Clarksburg is a city located in Harrison County, West Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 16,743. It is the county seat of Harrison County. Since 1979 Clarksburg has hosted the annual West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival during Labor Day weekend. Each September since 1991 the city has been the site of the West Virginia Black Heritage Festival.
Clarksburg is located at 39°17'0" North, 80°20'13" West (39.283401, -80.336906), along the West Fork River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.7 km2 (9.5 mi2). 24.7 km2 (9.5 mi2) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
As of the census of 2000, there are 16,743 people, 7,447 households, and 4,378 families residing in the city. The population density is 679.0/km2 (1,758.3/mi2). There are 8,662 housing units at an average density of 351.3/km2 (909.7/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 93.86% White, 3.83% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. 1.06% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 7,447 households out of which 25.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% are married couples living together, 13.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.2% are non-families. 36.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 17.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.20 and the average family size is 2.87.
In the city the population is spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 81.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $27,722, and the median income for a family is $35,075. Males have a median income of $30,194 versus $22,388 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,587. 19.8% of the population and 14.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 28.5% of those under the age of 18 and 11.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Clarksburg was formed in 1785 in Virginia. The city is named for General George Rogers Clark. In 1824, Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson was born in Clarksburg.
On October 11, 1996, seven men having connections with the Mountaineer Militia, a local anti-government paramilitary group, were arrested on charges of plotting to blow up the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Criminal Justice Information Services Division complex in Clarksburg. While members of the group had been assembling large quantities of explosives and blasting caps, militia leader Floyd Raymond Looker obtained blueprints of the FBI facility from a Clarksburg firefighter. Plastic explosives were confiscated by law enforcement officials at five locations in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Looker was taken into custody after arranging to sell the blueprints for $50,000 to an undercover FBI agent, whom he believed to be a representative of an international terrorist group. In 1998 Looker was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Two other defendants were sentenced on explosives charges, and the firefighter drew a year in prison for providing blueprints.
Source:
ClarksburgWestVirginia.com
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