What Happened To Chester, West Virginia?

Chester, West Virginia is located in the Northern Panhandle along the Ohio River in Hancock County. This Rust Belt City was once a thriving hub for pottery and ceramics in the 1900's and is located within America's "Pottery Capital" Region. With the decline of the industrial era, unfortunately the area has lost a significant amount of jobs, and population contines to go down each year by 1.4%. The poverty level is around 11%, and the population sits around 2,081. Nearby steel and glass mills along the Ohio River also shut down, affecting Chester's economy significantly. With no new industries and lack of infrastructure investments, Chester continues to struggle to recover from once prosperous days. Filmed march/nov 2025. Let's take a look!