Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
Berkeley Springs is a town in, and the county seat of, Morgan County, West Virginia, United States, in the state's Eastern Panhandle. Berkeley Springs is also commonly used to refer to the area in and around the Town of Bath. In 1776, the Virginia Legislature incorporated a town around the springs and named it Bath. Since 1802, it has been referred to by the name of its original post office, Berkeley Springs. The population was 758 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hagerstown–Martinsburg metropolitan area.
Berkeley Springs, West Virginia | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Town of Bath | |
Town square in Berkeley Springs | |
|
Seal | |
| Motto: "America's First Spa" | |
Location of Bath (Berkeley Springs) in Morgan County, West Virginia. | |
| Coordinates: 39°37′32″N 78°13′37″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Morgan |
| Incorporation | December 1776 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.34 sq mi (0.87 km2) |
| • Land | 0.34 sq mi (0.87 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 656 ft (200 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 758 |
| • Estimate (2021) | 755 |
| • Density | 1,773.81/sq mi (685.65/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 25411 |
| Area code | 304 |
| FIPS code | 54-04876 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1877535 |
| Website | https://townofbath.org/government/ |
The area contains mineral water springs frequented by Native Americans indigenous to the area, possibly for thousands of years. After settlement by Europeans, the mineral springs drew many visitors from urban areas. Notable colonial visitors to the area included George Washington and James Rumsey. Berkeley Springs remained a popular resort area during the United States' early years. It is the home of the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting, the longest-running and largest such event in the world. Another local tradition is the famed Apple Butter Festival, started by a group of local business owners in 1974, with overwhelming support from then-Mayor Frank Heiner. The area continues to be a popular resort area, with tourism the primary industry in the county and six full-service spas using mineral water.