West Side (Charleston), West Virginia

The West Side is a neighborhood in the city of Charleston in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States containing about 9,900 residents.[1]

Residential area along an alleyway behind Kanawha Blvd W.

Located along the Kanawha River and the Elk River, the West Side is bounded by U.S. Route 60 to the north (W Washington St) and west (Patrick Street), the Kanawha River to the south and by the Elk River and Interstate 64 to the east. Like much of Charleston, the West Side suffers from large tracts of urban decay with 40% of West Side buildings vacant as of 2019[2] as Charleston overall has lost roughly 45% of its peak population and is part of the Rust Belt. Over 40% of children on the West Side are living in poverty,[3] more than double the national average (17.5%[4]).

Points of Interest

• Luna Park Historic District - Site of the former Luna Park amusement park. Homes build mostly after the demolition of the park and are the nicest example of this era on the West Side.[5]
• Magic Island - a public park along the Kanawha River and off of Kanawha Blvd W.[6]
• Elk City - a distinct sub-neighborhood within the West Side, currently undergoing gentrification.[7]
• Shoney's/Big Boy Restaurant Museum - Roadside memorial at the site of the first Big Boy Restaurant.[8]

References

1. "Charleston, West Virginia (Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences)". Charleston, West Virginia (Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences). Retrieved 2020-01-21.
2. writer, Rebecca Carballo. "Long awaited West Side development draft plan released, public input wanted". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
3. "WVU Magazine | West Virginia's West Side Rising". magazine.wvu.edu. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
4. "Childstats.gov - America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2019 - Child Poverty and Income Distribution". www.childstats.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
5. "Luna Park". www.mywvhome.com. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
6. Asbury, Kayla. "Charleston moving Magic Island volleyball courts away from Splash Pad". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
7. Sauber, Elaina. "Businesses, revitalization coming to Elk City district". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
8. Jarvis, Robin (2018-11-26). "Most West Virginians Have Never Heard Of This Fascinating Quirky Museum". OnlyInYourState. Retrieved 2020-01-21.