Independence, Preston County, West Virginia

Unincorporated community in West Virginia, United States

39°23′35″N 79°52′18″W / 39.39306°N 79.87167°W / 39.39306; -79.87167CountryUnited StatesStateWest VirginiaCounty PrestonElevation

^[1]

1,181 ft (360 m)Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)GNIS feature ID1540661^[1]

Independence is an unincorporated community in Preston County, West Virginia, United States, adjacent to the town of Newburg.

Independence was home to a public primary school. During the 1950s and 1960s the community hosted the popular “Watermelon Days,” which provided amusement and entertainment for much of Preston and Taylor counties.

Watermelon Day was highlighted by the arrival and departure of various B&O trains. Popular among the residents was nearby swimming at Fortney’s Mill. Today the children of Independence attend Preston County Public Schools.

The community's name commemorates Independence Day.^[2]

Notable person

Alexander Strausz- Hungarian-American soldier, architect and settler.

References

^ ^a ^b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Independence, Preston County, West Virginia
^ Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. p. 324.