Belington, West Virginia | |
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City | |
Location of Belington in Barbour County, West Virginia. |
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Coordinates: 39°1′33″N 79°56′17″W / 39.02583°N 79.93806°WCoordinates: 39°1′33″N 79°56′17″W / 39.02583°N 79.93806°W | |
Country | United States |
State | West Virginia |
County | Barbour |
Districts |
Barker (Wards 1, 2) Valley (Wards 3, 4) |
Settled | 1766-70 |
Incorporated | 1894-08-22 |
Named for | John Bealin |
Government | |
• Type | Mayor & City Council |
• Mayor | Matthew Ryan |
Area | |
• Total | 2.13 sq mi (5.52 km2) |
• Land | 2.06 sq mi (5.34 km2) |
• Water | 0.07 sq mi (0.18 km2) |
Elevation | 1,703 ft (519 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 1,921 |
• Estimate (2016) | 1,910 |
• Density | 932.5/sq mi (360.0/km2) |
Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
ZIP code | 26250 |
Area code(s) | 304 |
FIPS code | 54-05788 |
GNIS feature ID | 1535594 |
Belington is a town in Barbour County, West Virginia, along the Tygart Valley River. The population was 1,921 as of the 2010 census.
Belington was founded in 1766-70. Originally it was known as the Barker Settlement, after Elias Barker, who had settled there with his brother William Barker. About 1785, it was called Yeagers, taking its name from a settler, George Yeager, and his sons. In 1855, it took its current name, Belington, from John Bealin, who had opened up a store there, and who would later move to Kansas.
After the June 3, 1861 Battle of Philippi, site of the first land battle of the Civil War, the Confederate forces, having been routed by the Union Army in Philippi, retreated south. The Confederates made camp near the Laurel Mountain Road, today, a winding single lane dirt road that crosses the mountain and connects Belington with Elkins.
In 1891, the West Virginia Central and Pittsburg Railway (later the Western Maryland Railway) was built into Belington. In 1894 the land on the east side of the river was incorporated as Belington, while the west side was incorporated as Alston in 1897. The two towns merged in 1906 to form the present Belington.
The Bernard E. Wilmoth House in Belington is a historic house listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Belington is located at 39°1′33″N 79°56′17″W / 39.02583°N 79.93806°W (39.025706, -79.938166).