Nutter Fort is a town in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, and a southeastern suburb of Clarksburg.
History
Nutter's Fort was built on Elk Creek in 1772. Historian Roy Bird Cook described it as a stockade built by the Nutter family on the east bank of the creek. The fort was one of several built in the region during the conflicts of the early 1770s and was described by e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia as one of the strongest. A historical postcard preserved by West Virginia University identifies Thomas Nutter as the founder of the fort and states that it was used by refugees fleeing raids in 1779. Roosevelt-Wilson High School was later built on the site.
The community was incorporated as Nutter Fort in 1923. Residents of a 247-acre area along Elk Creek petitioned for incorporation that year. A census submitted with the petition counted 1,521 residents, including 728 voters. Of the 504 votes cast on incorporation, 448 were in favor and 56 were opposed. On June 30, 1923, the circuit court ordered that a certificate of incorporation be issued. The order was affirmed by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia in 1924.
West Virginia Blackberry Festival
The West Virginia Blackberry Festival was held annually at Clarksburg City Park in Nutter Fort until 2019. The festival was canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, organizers announced that the festival would not return.
Geography
Nutter Fort is located in Harrison County along Elk Creek.DeLorme (1997). West Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. p. 36. .
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a land area of approximately and no water area.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 1,493 people and 798 housing units in Nutter Fort.
2010 census As of the 2010 census, there were 1,593 people, 743 households, and 436 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 826 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 96.4% White, 0.8% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals of any race made up 1.3% of the population.
There were 743 households, of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.3% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.74.
The median age in the town was 41.8 years. 19.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 19.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.
2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 1,686 people, 793 households, and 470 families living in the town. The population density was 1,902.9 inhabitants per square mile (731.4/km2). There were 860 housing units at an average density of 970.6 per square mile (373.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.75% White, 0.89% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.30% Asian, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.01% of the population.
There were 793 households, out of which 21.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.72.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.2% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $30,163, and the median income for a family was $39,318. Males had a median income of $26,855 versus $18,816 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,431. About 11.6% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Nutter Fort is governed by a mayor, recorder, and five-member town council. The council meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.
Public safety
Fire protection is provided by the Nutter Fort Fire Department, a combination fire and emergency medical services department. The department serves Nutter Fort and several surrounding communities and provides mutual aid to other fire departments in Harrison County.
The department established its EMS division on November 22, 2022. It operates advanced life support ambulances and provides 24-hour emergency medical service. The Town of Nutter Fort reported that revenue from its municipal sales and service tax was used to establish the ambulance service.
Education
Public schools in Nutter Fort are operated by Harrison County Schools. Nutter Fort Primary School serves students in pre-kindergarten through second grade, while Nutter Fort Intermediate School serves grades three through five. Both schools are located on Buckhannon Pike.
The Nutter Fort Public Library was established in 1983 and is located on Buckhannon Pike. The library was expanded 11 years after opening when it outgrew its original facility.
Roosevelt-Wilson High School was formerly located in Nutter Fort. It later consolidated with Washington Irving High School to form Robert C. Byrd High School. The former Roosevelt-Wilson building later housed the Nutter Fort campus of West Virginia Business College. The Nutter Fort campus closed on June 8, 2017.
Parks and recreation
Clarksburg City Park is located in Nutter Fort and is operated by City Parks of Clarksburg. The park covers more than 30 acres and includes the Frank Loria Memorial Baseball Field, additional baseball and soccer fields, tennis and basketball courts, a playground, picnic shelters, and a walking trail. The park also contains the John R. Romano Youth Training Facility, an indoor sports complex that opened in January 2020. The facility includes an indoor turf field and batting cages. Fundraising for the project began with the Harrison County PONY League and later expanded into a community effort that raised more than $800,000. The facility was named for longtime PONY League president John R. Romano in 2023.
Landmarks and historic sites
Clarksburg City Park (Norwood Park) – a park of more than 30 acres located in Nutter Fort and operated by City Parks of Clarksburg. The park includes the Frank Loria Memorial Baseball Field and other recreational facilities. Nutter's Fort site – the site of the 1772 frontier fort is marked near Buckhannon Pike and Thomas Avenue. A monument erected by the Sons of the American Revolution in 1914 stands at the former Roosevelt-Wilson High School property. A West Virginia historical marker at the site also commemorates the fort. Roosevelt-Wilson High School – the former school was built on the site of Nutter's Fort. The building later housed the Nutter Fort campus of West Virginia Business College. Veterans Memorial – a military memorial at Buckhannon Pike and Thomas Avenue, adjacent to the Nutter's Fort historical marker. The memorial was erected in 2009.
Transportation
The principal state highways serving Nutter Fort are: West Virginia Route 20 West Virginia Route 98
Public transportation is provided by the Central West Virginia Transportation Authority (CENTRA), which operates a fixed-route bus service through Nutter Fort with connections to its transfer station in Clarksburg.
Notable people
Dave Anderson - NFL Official - 1984-2002 - Nutter Fort resident since early 1970's https://www.profootballarchives.com/officials/ande04341.html Harrison Musgrave – Major League Baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies; born in Nutter Fort
References
External links
Town of Nutter Fort official website