Bridgeport, West Virginia
City in West Virginia, US
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bridgeport is a city in eastern Harrison County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 9,325 at the 2020 census.[3] It is part of the Clarksburg micropolitan area in North Central West Virginia.
Bridgeport, West Virginia | |
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 Logo | |
| Motto: Opportunity Lives Here | |
 Interactive map of Bridgeport, West Virginia | |
  Bridgeport, West Virginia Location within West Virginia  Bridgeport, West Virginia Location within the United States | |
| Coordinates: 39°17′48″N 80°15′5″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Harrison |
| Chartered | 1816[1] |
| Government | |
| • Type | Manager Plan |
| • City Manager | Randy Wetmore |
| • Mayor | Andrew Lang |
| Area | |
• Total | 10.73 sq mi (27.80 km2) |
| • Land | 10.69 sq mi (27.69 km2) |
| • Water | 0.042 sq mi (0.11 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,020 ft (311 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 9,336 |
| 9,257 | |
| • Density | 827.1/sq mi (319.33/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 26330 |
| Area codes | 304, 681 |
| FIPS code | 54-10180[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1536341[5] |
| Website | https://www.bridgeportwv.gov/ |
History
Trapper and fur trader John Simpson entered the area in 1764 and gave his name to Simpson Creek.[6] Permanent settlement began between 1771 and 1774, when settlers constructed a fort and established Simpson Creek Baptist Church, one of the first churches west of the Allegheny Mountains.[7]
The town is generally believed to have been named for a bridge across Simpson Creek, although the identity of the bridge is uncertain. Early settlers constructed a pontoon-style bridge from logs tied together with hickory branches, followed by a wooden covered bridge in the early 19th century.[7] According to local tradition, Joseph Johnson, who later became governor of Virginia, viewed the bridge as a port and used the name Bridgeport when he sought a charter for a town on 15 acres (6.1 ha) of his land.[7] Another account holds that the community was originally called "Bridge Fort" for forts constructed by early settlers and that a mapmaker mistakenly recorded the name as Bridgeport.[6] The town was chartered in 1816 and incorporated in 1887.[7]
The first recorded gristmill in Bridgeport was constructed along Simpson Creek between 1771 and 1787, and stockyards were established in the early 19th century.[7] The Bridgeport section of the Northwestern Virginia Turnpike opened in 1838, providing a direct road to Clarksburg, and stagecoach service began in 1852. The turnpike later became part of U.S. Route 50.[7] The arrival of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in the 1850s made Bridgeport an important shipping point for the regional cattle industry.[7]
During the American Civil War, residents of Bridgeport supported both the Union and the Confederacy. On April 30, 1863, Confederate general William E. Jones captured a company of Union soldiers near the town during the Jones–Imboden Raid. His forces also captured civilian railroad employees, burned bridges and looted stores.[7]
Manufacturing became an important part of the local economy during the early 20th century. The West Virginia Pottery Company, incorporated in 1907, produced stoneware including jugs and jars.[7] The Bridgeport Lamp Chimney Company was organized in 1904 and was producing approximately 24,000 lamp chimneys per day by 1923. Its property later became the home of the Master Glass Company, which manufactured glass marbles until 1973.[7]
During the late 20th and early 21st centuries, development increasingly centered on the intersection of Interstate 79 and U.S. Route 50. Health care, aerospace and commercial development became major parts of the local economy. United Hospital Center opened its Bridgeport campus in 2010, while several aviation companies established operations at the North Central West Virginia Airport. Large mixed-use developments included Charles Pointe and the White Oaks business park.[7]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.56 square miles (27.35 km2), of which 10.52 square miles (27.25 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) is water.[8]
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Bridgeport had a population of 9,336. The median age was 43.6 years. 20.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.8 males age 18 and over.[10][11]
95.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 4.8% lived in rural areas.[12]
There were 3,992 households in Bridgeport, of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.2% were married-couple households, 17.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[10]
There were 4,267 housing units, of which 6.4% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.4%.[10]
| Race | Number | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| White | 8,393 | 89.9% |
| Black or African American | 106 | 1.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 12 | 0.1% |
| Asian | 269 | 2.9% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0 | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 52 | 0.6% |
| Two or more races | 504 | 5.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 255 | 2.7% |
2010 census
At the 2010 census there were 8,149 people, 3,458 households, and 2,383 families living in the city. The population density was 774.6 inhabitants per square mile (299.1/km2). There were 3,678 housing units at an average density of 349.6 per square mile (135.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.5% White, 1.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7%.[13]
Of the 3,458 households 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.1% were non-families. 28.2% of households were one person and 12.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.86.
The median age was 44.7 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.5% were from 25 to 44; 30.8% were from 45 to 64; and 18.8% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.
2000 census
At the 2000 census there were 7,306 people, 2,988 households, and 2,103 families living in the city. The population density was 880.4 inhabitants per square mile (339.9/km2). There were 3,190 housing units at an average density of 384.4 per square mile (148.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.93% White, 1.25% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.05% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.29%.[4]
Of the 2,988 households 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.8% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 26.9% of households were one person and 13.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94.
The age distribution was 23.0% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% 65 or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.
The median household income was $49,310 and the median family income was $58,825. Males had a median income of $46,590 versus $29,861 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,132. About 3.7% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Bridgeport is home to Meadowbrook Mall, a super-regional shopping complex. The mall has a gross leasable area of 849,206 square feet (78,893.8 m2) and 109 stores.[14]
In September 2022, battery startup SPARKZ announced that it would convert a former glass plant in Bridgeport into a production facility for zero-cobalt lithium batteries.[15]
In 2026, Pierpont Community and Technical College entered the design phase for a new Aviation Maintenance Training Center at the North Central West Virginia Airport. The planned facility will include laboratories, classrooms, testing spaces and aviation maintenance training areas designed to meet Federal Aviation Administration Part 147 standards. Pierpont stated that the project would increase the aviation program's enrollment capacity from approximately 130 students to about 230.[16]
In June 2026, Encompass Health announced plans to construct a freestanding 36-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital at Charles Pointe. The facility is planned as an expanded relocation of the company's former 19-bed rehabilitation unit at United Hospital Center. Plans call for private patient rooms, a therapy gym, an in-house dialysis suite, a pharmacy and an outdoor therapy courtyard. No construction or opening date had been announced.[17]
Landmarks and recreation
The Pete Dye Golf Club, located just outside Bridgeport, is a private 18-hole golf course designed by Pete Dye. The course opened in July 1993 on land formerly used for coal mining.[18] In its 2025–26 rankings, Golf Digest ranked the course 92nd on its list of America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses and second among courses in West Virginia.[19]
Simpson Creek Baptist Church was established around 1770 and is one of the earliest continuously operating Baptist congregations west of the Allegheny Mountains.[20]
Several Bridgeport landmarks are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Simpson Creek Covered Bridge, constructed in 1881 by Asa S. Hugill, is a multiple-kingpost truss bridge that was relocated after being damaged by flooding.[21] The Bridgeport Lamp Chimney Company Bowstring Concrete Arch Bridge was constructed in 1924 as a pedestrian and handcart bridge connecting the company's glass plant with a warehouse across Simpson Creek.[22]
The Governor Joseph Johnson House, also known as Oakdale, was built in 1818 and later remodeled in the Italianate style. It was the home of Joseph Johnson, the first popularly elected governor of Virginia and the only Virginia governor from the Trans-Allegheny region.[23]
Education
Bridgeport is served by Harrison County Schools. The city's public schools are Bridgeport High School, Bridgeport Middle School, Johnson Elementary School and Simpson Elementary School.[24] Bridgeport High School opened at its present location in 1969 and serves grades 9 through 12.[25] Bridgeport Middle School and Johnson Elementary School are located on the same educational campus as the high school, while Simpson Elementary School is located on Worthington Drive.[26][27][28]
The Bridgeport Public Library was founded in 1956 by businessman and philanthropist Michael Late Benedum, with support from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. The library was originally located in the Benedum Civic Center. In 1994, residents and businesses raised more than $1.3 million to purchase and renovate a former insurance building on Johnson Avenue for use as the library's permanent home. The library is operated as a department of the city government and is overseen by a board appointed by the Bridgeport City Council.[29]
Transportation
Bridgeport is located along Interstate 79 and U.S. Route 50, which intersect near the city at Interstate 79 exit 119. Additional interstate access is provided by exits 121, serving Meadowbrook Road, and 124, serving West Virginia Route 279 and the North Central West Virginia Airport.[30] West Virginia Route 279, also known locally as Jerry Dove Drive, connects the airport and eastern development areas with U.S. Route 50.
The North Central West Virginia Airport is a public commercial airport located in Bridgeport and operated by the Benedum Airport Authority. It serves north-central West Virginia, including the Bridgeport, Clarksburg, Fairmont, Morgantown and Weston areas.[31] Allegiant Air provides less-than-daily service to Orlando–Sanford and seasonal service to leisure destinations. SkyWest Airlines, operating as United Express, provides year-round service to Chicago–O'Hare and Washington–Dulles.[32]
Notable people
- Babe Barna, Major League Baseball outfielder
- Michael Late Benedum, businessman in the oil and natural gas industries
- Mike Florio, sportswriter and founder of Profootballtalk.com
- Nancy Jacobs, former Maryland state senator
- Joseph Johnson, 32nd governor of Virginia
- Waldo P. Johnson, Confederate States senator from Missouri
- Tim Lindsey, professional football long snapper
- Billy Joe Mantooth, professional football linebacker
- T. Michael Martin, young adult novelist and author of The End Games
- Harrison Musgrave, Major League Baseball pitcher
- Kelli Ward, physician and former Arizona state senator
- Benjamin Wilson, United States representative from West Virginia
