West Union (Parkersburg, Clarksburg, Bridgeport: homes, employment, public schools)

[misskitty]

I'm thinking about moving to West Union or there abouts. It's a small town in Doddridge Co. in NW WV. I love the historic homes and buildings there and it's close to the Rail Trails. Can anyone tell me about the area? I'm from Oregon.

Thank You
Miss Kitty

[WVMounty]

If you are interested in the area for outdoor recreation it is a nice place. Within a close proximity there are several state parks and within 1 hr drive you can experience the beauty of the mountains. However it is a very economically depressed area. It is among the poorest areas of the state and has very high unemployment rate. Approx. 30 miles east is Clarksburg. It has a population of approx. 16,000. It has many older homes and has been growing a little lately. There are several new shopping and dining oppurtunities near there.

[WV_Proud]

There isn't much at all in West Union but it is a very beautiful part of our state. The Rail Trail is fabulous! If you are an outdoor person it's a great area to be around! As for jobs, Clarksburg and Parkersburg are the closest and depending on what type of work you do employment is not overly abundant.

[Arnold Stuart]

I am an old dude, having just registered, so first time post, I was born in West Union,went to one yr of high School their. the year was 1950.Just wondering if anyone remembers Arnold Stuart-Thats me. My Grandfather was Frank Ramsey. Am planning on visting within the next year, would love to hear from some of the old folks.Thanks

[wvgirl11]

Originally Posted by misskitty

I'm thinking about moving to West Union or there abouts. It's a small town in Doddridge Co. in NW WV. I love the historic homes and buildings there and it's close to the Rail Trails. Can anyone tell me about the area? I'm from Oregon.

Thank You
Miss Kitty

I just recently moved from Pennsboro which is about 15 minutes west of West Union. I must say that I agree with WVMounty in that West Union and the Doddridge Co. area is very economically depressed. There is beautiful property available there and the people are wonderful. Fortunately and at long last the students of Doddridge Country are getting a new high school located along Route 50. Parents seem to be very active in the school system there. I know several of the teachers and they are dedicated as well. It is a large county and very spreadout, however it is approximately 25 minutes from the Clarksburg/Bridgeport area for shopping and other "city" ammenities.

[David Kennedy]

Excellent choice! Live in West Union and have all the privacy in the world.
You can get to all the work...all the shopping and hop right up to Columbus International if you have to get to the south of France in a hurry.
I lived in Portland and Hood River...West Virginia is a great second choice after Oregon...but our trees are very small and lose their leaves in the winter.
Spring and Summer make up for all of that.

[hgjindrich]

Originally Posted by Arnold Stuart

I am an old dude, having just registered, so first time post, I was born in West Union,went to one yr of high School their. the year was 1950.Just wondering if anyone remembers Arnold Stuart-Thats me. My Grandfather was Frank Ramsey. Am planning on visting within the next year, would love to hear from some of the old folks.Thanks

Hi Arnold,

I grew up on Ramsey Ridge Road near Central Station, on a homestead with goats, moved there from Wisconsin with my hippie-wannabe parents and stayed for 7 years.

Went back through in a rented car with my family a couple years back. Last time I had been there was 1979, probably at the peak of the area's last oil rush. People didn't seem too friendly to outsiders back then, or to people who got divorced, or people who brought books into the public schools from the public library. (My mom was a teacher, always getting into trouble with the administration and the parents, bringing her "furner" ways into the classroom.)

I don't know what it is, the phenomenon of looking back at age 40+ and claiming all one's memories like dropped toys to be picked up and cherished, no matter how broken or covered in red clay mud.

But I read "The Glass Castle" recently, and the memories rushed back. Now I can't stop thinking about the place.