Kenova, West Virginia
Kenova is a city in Wayne County, West Virginia, United States, situated at the confluence of the Ohio and Big Sandy rivers. The city's name is a portmanteau of Kentucky, Ohio, and Virginia (Va), owing to its location where the three states met before the creation of West Virginia. The population was 3,030 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Huntington–Ashland metropolitan area.
Kenova, West Virginia | |
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Flag Seal Logo | |
| Nickname: Western Gate of the Mountain State | |
Location of Kenova in Wayne County, West Virginia. | |
| Coordinates: 38°23′59″N 82°34′43″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Wayne |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| • Mayor | Timothy Bias |
| • Council president | Kent Keyser |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.66 sq mi (4.30 km2) |
| • Land | 1.32 sq mi (3.42 km2) |
| • Water | 0.34 sq mi (0.88 km2) |
| Elevation | 558 ft (170 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 3,030 |
| • Estimate (2021) | 2,978 |
| • Density | 2,244.88/sq mi (866.71/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 25530 |
| Area code | 304 |
| FIPS code | 54-43180 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1541155 |
| Website | https://kenovawv.com/ |
Founded in 1859 but not incorporated until 1894, the town's early history and development was centered on the railroad industry. It is home to a major Norfolk Southern Ohio River Bridge. CSX Transportation's former Chesapeake and Ohio Kanawha Subdivision travels through the town as well. The city is also near the site of the Southern Airways Flight 932 aviation disaster. In 1970, a plane carrying the Marshall University football team crashed on a hillside on approach to the Tri-State Airport, killing all on board. A movie about the tragedy, We Are Marshall, was released in 2006.