Hurricane was named after Hurricane Creek, which was, in turn, named after a group of trees at the arm of the river bent in one direction. A party of surveyors commissioned by George Washington noted the site appeared to have been struck by a hurricane,[6] giving rise to the name. Locals pronounce the town (HURR-i-KINN) not (HURR-i-CANE).[7] Less than 17 miles (27 km) southeast of Hurricane is a post office named Tornado.
A town named Hurricane Bridge was located where West Virginia Route 34 now crosses the creek, near current-day Hurricane. The town can be traced back to an 1811 Virginia map. The town primarily consisted of a large Inn. On March 28, 1863, Union and Confederate forces fought a Civil War battle at Hurricane Bridge, now known as the Battle of Hurricane Bridge.[8]
Hurricane itself can be traced back to 1873, when a railroad track was laid through the town and a small depot was constructed. It was during this period that Main Street developed, along with other businesses in the area.[9] Hurricane was a trading and residential town for tobacco growers and other farmers in the early 1900s. The fire department was established March 2, 1936. It was incorporated as a town in 1889,[10] and as a city in the 1970s.
The three oldest continuously operating businesses are:
The Hurricane Breeze, a weekly newspaper established October 1900.
Putnam County Bank, established October 25, 1901.
Rappold's Barber Shop, established June 1906.
In the early 1990s, the old depot, which once served as the catalyst for the town's development, was torn down and replaced with a small gazebo. It was also during the 1990s that the city began to see a surge in urban growth as several subdivisions were established in the city limits. The population increase resulted in the widening of Route 34, a connecting road to Teays Valley, and an expansion of Hurricane High School.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.77 square miles (9.76 km2), of which 3.74 square miles (9.69 km2) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2) is water.[12] Hurricane is also unique as it sits on a very active rift.
As of the census[14] of 2010, there were 6,284 people, 2,499 households, and 1,785 families living in the city. The population density was 1,680.2 inhabitants per square mile (648.7/km2). There were 2,627 housing units at an average density of 702.4 per square mile (271.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.7% White, 1.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population.
There were 2,499 households, of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.6% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.00.
The median age in the city was 38.1 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.5% were from 25 to 44; 26.6% were from 45 to 64; and 13.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.
2000 census
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 5,222 people, 2,098 households, and 1,518 families living in the city. The population density was 1,765.0 people per square mile (681.2/km2). There were 2,258 housing units at an average density of 763.2 per square mile (294.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.12% White, 0.67% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.54% of the population.
There were 2,098 households, out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,591, and the median income for a family was $43,155. Males had a median income of $34,808 versus $22,972 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,119. About 8.2% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
Harrah Organ
Hurricane has a massive, six-manual hybrid pipe organ (a combination of pipes and digital voices) with 456 stops, located at the Forrest Burdette Memorial United Methodist Church. Built by Allen Harrah, formerly with Rodgers Organs, it was inaugurated on September 28, 2003.[15] A concert series featuring notable organists from around the U.S., such as Frederick Swann, Paul Jacobs, Isabelle Demers (Canada), and Hector Olivera, is an ongoing feature.[16][17]
^Local residents pronounce the last syllable of the town name approximately like "kin," not "cane" (such as a hurricane, for which the standard American English pronunciation is used).[5]
