Alum Creek is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kanawha and Lincoln counties along the Coal River in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It includes the unincorporated communities of Alum Creek, Forks of Coal, and Priestley. The CDP had a population of 1,595 at the 2020 census, down from 1,749 at the 2010 census.

The community was named after nearby Alum Creek, a tributary of the Coal River.

Geography

Alum Creek is primarily in northeastern Lincoln County, with a portion extending across the Coal River into Kanawha County. The center of the CDP, in a rural area between the villages of Alum Creek and Priestley, is at (38.279034, -81.825657).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.69%, are water.

Landmarks

  • Swinging Bridges - First bridges in Alum Creek to span the Coal River, built in 1922 at the Forks of Coal (the confluence of Big Coal and Little Coal Rivers)
  • Midway Elementary - Lincoln County elementary school
  • Alum Creek Elementary - Kanawha County elementary school
  • Washington District High School - Closed school building, standing across the street from Alum Creek Elementary on Brounland Rd.
  • Lions Club Park - Community park on Coal River Road
  • Forks of Coal Missionary Baptist Church - Founded in 1832, surrounded by historic cemetery

The 2014 film Surviving Cliffside takes place in Alum Creek, West Virginia.

References