Williamson, West Virginia

Not to be confused with Williamstown, West Virginia.

Williamson, West Virginia
City
Williamson, West Virginia; view looking down East 2nd Ave.
Williamson, West Virginia; view looking down East 2nd Ave.
Location of Williamson in Mingo County, West Virginia
Location of Williamson in Mingo County, West Virginia
Coordinates: 37°40′26″N 82°16′47″W / 37.67389°N 82.27972°W / 37.67389; -82.27972
CountryUnited States
StateWest Virginia
CountyMingo
Government
 • MayorMike Casey[1]
Area
[2]
 • Total
3.27 sq mi (8.48 km2)
 • Land3.27 sq mi (8.48 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
653 ft (199 m)
Population
 (2020)[3]
 • Total
3,042
 • Density817.10/sq mi (315.52/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
25661
Area code304
FIPS code54-87508[4]
GNIS feature ID1549185[5]
Websitecityofwilliamson.org

Williamson is a city in and the county seat of Mingo County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Tug Fork River.[7] The population was 3,042 at the 2020 census. and is the county's largest and most populous city. Williamson is home to Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College. The Tug Fork River separates Williamson from South Williamson, Kentucky.

Williamson is the site of a large rail yard built by the former Norfolk and Western Railroad (now Norfolk Southern Railway), which was built to service the many coal mines of the region. The city is protected by a floodwall, completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1991 in response to devastating floods along the Tug Fork River in 1977 and again in 1984. The wall incorporates floodgates along major access points which, when locked, form a solid barrier against floodwaters. There have only been two uses of the gates thus far: the first occurring in 2002 during a major flood in the region, and the second occurring in 2003, when only two lower lying gates were closed in anticipation of rising water levels.

The local economy is largely fueled by coal mining, transportation, health care and retail businesses.

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference wwwcensusgov was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  7. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.