Sissonville, West Virginia

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Coordinates: 38°30′17″N 81°38′43″W / 38.50472, -81.64528
Sissonville, West Virginia
Image:WVMap-doton-Sissonville.PNG Location of Sissonville
Country	United States
State	West Virginia
County	Kanawha
Area
- Total	12.7 sq mi (33.0 km²)
- Land	12.7 sq mi (33.0 km²)
- Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²)
Elevation	623 ft (190 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	4,399
- Density	345.1/sq mi (133.2/km²)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	25312, 25320, 25360
Area code(s)	304
FIPS code	54-74356^GR2
GNIS feature ID	1546843^GR3

Sissonville is an unincorporated census-designated place in Kanawha County, West Virginia, along the Pocatalico River. The population was 4,399 at the 2000 census. The community was named for John Sisson, who owned the original townsite.^[1]

Many people confuse "Sissonville" as encompassing all of the area north of the City of Charleston along State Route 21 and Interstate 77 with being part of the community of Sissonville when, in fact, the area is comprised of four (4) separate communities: Guthrie, Pocatalico, Millertown, and Sissonville. The area has four (4) interstate intercahnges: Eden's Fork; Tupper's Creek; Sissonville-Pocatalico; and Haines Branch off of Interstate 77.

The four (4) closely connected communities are all served by the Sissonville Fire Department (http://www.station26.org/). There is a local branch of the Kanawha County Public Library located in the Pocatalico community near Virgil Flinn Elementary School. The largest employer in the Sissonville area is the NGK/NTK Manufacturing facility located just off of the Sissonville-Pocatalico Exit of Interstate 77. The facility employs over 200 full-time employees. The area is served with three (3) elementary schools - Sissonville Elementary, Flinn Elementary, and Bonham Elementary; one (1) middle school - Sissonville Middle School (with a new facility scheduled to open in late 2007); and one (1) high school - Sissonville High School. The high school has gained prominence in athletics with a consistent record of state championship girl's sports teams including softball and basketball.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Notable Natives
4 In the News
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Geography

Image:Pocatalico River.jpg

The Pocatalico River at Sissonville on a foggy morning

Sissonville is located at 38°30′17″N, 81°38′43″W (38.504844, -81.645217)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Sissonville CDP has a total area of 12.8 square miles (33.0 km²), all of it land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 4,399 people, 1,732 households, and 1,316 families residing in Sissonville. The population density was 345.1 people per square mile (133.2/km²). There were 1,862 housing units at an average density of 146.1/sq mi (56.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.41% White, 0.48% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.02% Asian, 0.36% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.52% of the population.

There were 1,732 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.84.

The age distribution is: 22.2% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.

The median income for a Sissonville household is $36,725, and the median income for a family was $46,420. Males had a median income of $35,408 versus $20,865 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $19,657. About 8.6% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.4% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Notable Natives

Toby Harrah - Baseball player, manager, etc.

[edit] In the News

At one point, Sissonville received national publicity from CNN for its problem with methamphetamine, being called "Sissonville's Slimfast." Since then, the problem has become less frequent.

[edit] References

^ Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, West Virginia: The Place Name Press, p.582.