Institute, West Virginia

Institute, West Virginia is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located in Union District of Kanawha County, West Virginia. It is situated along the Kanawha River and is best known as the home of West Virginia State University, a historically black land-grant institution. The community's name derives from the university's original designation as the West Virginia Colored Institute. Institute gained national attention in 1985 due to a major chemical leak at the nearby Union Carbide plant.

History

The area's development is intrinsically linked to the establishment of the West Virginia Colored Institute in 1891, following the passage of the federal Morrill Act of 1890. Under the leadership of early presidents like John H. Hill, the school evolved into West Virginia State College. The community was profoundly affected by the Kanawha Valley's industrial growth, particularly the operations of the Institute Industrial Park, which housed a Union Carbide chemical plant. On August 11, 1985, a leak of aldicarb oxime and methyl isocyanate from this facility hospitalized 135 people, an event often compared to the Bhopal disaster. This incident spurred national discussions on industrial safety and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

Geography

Institute is located in the central portion of Kanawha County at , within the Kanawha River Valley. It lies directly across the Kanawha River from the city of St. Albans and is approximately 8 miles west of downtown Charleston, the state capital. The community is part of the Charleston metropolitan area and its topography is characterized by the flat river bottomlands, with the surrounding hills being part of the Allegheny Plateau. Major transportation routes include Interstate 64 and U.S. Route 60.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 1,301. The community has historically had a significant African American population, largely due to the presence and influence of West Virginia State University. Demographics have shifted over time with the university's transition to a fully integrated institution. The area's population is intertwined with the student body and faculty of the university, as well as employees of the remaining industrial and research facilities in the Kanawha Valley.

Education

The defining educational institution is West Virginia State University (WVSU), a public historically black university and land-grant institution. WVSU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers programs through its College of Arts and Humanities, College of Business and Social Sciences, and College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. The university is also home to the WVSU Economic Development Center and conducts agricultural research at its affiliated Experiment Station. Primary and secondary public education is provided by Kanawha County Schools.

Notable people

Notable individuals associated with Institute include Katherine Johnson, the pioneering NASA mathematician featured in *Hidden Figures*, who was a student at the then-West Virginia State College. Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss attended West Virginia State University. Astronaut and United States Air Force officer Frank Culbertson is an alumnus. Educator and civil rights leader Leon Sullivan served on the faculty, and chemist and inventor Henry McBay conducted early research here. Musician and bandleader Count Basie performed at the university's campus.

Category:Unincorporated communities in Kanawha County, West Virginia Category:Census-designated places in West Virginia Category:Charleston metropolitan area