulfur water wells. People believed that the water from the wells had medicinal qualities.[5] The town also hosts the annual Webster County Wood Chopping Festival, a weekend-long competition in which lumberjacks from all over the world compete. The festival lasts from mid-week the week leading up to Memorial Day until the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, when the festival ends with a fireworks display.
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The name of the town is officially Addison, West Virginia. However, it is most commonly referred to as Webster Springs (the name of the towns post office, since 1902).[6] It also labeled on some maps as Addison, and some as Webster Springs. The unofficial name has gone so far that the county commission's letterhead reads "Webster Springs," rather than Addison, which it had previously.
The town has also been known as; Elk Lick, Fork Lick, Addison (officially 1892–present), and Webster Springs (unofficially 1861–present).[6]
The town's first permanent settler was named Polly Arthur, who arrived in 1860.[5] The first post office established in Webster County was Fort Lick, present-day Webster Springs.[5] The postmaster at the time was a man by the name of John Hall.[5]
The Morton House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.[7]
Hall, along with a man whose first name is not known, who is only known as Mr. Skidmore, drilled the first salt sulfur well in the county, it was known as "Old Spring."[5] The well was later owned by Colonel John T. McGraw.[5] The salt sulfur well helped make Webster Springs a popular summer tourist location during the 19th and early 20th Century.[5]
According to Springs in West Virginia, the town of Webster Springs had four total springs, they included: the Addison McLaughlin Well, located to the west of Court Square, Old Fork Lick Spring, located in the bed of the Elk River, Tracy Well, located on the lot of its owner, W.B. Tracy, in Webster Springs, and the Wm. Smith Well, located in Dorrtown.[8] The wells were popular because people believed that the water from the wells had medicinal qualities.[5] The water was used to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, acne and arthritis.[5]
In 1897, Senator Johnson Newlon Camden had built a 265-room hotel of Victorian style architecture,[9] which was larger than The Greenbrier Hotel built in 1913, which only has 250 rooms,[9] named the Webster Springs Hotel. The hotel contained a tennis court, horse stables, garden, bowling alley, power plant, and Russian and Turkish baths,[9] where visitors could enjoy the "medicinal" qualities of its salt sulfur waters. The hotel was also the largest wood frame hotel in West Virginia.[10]
When first built, the hotel was a three-story dark colored building. After it was completed, construction began on a new, much larger section of the hotel, adding more rooms, and a new exterior color, white. The new section of the hotel contained up-to-date Turkish bath equipment, where guests could have sulfur water bath, window shutters,[9] For many years, filled to capacity by guests and a greatly increased overflow which necessitated the building of smaller hotels in the town.[9] The hotel also raised its own cattle and provided some of its own food and milk.[9] The hotel's ice house, according to Elizah Hedding Gillespie, His Ancestors, Descendants and Their Families, was capable of holding 150 tons of ice.[9] The hotel was heated by steam.[9]
In 1903, Colonel McGraw purchased the hotel and expanded it by 115 rooms, completed in the spring of 1904.[9] Of the 89 "non-guest" rooms in the new section, 40 were for salt sulfur baths, which took up the entire first floor of one wing.[9] The entire southern wing of the hotel was given to bath rooms, including; "the plunge," Turkish, Russian, Needle, Shower, and Steam baths. Of which they were offered in both fresh and salt-sulfur water.[9]
On the interior, it contained stuffed bears, elks, and other wildlife of the local county in realistic poses.[9]
At the height of its popularity, the hotel played host to such guests as Senators Thomas Kearns (Utah), Henry G. Davis (West Virginia), his son-in-law, Senator Stephen Benton Elkins (West Virginia), and Camden (West Virginia).
On the night of July 20, 1925, the hotel caught fire and was burned to the ground, being completely destroyed.[9] Flames could be seen as far as one mile away, as well, the sky was seen as a bright red color, up to 19 miles away, in Camden-on-Gauley.[9]
Webster Springs is located at (38.476192, -80.410025), along the Elk River. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.2 km²), all land. It is at an elevation of 1,460 ft. (445m).[3]
As of the 2000 census, there were 808 people, 403 households, and 222 families residing in the town.[4] The population density was 1,729.9 inhabitants per square mile (663.8/km²). There were 463 housing units at an average density of 991.3 per square mile (380.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.8% White, 0.12% Native American, and 0.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.[4]
There were 403 households[4] of which 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them.[11] While 165, or 40.9% were married couples living together,[11] 51, or 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present,[11] and 180 or 44.7% were non-families.[11] Also, 42.2% of all households were made up of individuals[11] and 20.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[11] The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.70.[11]
The age of residents range as follows: 19.9% under the age of 18,[11] 7.4% from 18 to 24, 10.5% from 25 to 34,[11] 17.0% from 45 to 54,[11] and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older.[11] The median age of the population was 43.9 years.[11] Of the total population, 55.3% where female, while the remaining 44.7% where male.[11] For the total population 45.3% where females 18 and over, while 34.8% where males 18 and over.,[11] also, 12.7% where females 65 and older, and 7.8% males 65 and older.[11]
The median income for a household in the town was $20,592,[12] and the median income for a family was $27,434.[12] Males, full-time and year-round, had a median income of $27,386 as opposed to $16,389 for females.[12] The per capita income for the town was $13,500.[12] About 22.0% of families and 28.1% of the population were below the poverty line,[12] including 35.2% of those under the age of 18 and 21.9% of those age 65 or over.[12]
The town, though small, has some notable residents. Those include; Arden Cogar Sr., Jamie Cogar aka Arden Cogar Jr., Dick Stemple, Joe Talbot, Tim Adams and C. Randy White.
Arden Cogar Sr. (born approx. 1942) is a multiple time world champion lumberjack. He also holds multiple world records. Jamie Cogar (also called Arden Cogar Jr.,[13] born in 1972), the son of Arden Cogar Sr., is a Civil defense trial attorney as well as a champion lumberjack. Some of his accomplishments are; multiple time Champion, multiple medal winner in the Men's Endurance event at ESPN's Great Outdoor Games and multiple Stihl Timbersports Series Finalist; 2006 Standing Block World Champion; Winner of 40 Individual World Titles including the All Around World Title at the 2007 Webster County Woodchopping Festival; Captain of STIHL's United States National Lumberjack Team.[13] Another notable resident of the town is Dick Stemple[14] (born 1940) is a member of the Board of Directors (Immediate Past Chairman) for the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.[14] Before becoming a board member for the Fiesta Bowl, he was a teacher and pharmaceutical sales representative for AstraZeneca. He was also the winner of the 1982-1983 Glenn Hawkins "Volunteer of the Year" Award.[15] Joe Talbot[16] (born January 23, 1933) is Politician and retired United States Marine. He is currently a Democratic member of the House of Delegates representing the 36th District.[16] C. Randy White[17] (born May 10, 1955 in Charleston, West Virginia) is a Politician. He was a Democratic House of Representatives member from 1996 until 2000). He was a West Virginia State Senate member representing the llth District from 2002 until 2006.[17] As well, he was the town's mayor during the 1990s, beginning in 1991.[17] Philip D. Curtin a former professor at Johns Hopkins University and historian on the Africa and Atlantic slave trade, though born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, grew up in Webster Springs.[18][19]
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