Madison, West Virginia
| Madison, West Virginia | |
|---|---|
| City | |
Main Street in Madison in 2007
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| Nickname(s): The Gateway to the Coal Fields | |
 Location of Madison, West Virginia |
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| Coordinates: 38°3′43″N 81°49′6″W / 38.06194°N 81.81833°WCoordinates: 38°3′43″N 81°49′6″W / 38.06194°N 81.81833°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Boone |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.07 sq mi (18.31 km2) |
| • Land | 7.01 sq mi (18.16 km2) |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2) |
| Elevation | 702 ft (214 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 3,076 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 3,054 |
| • Density | 438.8/sq mi (169.4/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 25130 |
| Area code(s) | 304 |
| FIPS code | 54-50524 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1542678 |
| Website | Madison, West Virginia |
Madison is a city and former coal town in Boone County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,076 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Boone County.
Madison was first established as Boone Court House. The town was renamed about 1865, presumably for James Madison, the fourth president of the United States. Other theories hold that it was named for lawyer James Madison Laidley or for Madison Peyton, a pioneer coal operator, who was a leader in the movement which resulted in the formation of Boone County and for whom Peytona on Big Coal River was named. Madison was incorporated in 1906.
The first courthouse at Madison, a log structure, was burned by Union troops early in the American Civil War. The second courthouse, made of local brick, served until 1913, and a frame building was used by county officials for the next several years. The present Boone County Courthouse, occupied in 1921, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Madison is the "Gateway to the Coalfields," as it is located on a principal route through the southern coalfields. It occupied a strategic place during the Mine Wars. Miners twice rallied at the town ballpark in August 1921, to consider whether to continue their march to neighboring Logan and Mingo counties. Thousands of armed marchers passed through the town and surrounding region on their way to and from the fighting at Blair Mountain, which is located up Spruce Fork from Madison.
In addition to the Boone County Courthouse, the Madison National Bank building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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