Lost Creek, West Virginia
Town in West Virginia, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lost Creek is a town in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States. Its population was 359 at the 2020 census.[5]
Lost Creek, West Virginia | |
|---|---|
| |
 Location of Lost Creek in Harrison County, West Virginia | |
| Coordinates: 39.162830°N 80.347578°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Harrison |
| Incorporated | May 6, 1946[1] |
| Government | |
| • Type | Strong-mayor plan[2] |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.208074 sq mi (3.128898 km2) |
| • Land | 1.208074 sq mi (3.128898 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,020 ft (311 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 359 |
| 363 | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 26385 |
| Area code | 304 |
| FIPS code | 54-48748[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1554998[4] |
| Website | https://local.wv.gov/LostCreek/Pages/default.aspx |
History
According to local tradition, Lost Creek was named for a message carved on trees along the creek before the area was settled.[1]
Construction of the Daniel Bassel House began in 1860. On May 1, 1863, during the American Civil War, Union troops under Colonel Thompson positioned artillery in Daniel Bassel's field overlooking the crossroads at Lost Creek. Confederate troops withdrew toward Jane Lew and Rockford, and the Union command remained near Lost Creek until May 4.[7] The Bassel house was completed in 1865.[8]
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad built a depot at Lost Creek in 1892. Two sidings along the main line served local businesses and the stockyards.[9] By 1923, Lost Creek was the largest cattle shipping point on the B&O system.[10] In that year, 275 railcars carried between 4,000 and 5,000 cattle from Lost Creek.[9]
Lost Creek was incorporated on May 6, 1946, by an act of the West Virginia Legislature.[1] Local mines were still shipping coal through Lost Creek on the B&O in 1965, after passenger service had ended.[9] The Daniel Bassel House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, followed by the Lost Creek Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Depot in 2005.[11]
Geography
Lost Creek is located at 39.162830°N 80.347578°W.[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.208 square miles (3.129 km2), all of it land.[3]
Demographics
2020 census
At the 2020 census, Lost Creek had a population of 359.[5]
| Race and ethnicity | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 329 | 91.64% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 1 | 0.28% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1 | 0.28% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Some other race alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Two or more races (NH) | 7 | 1.95% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 21 | 5.85% |
| Total | 359 | 100.00% |
Government
Lost Creek operates under a strong-mayor form of government. The mayor is elected at large and is the town's administrative authority, while the town council is elected at large and is its governing body.[15] Municipal offices include a mayor, recorder, and five council members. Their terms last two years and begin on July 1 following the election.[16]
Education
The public schools in Lost Creek are Lost Creek Elementary School,[17] South Harrison Middle School,[18] and South Harrison High School.[19] All three are operated by Harrison County Schools.[20]
A new building for Lost Creek Elementary was constructed as a separate school attached to South Harrison Middle School. The building was nearing completion in May 2021,[21] and the school had moved from its former building by November 2022.[22]
Public safety
Lost Creek does not maintain a municipal police department. Law enforcement services are provided by the Harrison County Sheriff's Office and the West Virginia State Police. The Lost Creek Fire Department provides fire protection and first-response services.[23]
Transportation
West Virginia Route 270 passes through Lost Creek and connects with Interstate 79 in the northern part of town.[24] The Harrison South Rail Trail extends from Clarksburg to Lost Creek along a former CSX rail corridor.[25]
Notable people
- T. Edward Davis, college athlete, coach, and athletic administrator; born in Lost Creek[26]
- Tim DeChristopher, climate activist; born in Lost Creek[27]
- Melville Davisson Post, mystery writer and creator of the Uncle Abner stories; a Lost Creek native[28]
- Houston G. Young, lawyer and West Virginia secretary of state from 1917 to 1925; reared near Lost Creek[29]