Cucumber, West Virginia

Cucumber is a census-designated place (CDP) in McDowell County, West Virginia, United States. Its population was 74 at the 2020 census.[4] The community is centered on mining. Named either for nearby Cucumber Creek[5] or for the cucumber trees in the area,[6] it is the only community in the United States with this name. Its post office was still active as of October 2011 (see image).

Cucumber, West Virginia
The main area of Cucumber, West Virginia, viewed from West Virginia Route 16
The main area of Cucumber, West Virginia, viewed from West Virginia Route 16
Cucumber is located in West Virginia
Cucumber
Cucumber
Cucumber is located in the United States
Cucumber
Cucumber
Coordinates: 37°16′40″N 81°37′36″W / 37.27778°N 81.62667°W / 37.27778; -81.62667
CountryUnited States
StateWest Virginia
CountyMcDowell
Area
 • Total
0.452 sq mi (1.17 km2)
 • Land0.452 sq mi (1.17 km2)
 • Water0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation
1,542 ft (470 m)
Population
 • Total
74
 • Density160/sq mi (63/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EST)
ZIP codes
24826
GNIS feature ID1554238[3]
The U.S. Post Office in Cucumber
A postmark from the Cucumber Post Office

Mine collapse

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On January 13, 2007, a tunnel collapse at a Brooks Run Mining Company coal mine in town killed two miners.[7][8] Between 2005 and 2008, the Brooks Mining Company extracted 2,093,165 tons of coal.[9]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note
201094
202074−21.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  2. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  3. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Cucumber, West Virginia
  4. ^ "Cucumber CDP, West Virginia - Census Bureau Profile". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  5. ^ 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. pp. 193–94.
  6. ^ Moyer, Armond; Moyer, Winifred (1958). The origins of unusual place-names. Keystone Pub. Associates. p. 30.
  7. ^ "Tunnel collapse kills 2 miners in West Virginia". CNN International. Archived from the original on January 15, 2007. Retrieved January 14, 2007.
  8. ^ "McDowell cave-in kills two miners". Sunday Gazette-Mail. Retrieved January 14, 2007.
  9. ^ Brooks Mining Company info Archived February 23, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, wvminesafety.org; accessed May 14, 2014.
  10. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
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