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38-726: The conference was one of the oldest in intercollegiate athletics, dating back to its founding in 1924 by the West Virginia Department of Education. In its final school year of 2012–13, the WVIAC offered championships in 16 sports and was headquartered in Princeton, West Virginia . Men's championships were offered in football, basketball, baseball, track, cross country, soccer, tennis, and golf. Women's titles were contested in volleyball, softball, basketball, cross country, soccer, track, tennis, and golf. The WVIAC moved into

76-533: A new replica of the VGN's two-story Princeton Passenger Station and Offices had been recently built, the largest such effort in the entire state. A modern structure functionally, while appearing like the original built 100 about years earlier, the new Princeton Station Museum should last for future generations. It hosts a museum to the town's rich railroading heritage and the Virginian Railway . According to

114-619: A provisional D-II member from Virginia ( UVA-Wise ) and two associate Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference members from Ohio ( Notre Dame and Urbana ) to form a new all-sports conference, the Mountain East Conference . Seton Hill and Pitt-Johnstown joined the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference . Three of the remaining non-football members (Alderson–Broaddus, Davis & Elkins, and Ohio Valley) accepted invitations to join

152-564: A route was obtained set which passed around the City of Norfolk (and the N&;W) in a wide, 13-mile long circular path through rural Norfolk County to be headed almost due west again when it reached the site for a new coal pier on the harbor at Hampton Roads at Sewell's Point . By the time the leaders of the big railroads finally realized that the Deepwater and Tidewater railroads were related,

190-474: Is a culturally and geographically distinct region in the U.S. state of West Virginia . Southern West Virginia has coal mining heritage and Southern affinity, including being part of the Bible Belt . The region is also closely identified with Southwestern Virginia and Eastern Kentucky , with close proximity to Western North Carolina and East Tennessee , which are all part of Appalachia and

228-587: Is the largest city in this region, followed by Huntington , in Cabell County and then Beckley in Raleigh County. Places of interest and potential attractions include New River Gorge , New River Gorge Bridge , Tamarack, Best of West Virginia , Lake Shawnee Abandoned Amusement Park , and The Greenbrier . Winterplace Ski Resort and Summersville Lake are both recreation options also present here. Southern West Virginian sports teams include

266-678: Is the town's Minor league baseball team. They are now discontinued. The team played its home games at H. P. Hunnicutt Field . In conjunction with a contraction of Minor League Baseball beginning with the 2021 season, the Appalachian League was reorganized as a collegiate summer baseball league , and the Rays were replaced by a new franchise, the Whistlepigs, in the revamped league designed for rising college freshmen and sophomores. Southern West Virginia Southern West Virginia

304-894: The Bluefield Blue Jays , the Princeton Rays , and the West Virginia Miners . Southern West Virginia's universities and colleges include Marshall University , Appalachian Bible College , Bluefield State University , Bridgemont Community and Technical College , Concord University , University of Charleston –Beckley, New River Community and Technical College , Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College , West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine , and West Virginia University Institute of Technology . The main historical events and landmarks located in Southern West Virginia are

342-590: The Great Midwest Athletic Conference . The final remaining member, Bluefield State, competed as a D-II independent for 9 years before being invited to rejoin its former conference in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 2023. Princeton, West Virginia Princeton is a city in and the county seat of Mercer County, West Virginia , United States. The population

380-524: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 3.05 square miles (7.90 km ), of which 3.01 square miles (7.80 km ) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km ) is water. The average altitude of Princeton is 2400 ft, with highest points at 3100 ft and lowest points at 1700 ft, above sea level. As of the census of 2010, there were 6,432 people, 3,030 households, and 1,683 families residing in

418-550: The Upland South . Southern West Virginia, in a cultural and historical context, includes Boone County , Fayette County , Greenbrier County , Lincoln County , Logan County , McDowell County , Mercer County , Cabell County , Mingo County , Monroe County , Nicholas County , Raleigh County , Kanawha County , Wayne County , Summers County , and Wyoming County . The City of Charleston , in Kanawha County,

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456-636: The 19th century, and the Rogers fortune to build to the highest standards and acquire the finest equipment and rolling stock, it was widely considered an engineering marvel of the times when completed all the way from Deepwater to reach a port near Norfolk, Virginia on Hampton Roads in 1909, a distance of about 360 miles (580 km).Princeton was designated to be the headquarters of the New River Division, extending from Roanoke westward. The changes from steam to diesel-electric motive power and

494-585: The C&;O across southern Virginia, roughly paralleling the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W). With the help of Rogers' fortune, they were successful, even in the City of Roanoke , where the N&W had its corporate headquarters and major shops. From Roanoke, the new line ran almost due east, missing major cities and towns, to reach Suffolk . With the help of local leaders in Norfolk, (and more funds from Rogers),

532-839: The Chuck Mathena Center, which opened in July 2008, contains a 1,000-seat theater and meeting rooms for civic groups and events. Other cultural endeavors include the RiffRaff Arts Collective, the remodeled Princeton Public Library and a Railroad Museum. The Dr. James W. Hale House , Dr. Robert B. McNutt House , and Mercer County Courthouse are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The Mercer Street Historic District and Virginian Railway Yard Historic District are nationally recognized historic districts . The Princeton Whistlepigs

570-541: The Deepwater Railway continued, William Page's continued efforts to establish reasonable joint rates with the big railroads continued to prove fruitless. To the puzzlement of the leaders of the big railroads, who were unaware of Rogers' financial backing, Page (and Rogers) did not give up. Instead, they quietly expanded their plans again to build to the Virginia state line. This expansion brought right-of-way for

608-602: The NCAA Division II in 1995 after its long affiliation with the NAIA. Its post-season basketball tournament, which was first conducted in 1936, was at the time of the conference's demise one of the oldest college post-season tournaments in continuous existence—only the Southern Conference men's basketball tournament , established in 1922, was older. On June 18, 2012, nine football-playing members of

646-473: The VGN's former coal piers and yards at Sewell's Point were redundant with the Lambert's Point operations. They were eventually shut down, and the land became part of the massive U.S. Naval Station Norfolk , the largest Navy base in the world. Most of the unused former VGN Princeton Shops facilities were demolished by 2006. The local residents of Princeton were devastated. However, despite the community's loss,

684-412: The WVIAC announced they would withdraw from the league to form a new regional all-sports conference. The WVIAC officially ceased to exist on September 1, 2013. Eight of the nine football-playing members (Concord, Charleston, Fairmont State, Glenville State, Shepherd, West Liberty, West Virginia State, and West Virginia Wesleyan) and one non-football playing member (Wheeling Jesuit) of the conference joined

722-403: The average family size was 2.79. In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 25.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.7 males. The median income for a household in the city

760-433: The city. The population density was 2,116.6 people per square mile (816.9/km ). There were 3,371 housing units at an average density of 1,124.2 per square mile (433.9/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 92.03% White , 6.21% African American , 0.30% Native American , 0.43% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.19% from other races , and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.52% of

798-405: The city. The population density was 2,136.9 inhabitants per square mile (825.1/km ). There were 3,489 housing units at an average density of 1,159.1 per square mile (447.5/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 90.7% White , 6.3% African American , 0.3% Native American , 0.8% Asian , 0.2% from other races , and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.1% of

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836-543: The emerging technology of the railroads combined to form a new industry. Much of the region's bituminous coal was sent northwest to the Great Lakes , or northeast to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad 's coal piers at Baltimore , or to the world's greatest ice-free port of Hampton Roads in eastern Virginia . Princeton's location was east of the primary coalfields, and most of the coal mining and railroad activity

874-541: The expansion of the Deepwater Railway much further, about 80 miles through Mullens to reach a N&W railroad branch line at Matoaka to open up new territory with untapped deposits of high volatile bituminous coal . Page, Rogers, and other wealthy investors owned much of this land. However, as construction of the expanded Deepwater Railway line got underway, Page found he was unsuccessful in negotiating fair rates to interchange traffic with either major railroad, nor in interesting them in buying his short line railroad. This

912-533: The mergers and consolidations resulted in elimination of many shops and jobs, aggravated by a reduction in coal mining activity in West Virginia. Eventually, all but a few of these jobs in Princeton were eliminated by the late 20th century. The Norfolk and Western Railroad maintained coal piers and export facilities at a major facility near downtown Norfolk known as Lambert's Point . After the 1959 merger,

950-428: The new State of Kanawha , ultimately named West Virginia. By the end of 1865 Judge Nathaniel Harrison was appointed as circuit judge, and Princeton residents shunned him because he was a Confederate turncoat. Princeton slowly rebuilt during Reconstruction, but the railroad would eventually bring significant growth to Princeton. In Southern West Virginia , in the late 19th century, coal mining and transportation by

988-543: The planned the Deepwater Railway through Mercer County and Princeton. In Virginia, Page (and Rogers) formed another intrastate railroad, the new Tidewater Railway , which was legally based in Staunton , a city located along the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O). Notwithstanding its corporate location on the C&O, agents for the new Tidewater Railway quietly surveyed and secured rights-of-way many miles away from

1026-409: The population. There were 2,967 households, out of which 20.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.0% were non-families. 39.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and

1064-442: The population. There were 3,030 households, of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.5% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.5% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

1102-513: The residents of Princeton torched their own homes and moved on from the area. Few structures would remain after the fire. The Robert McNutt house is the only structure that remains in Princeton which, ironically, served as headquarters for the Union army at one time. Princeton and Mercer County would remain supportive of the Confederacy, and was not included in the original counties that made up

1140-548: The rights-of-way were secure, and the new competitor could not be blocked. In 1906, N&W president Lucius E. Johnson was brought to the Standard Oil building at 26 Broadway in New York City by Andrew Carnegie to meet with one of Carnegie's old friends: Henry Huttleston Rogers. N&W corporate records only record that the meeting lasted only a few minutes. Thus, the leaders of the big railroads finally learned

1178-552: The source of William Nelson Page's deep pockets. Despite their collusion, there would be new player in their games. In 1907, the Deepwater and Tidewater were combined to become the Virginian Railway (VGN). Victoria , a new town created in Lunenburg County, Virginia , became the Division Headquarters east of Roanoke. Using more modern techniques than had been available to the older major railroads during

West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference - Misplaced Pages Continue

1216-501: Was $ 21,736, and the median income for a family was $ 32,443. Males had a median income of $ 25,347 versus $ 19,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 14,931. About 16.0% of families and 24.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including 35.9% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over. All county residents are in the Mercer County School District . The cultural hub

1254-439: Was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.79. The median age in the city was 42.6 years. 19.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.4% were from 25 to 44; 26.6% were from 45 to 64; and 20.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.5% male and 53.5% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 6,347 people, 2,967 households, and 1,661 families residing in

1292-771: Was 5,872 at the 2020 census . It is part of the Bluefield micropolitan area . The city hosts the Princeton WhistlePigs baseball club of the Appalachian League . Princeton was named after the Battle of Princeton in Princeton, New Jersey , where General Hugh Mercer , the namesake of Mercer County, had died. When the county was formed in 1837, William Smith donated 1.5 acres of land for the county courthouse in what would become Princeton. Although Princeton did not see any major battles on its soil, there

1330-537: Was initially elsewhere. However, a combination of factors would soon change that, and have profound financial and developmental impact on Princeton. In 1896, engineer William Nelson Page developed the Loup Creek and Deepwater Railway , a logging railroad connecting a small sawmill on the old Loup Creek Estate at Robson with the C&O railroad's main line at Deepwater on the Kanawha River . In 1898, it

1368-565: Was later revealed to be caused by collusion by the leaders of the big railroads, notably Alexander Cassatt , William Kissam Vanderbilt , and Frederick J. Kimball , who sought to control shipping rates and coal prices, and prevent any newcomers from entry. They assumed that any entrepreneurs of modest means, such as William Page appeared to be, would become discouraged and give up. In their experience, building costly enterprises such as railroads customarily meant raising large sums of money through public stock offerings and bonds. As construction on

1406-534: Was rechartered as the Deepwater Railway , with modest plans to extend to nearby coal mines at Glen Jean . Around 1903, the new town of Page became the location of one of the earliest stations on the expanding Deepwater Railway, as well as home of the Page Coal and Coke Company. In 1902, William Page enlisted the support of millionaire industrialist Henry H. Rogers as a silent partner to finance

1444-670: Was the Battle of Pigeon Roost, or the Battle of Princeton Courthouse on May 17, 1862, a victory for the Confederates defending the Dublin railroad. Princeton had been burned a couple of weeks earlier on May 1 under the command of Captain Walter Jenifer, CSA to prevent the Union army from acquiring their supplies. The town was not burned in retaliation or anger toward the residents of Princeton. According to local history, many of

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