Keystone, West Virginia

Keystone is a city in McDowell County, West Virginia, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 176. Keystone is one of the few municipalities in West Virginia with an African-American majority, with 65 percent of the residents being black.

Keystone, West Virginia
U.S. Route 52 in the city's southwest
Location of Keystone in McDowell County, West Virginia.
Coordinates: 37°24′54″N 81°26′46″W
CountryUnited States
StateWest Virginia
CountyMcDowell
Government
  MayorDennis Robertson
Area
  Total0.32 sq mi (0.84 km2)
  Land0.32 sq mi (0.84 km2)
  Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
1,631 ft (497 m)
Population
 (2010)
  Total282
  Estimate 
(2019)
223
  Density688.27/sq mi (265.98/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
24852
Area code304
FIPS code54-43516
GNIS feature ID1554871
Websitehttps://local.wv.gov/keystone/Pages/default.aspx

The term "Free State of McDowell" was coined by Matthew Thomas Whittico, a local newspaper editor and community leader from Keystone in the early 20th century. Keystone possessed a unique combination of political, social, and economic characteristics that made it an attractive place for African-Americans to migrate to in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

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