Webster Springs, West Virginia

Episode 52 / 10 January 2018 / 127 min / full

Meth, Marriage & Murder

"James says the episode is about Webster Springs, West Virginia, in central West Virginia about two hours from Charleston; the official name of the town is Addison" about 0:06:25

The case: Murder of Michael Serbaugh (6 August 2009). Read the case file.

The figures, as told in 2018

Population

733

Median age

48.4

Median household income

about $26,000

Two-bedroom rent

about $582 a month

Cost of living

81

Religious

21%

Property crime

▲ about a third higher

Violent crime

▲ a little more than a third higher

History, in brief

• The town's official name is Addison, named for Addison McLaughlin, whose land was the original layout of the area; everyone calls it Webster Springs. about 0:12:27
• The post office has called itself the Webster Springs Post Office since 1902, while the town letterhead says Addison. about 0:12:36
• The town was originally known as Elklick, then Forklick, then Addison officially; people then started calling it Webster Springs. about 0:12:53
• Locals began calling it Webster Springs unofficially in 1861, but in 1892 it was named Addison. about 0:13:20
• In 1868 the whole town was five residents: James Woodsell and his family, Pat Duffy, George Wolverton and Martin Lowe. about 0:14:03
• The town became a draw in the late 1800s and early 1900s for its salt sulphur water wells, thought to cure psoriasis, eczema, acne, arthritis and internal injuries. about 0:15:05
• There were four springs in total, including the Addison McLaughlin well and a spring named after the Elk River and Portlick. about 0:14:50
• In 1897 Senator Johnson Camden built a 265-room Victorian hotel with sulphur springs and Russian and Turkish baths, the pride of Webster Springs. about 0:17:03
• The hotel burned to the ground on July 20th, 1925, with the flames seen for miles. about 0:17:15
• Population peaked in 1950 at 1,300 people and has fallen steadily since; it is now 733. about 0:17:38
• The town covers 0.47 of a square mile, with zip code 26288 and area code 304; it is in Webster County. about 0:10:06
• The county slogan is 'Mountains of Adventure'. about 0:11:07

Open the episode file