Prichard, West Virginia

Prichard, West Virginia
Census-designated place (CDP)
Prichard, West Virginia
Coordinates: 38°14′24″N 82°35′55″W / 38.24000°N 82.59861°WCoordinates: 38°14′24″N 82°35′55″W / 38.24000°N 82.59861°W
Country United States
State West Virginia
County Wayne
Area[1]
  Total 1.263 sq mi (3.27 km2)
  Land 1.107 sq mi (2.87 km2)
  Water 0.156 sq mi (0.40 km2)
Elevation 587 ft (179 m)
Population (2010)[2]
  Total 527
  Density 420/sq mi (160/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
  Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 25555
Area code(s) 304 & 681
GNIS feature ID 1555412[3]

Prichard is a census-designated place (CDP) in Wayne County, West Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 527.[2] It is located along the Big Sandy River and U.S. Route 52. It is part of the Huntington–Ashland, WV–KY–OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which had a population of 287,702 according to the US Census (2010).

Education

Prichard Elementary School opened in 1958, replacing a two-room schoolhouse. It is the lone academic facility in Prichard. Once students reach 6th grade, they attend either Buffalo Middle School or Fort Gay Middle School. Upon reaching 9th grade, Prichard residents attend either Spring Valley High School or Tolsia High School.

Economy

With only a limited number of employment opportunities within Prichard, the average work commute for residents was 38.7.

In September 1999, Senator Jay Rockefeller announced that Okuno International would open a hydraulic cylinder plant in Prichard, offering 50 new jobs and eventually expanding to 100.[4]

Aplicare, a manufacturer of topical antiseptic and personal care products, operates a 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m2) facility which, according to their website, manufactures “all of our bottled antiseptics, our personal care product line, and several unit dose products including lubricating jelly and antiseptic hand gel.”[5]

In 2003, Allevard opened a coil spring and stabilizer bar plant in Prichard originally employing approximately 90 people. In May 2008, Allevard announced plans to expand employment to approximately 150 people, but in 2009, due to the slumping economy, had to instead reduce its staff to about 40.[6]

In January 2008, construction began on the Heartland Corridor, a train route that leads from the Virginia coast to Columbus, Ohio. The corridor will offer existing lines the ability to carry more cargo by double-stacking boxcars. An intermodal facility is planned for Prichard, to allow for the cars to be easily transferred between rail, highway, waterway, and airway transportation.[7]

Government

As an unincorporated community, Prichard has no city government. Law enforcement is provided from the county and state levels.

References