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| {{Infobox settlement | {{Infobox settlement | ||
| ⚫ | |official_name = City of Martinsburg | ||
| |name = Martinsburg, West Virginia | |name = Martinsburg, West Virginia | ||
| ⚫ | |official_name = City of Martinsburg | ||
| |settlement_type = ] | |settlement_type = ] | ||
| |nickname = | |nickname = | ||
Revision as of 13:31, 12 January 2013
City in West Virginia, United States| Martinsburg, West Virginia | |
|---|---|
| City | |
| City of Martinsburg | |
 Location of Martinsburg in West Virginia | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Berkeley |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | George Karos |
| Area | |
| • City | 6.6 sq mi (13.1 km) |
| • Land | 6.6 sq mi (13.0 km) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.1 km) |
| Elevation | 453 ft (138 m) |
| Population | |
| • City | 17,487 |
| • Density | 3,391/sq mi (1,309.2/km) |
| • Urban | 43,441 |
| • Metro | 263,753 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 25401–25405 |
| Area code | 304 |
| FIPS code | 54-52060Template:GR |
| GNIS feature ID | 1542824Template:GR |
Martinsburg is a city in the Eastern Panhandle region of West Virginia, USA. Its population was 17,227 at the 2010 census making it the largest city in the Eastern Panhandle and the eighth largest municipality in the state. Martinsburg is the county seat of Berkeley CountyTemplate:GR and one of the core cities in the Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
 | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2008) |
Martinsburg was founded in 1778 by General Adam Stephen who named it in honor of Colonel Thomas Bryan Martin, a nephew of Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron.
Aspen Hall is a Georgian mansion, the oldest part of which was built in 1745 by Edward Beeson, Sr. making it the oldest house in the city. Aspen Hall and the people who lived there played important roles in the agricultural, religious, transportation, and political heritage of the region. Significant events related to the British, French, and Indian War; the Revolution, and the Civil War took place on the property. Three original buildings are still standing including the rare blockhouse of Mendenhall's Fort.
The first post office in what is now West Virginia was established at Martinsburg in 1792.
The Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad reached Martinsburg in 1842. The B&O Roundhouse and Station Complex was first constructed in 1849.
According to William Still, "The Father of the Underground Railroad," a freedom-seeking slave made an interesting escape from Martinsburg on the Underground Railroad, Christmas night, 1856. Robert Brown, alias Thomas Jones, fled by riding a horse while it swam across the freezing Potomac River. After riding forty miles, he walked in cold wet clothes for two days, to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He received assistance there, and then went by train to Philadelphia, and the office of William Still with the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. Brown's wife and four children had been sold, and all he had was a likeness of his wife, and locks of hair from each of them.
In 1863, Isabelle “Belle” Boyd, a famous spy for the Confederacy, was arrested in Martinsburg by the Union Army and imprisoned.
The city of Martinsburg was incorporated by an act of the West Virginia Legislature on March 30, 1868.
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 began July 14, 1877 in Martinsburg and spread nationwide.
Telephone service first began in Martinsburg in 1883.
In 1889, electricity began to be furnished to Martinsburg as part of a franchise granted to the United Edison Manufacturing Company of New York.
The Interwoven mills began operations in Martinsburg in 1891 and grew to be the largest manufacturer of men's hosiery in the world.
Construction of the "Apollo Civic Theatre" was completed in 1913.
Over one thousand (1,039) men from Berkeley County participated in World War I. Of these, forty-one were killed and twenty-one were wounded in battle. A monument to those who fell in battle was erected in 1925.
During World War II, the Newton D. Baker Hospital in Martinsburg treated thousands of soldiers wounded in the war. In 1946 this military hospital became a part of the Veterans Administration (VA). The VA Medical Center in Martinsburg is still in service providing care to United States veterans.
Beginning in the late 1940s and through the 1950s, many of the mills and factories operating in Martinsburg shut down and went out of business, dealing a major blow to the local economy.
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 2,190 | — | |
| 1860 | 3,364 | 53.6% | |
| 1870 | 4,863 | 44.6% | |
| 1880 | 6,335 | 30.3% | |
| 1890 | 7,226 | 14.1% | |
| 1900 | 7,564 | 4.7% | |
| 1910 | 10,698 | 41.4% | |
| 1920 | 12,515 | 17.0% | |
| 1930 | 14,857 | 18.7% | |
| 1940 | 15,063 | 1.4% | |
| 1950 | 15,621 | 3.7% | |
| 1960 | 15,179 | −2.8% | |
| 1970 | 14,626 | −3.6% | |
| 1980 | 13,063 | −10.7% | |
| 1990 | 14,073 | 7.7% | |
| 2000 | 14,972 | 6.4% | |
| 2010 | 17,227 | 15.1% | |
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2010, there were 17,227 people and 8,408 households residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 77.45% White, 14.88% African American, 0.35% Native American, 1.18% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.35% from other races, and 3.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.21% of the population.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.34% under the age of 18, 6.44% from 20 to 24, 15.11% from 25 to 34, 19.83% from 35 to 49, 19.72% from 50-64 and 13.35% who were 65 years of age or older. The city was 51.19% female.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $29,495, and the median income for a family was $36,954. Males had a median income of $29,697 versus $22,212 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,314. About 14.7% of families and 20.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.8% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over.
Geography
Location and topography
Martinsburg is located at 39°27′33″N 77°58′4″W / 39.45917°N 77.96778°W / 39.45917; -77.96778 (39.459207, −77.967814).Template:GR As per MapQuest, Martinsburg is approximately 92 miles (148 km) driving distance northwest of Washington, D.C.. U.S. Route 11 runs through the center of town, and Interstate 81 passes along the northern side of the town.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.1 square miles (13 km), of which, 5.0 sq mi (13 km) of it is land and 0.04 sq mi (0.10 km) of it (0.40%) is water.
Climate
Martinsburg has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) that begins to transition to a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa), with four distinct seasons. Winters are cool to cold with a January daily mean temperature of 31.8 °F (−0.1 °C) and an average seasonal snowfall of 26.6 inches (68 cm), while summers are hot and humid with a July daily mean temperature of 75.7 °F (24.3 °C) and 27 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ readings annually. Precipitation is moderate, with winter being the driest period and May thru July the wettest. Extreme temperatures range from −18 °F (−28 °C) on January 21, 1994 up to 112 °F (44 °C) on July 11, 1936.
| Climate data for Martinsburg, West Virginia | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 80 (27) |
83 (28) |
88 (31) |
96 (36) |
100 (38) |
106 (41) |
112 (44) |
108 (42) |
103 (39) |
98 (37) |
86 (30) |
78 (26) |
112 (44) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 40.4 (4.7) |
44.2 (6.8) |
53.5 (11.9) |
64.9 (18.3) |
73.6 (23.1) |
82.7 (28.2) |
86.7 (30.4) |
84.8 (29.3) |
77.6 (25.3) |
66.3 (19.1) |
55.4 (13.0) |
44.1 (6.7) |
64.5 (18.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 23.2 (−4.9) |
25.4 (−3.7) |
32.4 (0.2) |
41.7 (5.4) |
50.5 (10.3) |
59.8 (15.4) |
64.6 (18.1) |
62.7 (17.1) |
54.9 (12.7) |
43.2 (6.2) |
35.0 (1.7) |
26.4 (−3.1) |
43.3 (6.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −18 (−28) |
−10 (−23) |
−3 (−19) |
19 (−7) |
26 (−3) |
36 (2) |
41 (5) |
40 (4) |
29 (−2) |
17 (−8) |
6 (−14) |
−12 (−24) |
−18 (−28) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.44 (62) |
2.34 (59) |
3.52 (89) |
3.34 (85) |
4.09 (104) |
3.76 (96) |
3.67 (93) |
3.08 (78) |
3.56 (90) |
3.05 (77) |
3.13 (80) |
2.63 (67) |
38.59 (980) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 9.3 (24) |
7.5 (19) |
4.4 (11) |
.4 (1.0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
1.1 (2.8) |
3.8 (9.7) |
26.6 (68) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9.4 | 8.9 | 10.6 | 10.5 | 12.6 | 11.0 | 10.1 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 8.5 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 117.6 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 3.7 | 2.2 | 1.7 | .2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .5 | 2.1 | 10.4 |
| Source: NOAA (normals 1981−2010, extremes 1926−present) | |||||||||||||
Commerce
Major private employers in and around Martinsburg include Quad/Graphics, EcoLab, Orgill, World Color, Sino-Swearingen, General Motors, and FedEx.
The city also has numerous federal government employers including the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Coast Guard Operations Systems Center, U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Veteran Administration Center.
The Martinsburg IRS Facility is one of the two Enterprise Computing Centers of the Internal Revenue Service (the other is in Memphis, Tennessee). The Martinsburg facility processes most of the country's electronically filed tax documents from businesses, and about one-third of electronically-filed tax returns.
The area is also home to the 167th Airlift Wing of the West Virginia Air National Guard, based in Eastern WV Regional Airport.
Martinsburg had its own automobile company from 1912 to 1922, called Norwalk. The cars that were assembled there are the longest-made known cars to be built in the state of West Virginia.
Healthcare
- West Virginia University Hospitals - East (an affiliate of West Virginia University Hospitals, formerly City Hospital)
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Shopping
Martinsburg has one Shopping Mall
- Martinsburg Mall: 551,351 square feet (51,222.2 m) with approximately 50 stores and anchored by Walmart, JCPenney, and The Bon-Ton. Opened in 1991. Location: Foxcroft Avenue, Interstate 81 Exit 12 & 13.
Other retail centers/areas in Martinsburg include:
- The Commons Shopping Center: 400,000 square feet (37,000 m) anchored by Target, Dick's Sporting Goods, Best Buy, TJ Maxx, Staples, Books A Million, Bed Bath and Beyond, Michaels, Petsmart, and Five Below. Opened in 2009. Location: Retail Commons Parkway, Interstate 81 Exit 12.
- Old Courthouse Square: 201,350 square feet (18,706 m) anchored by Food Lion, Schewels, and Auto Zone. Opened in 1987. Location: Edwin Miller Blvd.
- Apple Harvest Drive: K-Mart, Food Lion, Lowes, and Advance Auto.
- North Queen Street: Weis Markets, Tractor Supply, Big Lots, and Aarons.
- Other shopping areas in the city are the Berkeley Plaza on Williamsport Pike and Martinsburg Plaza on Winchester Ave.
Education
Middle Schools
- North Middle School
- South Middle School
- Spring Mills Middle School
- Hedgesville Middle School
- Musselman Middle School
High Schools
- Martinsburg High School
- Musselman High School
- Hedgesville High School
Spring Mills High School (Summer of 2013)
Colleges and universities
- Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, Martinsburg
- James Rumsey Technical Institute, Martinsburg
- University of Charleston-Martinsburg
- Valley College of Technology, Martinsburg Campus
Transportation
Major highways
Interstate 81
U.S. Route 11
West Virginia Route 9
West Virginia Route 45
West Virginia Route 51
West Virginia Route 901
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Mass transportation
See also: Martinsburg (Amtrak station)Amtrak provides service to Martinsburg. The city's passenger rail station is located downtown at 229 East Martin Street. MARC, Maryland's commuter rail system, operates trains on weekdays on its Template:MARC lines which terminates in Martinsburg. Service is provided to Union Station in Washington, D.C.
Eastern Panhandle Transit Authority, known more popularly as "Pan Tran," operates bus routes in Martinsburg, surrounding Berkeley County, and neighboring Jefferson County, West Virginia.
Eastern WV Regional Airport, south of the city, handles general aviation. The closest airport with commercial air service is Hagerstown Regional Airport, that is about 25 miles (40 km) driving distance north. The closest international airport is Washington Dulles International Airport, which is about 60 miles (97 km) driving distance east.
Media
- Martinsburg has one daily community newspaper, The Journal.
- Martinsburg has a bi-monthly magazine, Around the Panhandle magazine. www.aroundthepanhandle.com
Radio
- The city is home to WRNR/740 AM, WEPM/1340 AM, WICL/95.9 FM, WLTF/97.5 FM, and WVEP/88.9 FM radio stations. The following box details all of the radio stations in the Eastern Panhandle market.
Television
- Martinsburg is home to W44AA Channel 44 (WV Educational Broadcasting) and (WWPX 60 (ION), all part of the Hagerstown sub-market that is further grouped under the Nielsen-designated Washington, D.C.-Hagerstown, Md. market, the ninth largest market in the nation. The box below lists television stations available in the region.
Martinsburg, WV was the setting of the X-Files episode "Small Potatoes" (Season 4, episode 20). However, the filming did not take place in the vicinity.
Notable natives and residents
- Newton D. Baker, Secretary of War
- Belle Boyd, Confederate spy in the American Civil War
- Scott Bullett, Former outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs
- Vicky Bullett, Olympic gold medalist in women's basketball
- Harry Flood Byrd, Sr., United States Senator and Governor of Virginia
- Robert Lee Castleman, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter
- Charles James Faulkner, United States Representative from Virginia
- Karl Hess, former D.C. insider turned Libertarian and appropriate technology activist, relocated to the Martinsburg area in the 1970s.
- Shannon Larkin, drummer for the hard rock band Godsmack
- Walter Dean Myers, author
- Bruce Van Wyk, notable entrepreneur, married to health activist Mikki Van Wyk
- John Quincy Adams Nadenbousch, colonel in Confederate States Army
- Kevin Pittsnogle, Former West Virginia Basketball player
- Ronald Radosh, ex-New Left, ex-libertarian, now neoconservative author
- Absalom Willis Robertson, United States Senator from Virginia
- David Hunter Strother (aka Porte Crayon), artist
- Hack Wilson, Hall of Fame baseball player
- Fulton Walker, former football player for the Miami Dolphins
- Zachary Stubbs A.K.A Zacarias, Indie Hip Hop Artist
- Darrell W. Sanders, Professional Bluegrass musician; formerly played banjo, guitar, and dobro for Bill Harrell & the Virginians and Charlie Moore & the Dixie Partners. Current member of Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band.
- Mary Elizabeth Price, (1877–1965), impressionist painter
- Bob Keller (American Professional Wrestler) Listed in Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 500 Wrestlers 4 times, Former Host for American Pro Wrestlings Power Hour Agent and Manager for many former WCW and WWE Superstars...Most Noted for teaming with Hagerstown Native Shane Heimburger(Shadows) to form the Team of The Mega Rockers
- Joseph Howard Hodges, (1911-1985), Fifth Bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Wheeling
- Marvin Gesford JR. AKA. Robbie ruffin Pro wrestler and former NWA Mid america tag team champion.
References
- http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2011/SUB-EST2011-3.html
- Table 4: Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in West Virginia, Listed Alphabetically: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008, U.S. Census Bureau. 2009-07-01. Retrieved 2009-07-01]
- "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-12-17.
- The Norwalk: Martinsburg's Motor Car
- Local Television Market Universe Estimates, Nielsen, 27 September 2008. Retrieved 02 November 2008.
External links
- Chamber of Commerce of Martinsburg and Berkeley County
- Martinsburg High School
- Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Library
- WEPM Radio station, established 1946
- Martinsburg Community Website
- Eastern Panhandle Transit Authority "Pan Tran"
- Martinsburg, Virginia, During the Civil War in Encyclopedia Virginia
| Radio stations in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia | |
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| County seat: Martinsburg | ||
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