Athens, West Virginia

A community in Mercer County, Athens, WV was incorporated in 1906, and named for Athens, Greece, "Seat of Learning." Formerly known as Concord Church, the community's name was changed in to Athens in 1896 due to confusion with a post office in Hampshire County that was named Concord. During the Civil War the county seat of Mercer County was moved to Athens after courthouse was burned in Princeton in 1862. Athens continued to serve as the county seat for a few years but the county seat was soon moved back to Princeton. Athens, WV Athens is located about 8 miles from Princeton, WV; 18 miles from Bluefield, WV; and 36 miles from Beckley, WV. Athens is known for the beautiful vernacular architecture of its homes and is the home of Concord University (map), originally chartered in 1872. Airports Mercer County Airport: (map) in Bluefield, WV. Lodging Athens, WV Hotels: Find nearby hotels and make online reservations Real Estate Pipestem, WV Real Estate near Athens Weather Athens, WV: Current conditions, forecasts, weather alerts, and more     Map of Athens and Vicinity View a larger version of this map (best viewed full-screen) with links to driving directions and additional mapping options. Attractions Located in a popular vacation area, Athens is near Bluestone State Park, Pipestem Resort State Park, and the Bluestone National Scenic River. Schools Mercer County Schools Concord Univeristy was formerly known as Concord College, Concord State Teachers College, and Concord Normal School. On the 28th day of February 28, 1872, the legislature passed an act to locate a branch State Normal School at Concord Church in the county of Mercer. The first session of the school opened on May 10, 1875, and continued twenty weeks with an enrollment of seventy students. Several new building were added to the school during the 1880s and 1890s. The school's name was changed to Concord State Teachers College in 1931. In 1943 the school's name was changed to Concord College and in 2004 the college was renamed Concord University. Libraries Craft Memorial Library

Maps Map of Athens, WV showing streets, airports, parks, buildings, churches, cemeteries, trails and points of interest; with link to driving directions. Topo map of Athens, WV, showing terrain features, etc. Population Total Population (2000): 1102 Total Housing Units (2000): 414 Geodata Latitude: 37.423849 Longitude: -81.013363