Boomer, West Virginia
Boomer is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. Boomer is located on the north bank of the Kanawha River, 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Smithers. Boomer has a post office with ZIP code 25031.[4] As of the 2010 census, its population was 615.[2]
Boomer, West Virginia | |
|---|---|
Census-designated place (CDP) | |
 Houses in Boomer in 1975 | |
  Boomer  Boomer | |
| Coordinates: 38°09′02″N 81°17′14″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Fayette |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.481 sq mi (3.84 km2) |
| • Land | 1.382 sq mi (3.58 km2) |
| • Water | 0.099 sq mi (0.26 km2) |
| Elevation | 646 ft (197 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 615 |
| • Density | 420/sq mi (160/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 25031 |
| Area code(s) | 304 & 681 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1536227[3] |
History
The community takes its name from nearby Boomer Branch Creek.[5]
The Boomer Coal and Coke Company operated four drift opening mines in Boomer Hollow during the early 1900s. The mine employed a large number of locals, to include many Italian immigrants who settled in the small town. On November 30, 1915, there was an explosion at the Number 2 Mine, which left 23 miners dead. 27 miners were rescued from the mine seven hours after the explosion, after they baracaded themselves into an area with fresh air. [6]
On February 16, 2015 the town, along with neighboring Adena Village, was evacuated following the derailment of a C&O train consisting of two locomotives and 109 rail cars. The train, carrying crude oil, quickly exploded into a fireball, destroying one residence and causing substantial damage to surrounding residences in both Adena Village and Boomer.Crude oil swiftly flowed into the Kanawha River and set the water ablaze for over a half mile.[7]
References
- "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Boomer, West Virginia
- ZIP Code Lookup Archived June 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- 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. 124.
- "Boomer No. 2 Mine Explosion". usminedisasters.miningquiz.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
- BBC News article on the accident
