Beards Fork, West Virginia

Beards Fork, West Virginia
Census-designated place (CDP)
Beards Fork Location of Beards Fork in West Virginia Show map of West Virginia Beards Fork Beards Fork (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 38°03′49″N 81°13′38″W
Country	United States
State	West Virginia
County	Fayette
Area [1]
• Total	1.684 sq mi (4.36 km^2)
• Land	1.682 sq mi (4.36 km^2)
• Water	0.002 sq mi (0.005 km^2)
Elevation [2]	1,253 ft (382 m)
Population  (2010)[3]
• Total	199
• Density	120/sq mi (46/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	25014
Area code	304
FIPS code	54-54109
GNIS feature ID	1553820[2]
[4]

Beards Fork is a census-designated place (CDP) and coal town in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States that was founded as a coal town. As of the 2010 census, its population was 199.^[3]

Geography

Beards Fork is located at 38°03′49″N 81°13′38″W (38.063720, -81.227329).^[2] Its elevation is 1,253 feet (382 m).

Beards Fork is situated between two mountain ridges in central Fayette County, and is closest to the unincorporated town of Robson. The Post Office in Robson handles the mail for Beards Fork.

History

The community takes its name from nearby Beards Fork creek.^[5]

Transportation

Beards Fork is served by WV 61 via Beards Fork Road, a paved one-lane road maintained by the state; a creek runs parallel to the road throughout most of the inhabited portion of the valley (known locally as the 'hollow' or 'holler').

Economy

The only entity of any kind to have offices in Beards Fork is the Southern Appalachian Labor School's Community Center, a non-profit organization that primarily provides housing services and children's programs to area residents.^[6][7]

Demographics

2020 census

Beards Fork CDP, West Virginia – Racial and Ethnic Composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity	Pop 2010[8]	Pop 2020[9]	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	116	78	58.29%	61.42%
Black or African American alone (NH)	80	41	40.20%	32.28%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	0	0	0.00%	0.00%
Asian alone (NH)	0	0	0.00%	0.00%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	0	0	0.00%	0.00%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	0	0	0.00%	0.00%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)	2	6	1.01%	4.72%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1	2	0.50%	1.57%
Total	199	127	100.00%	100.00%

References

1. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Beards Fork, West Virginia. Retrieved on 2008-08-10.
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
4. Beards Fork WV Archived June 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Zip Code Lookup. Retrieved on 2008-08-10.
5. Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. p. 99.
6. Keenan, Steve (July 4, 2023). "Visiting groups aid SWV housing effort". Beckley Register-Herald. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
7. Keenan, Steve (July 7, 2022). "Volunteers again assisting with local home repairs". Fayette Tribune. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
8. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Beards Fork CDP, West Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
9. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Beards Fork CDP, West Virginia". United States Census Bureau.

• Southern Appalachian Labor School - http://www.sals.info