Alderson, West Virginia

Alderson, WV, is a community located along the Greenbrier River in Greenbrier County and Monroe County, incorporated in 1881. Alderson was originally settled in 1777 by "Elder" John Alderson (http://www.fridley.net/alderson/i0002477.htm), a frontier missionary for whom the town is named, who organized the first Baptist church in the Greenbrier Valley. In 1763, the nearby Muddy Creek settlements were destroyed by Shawnee Indians under Chief Cornstalk. Alderson is the location of the historic Federal Reformatory for Women, opened in 1927, the first Federal prison for women. John Alderson established a Baptist seminary at the town which later moved north to become Alderson Broaddus College (at Philippi, West Virginia).

Real Estate:

The Alderson area includes some of the most desirable real estate in the Mountain State, including riverfront property, farmland, and historic homes.

Alderson, WV Real Estate (http://www.newriverwv.com/Real_Estate_Alderson_WV.php)

Alderson, WV

Alderson, WV, today is largely a residential community with retail establishments in its downtown historic district. These serve the many camps and vacation homes along the Greenbrier River and tourists visiting the surrounding countryside. Commerce and property values are increasing as a result of increased tourism and the sheer beauty of the river and surrounding bluegrass farms. Alderson itself contains many fine homes from the turn of the 20th Century, many of which are in mint condition, never having been altered from their well-tended, original appearance.

The Alderson National Historic District protects the commercial and residential main streets which parallel the Greenbrier River on both banks. The restored Alderson depot and many varied examples of vernacular and high-style architecture are located on the southern or Monroe County bank of the river. Now a pedestrian bridge, the graceful Alderson Bridge spans the river amid the village while vehicular traffic is carried across a newer bridge downstream of the town.

Alderson is located about 16 miles west of Lewisburg, WV, a popular tourist destination (as is the whole of the Greenbrier Valley), and about 45 miles east of Beckley, WV. Alderson is readily accessible to Interstate 64 (I-64)

Schools

Public Schools
Greenbrier County Schools (http://wvde.state.wv.us/ed_directory/office.html?office_id=292)
Monroe County Schools (http://www.monroecountyschoolswv.org/)

Alderson Academy and Junior College, founded in Alderson in 1901, later merged with another to create Alderson-Broaddus College, at Philippi, WV, in 1932.

Libraries

Greenbrier County Library (http://greenbrier.lib.wv.us/)

Maps

(http://www.wvamaps.com/maps/index.php?place=Alderson&state=WV&pop=1091&county=Greenbrier&lat=37.7258&lon=-80.6422&elev=1552)
Map of Alderson, WV (http://www.wvamaps.com/maps/index.php?place=Alderson&state=WV&pop=1091&county=Greenbrier&lat=37.7258&lon=-80.6422&elev=1552) showing streets and highways, and nearby airports, parks, hospitals, buildings, churches, cemeteries, trails and other points of interest; with link to driving directions.

Topo map (http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=37.72583&lon=-80.64222) of Alderson, WV and vicinty

Photos

(http://www.wvepostcards.com/alderson/)
Alderson, WV Photos (http://www.wvepostcards.com/alderson/)

Census Data

Population: 1,091
(2000 Census (http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=16000US5405332&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US54%7C16000US5405332&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=alderson&_state=04000US54&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on))

Geodata

Elevation: 1552 feet
Longitude: -80.64222
Latitude: 37.72583