$213,168Average Value$162Average Price per Sq Ft3Homes For Sale
Growing demand for family-friendly First Ward
Morgantown’s First Ward has seen a rush of newcomers seeking recreation, convenience and community in the urban core. With parks in walking distance and larger yards than neighboring South Park, many people move here to raise a family. However, it’s at the long-running neighborhood pub — Mundy’s Place — where generations of locals have built community.
Despite the hilly topography, people here walk or bike downtown for events or work at the satellite campus of West Virginia University. As young professionals and families move in beside longtime residents, housing prices are increasing, a reflection of the neighborhood’s convenient location and multigenerational appeal. “It’s one of the places that people most want to live,” says longtime resident Jan Eddy. “It wasn’t that way 20 to 25 years ago.”
Families from First Ward enjoy hanging out in Downtown Morgantown.
First Ward families take a walk with the dog on a fall day.
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A rare level green space at Jack Roberts Park
In First Ward, people “always talk about how close [they] are to Jack Roberts Park,” says Samantha Knight Hansen, a resident and Realtor with J.S. Walker Associates. “I’m a half-mile from Jack Roberts, so when I make my kids walk there, they’re like, ‘It takes forever!’ But it’s only five blocks, and it’s decently flat over there.” People take advantage of the level green space, setting up lawn chairs under patches of shade and taking in views of the tree-covered Westover hills. Visitors can expect to hear a backdrop of bird calls and children shouting instructions from the bow of the ship built into the playground. Long grass wraps around shaded picnic tables and slopes up to a fenced-in basketball court overlooking the rest of the park. Neighborhood homes flank each side of the park, and though sidewalks are limited, people often arrive on foot.
White Park is another local landmark, home to six baseball and softball fields, as well as an ice arena. Many residents incorporate the park’s forested hiking trails into their daily routine, going for jogs or walking dogs. The small parking lot on the south side of the park offers entrances on opposite sides of the road. Upon entry, temperatures immediately subside, and visitors are engulfed in the buzzing of cicadas. Signage is limited, though a small waterfall awaits those willing to wander.
People here are well-positioned to hop on the riverside Caperton Trail, a flat walking and biking path with scenic views and a route to downtown.
Small pavilions are among the amenities at Jack Roberts Park.
A sink sits on a street corner across from a local park in First Ward.
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Larger yards but limited inventory in First Ward
First Ward is among Morgantown’s most competitive housing markets. With a greater stock of two- and three-bedroom homes, the neighborhood is generally less expensive than other popular areas such as South Park and Suncrest. Still, First Ward boasts more yard space than other parts of the urban core. This hilly landscape includes Foursquare homes, modest bungalows and Minimal Traditionals, many built between the 1920s and 1940s. Some ranch-style homes are sprinkled throughout the neighborhood, dating between the 1950s and the 1990s.
Prices here depend on size and home upgrades. On the low end, investment properties start around $90,000. “There have been house flippers that have gone in and restored life,” Knight Hansen says. “It’s brought in younger buyers and smaller families that maybe don’t have time to renovate a whole house.” Updated builds can sell above $450,000, though most fall between $200,000 and $300,000. The neighborhood has some rental units, though the majority of homes are owner-occupied, making for a quieter atmosphere than student hubs such as Sunnyside.
Some homes in the First Ward neighborhood are built with stone.
Homes in First Ward with a two car garage are not the norm in this older neighborhood.
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Walking distance to downtown Morgantown
Driving around First Ward includes steep, sharp turns and narrow roads. There is typically only room to park on one side of the street, making driveways a coveted — and rare — commodity. People here walk and bike when they can, despite the dramatic topography. Downtown’s dining and entertainment scene is only a mile away. Major employers such as Ruby Memorial Hospital and Mon Health Medical are accessible via University Avenue. Traffic is heavier while West Virginia University is in session.
First Ward is close to the shops and restaurants in Downtown Morgantown.
Downtown Morgantown is only a few minutes drive from the neighborhood of First Ward.
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Catching the game or an open mic at Mundy's Place
When Jan Eddy moved back to First Ward, where she grew up, she began to frequent Mundy’s Place, a neighborhood pub since 1949. “When I moved back, this is where I met everybody,” she says. Mundy’s multigenerational regulars know each other well, passing greetings when they walk through the door. The bar has wings, chili dogs and other American staples, though it’s better known for its live music scene. There are standing nights for local acts spanning Celtic music to singer-songwriters. Mundy’s is a hangout for musicians and sports lovers alike, attracting a louder crowd on game days and after adult league softball practices at White Park. Because of the noise, “you can’t have football in here and live music,” Eddy says.
People in First Ward meet their shopping needs outside of the neighborhood, though Giant Eagle Supermarket is only a mile away. A handful of stores, including The Ranch Community Store thrift shop, line University Avenue, though Sabraton and the Suncrest Towne Centre have a larger array of stores and restaurants. Mountaineer Mall is close to First Ward and hosts a small but eclectic assortment of stores and the Spark! Imagination and Science Center, a children's museum.
Neighbors gather for lunch at the corner bar called Mundy's Place in First Ward.
Mundy's Place was established in 1949 in First Ward and is the second oldest bar in the area.
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Downtown WVU campus 1.5 miles away
The downtown campus of West Virginia University is about 1.5 miles from First Ward, a convenient commute for faculty, staff and students. The university is in transition after cutting 28 academic majors in 2024, including world languages, though popular programs such as nursing, engineering and exercise science remain.
Neighborhood children head to Mountainview Elementary, which has an A-minus rating from Niche. The school’s library was renovated in 2020 with new carpeting, lighting and comfortable furniture for reading. South Middle also earns an A-minus, and its location offers quick access to the fields at White Park. Teens head to Morgantown High less than a mile away. Niche ranks the A-rated school the No. 1 high school in the state.
Local students from First Ward can easily commute to West Virginia University.
The neighborhood of First Ward is home to well maintained homes and manicured yards.
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Trick-or-treating on Madigan Avenue
When the fall sets in, the ghoulish decorations come out. “This is a huge Halloween neighborhood,” Eddy says. “I can count on at least 200 kids.” She says First Ward’s neighborhood association successfully lobbied to close Madigan Avenue during the holiday each year for the safety of the neighborhood’s costumed children.
Interest in First Ward tracks with increased activity in downtown Morgantown. Residents here can easily reach First Friday for the Arts, a monthly gallery walk, or the summer concert and film series at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park.
Drive around the neighborhood of First Ward and you will see yards decorated for the season.
First Ward is filled with quaint homes and are often decorated for the holidays.
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Locals take back downtown Morgantown during the summer
Though First Ward isn't a typical hub for student activity, daily life can feel very different when West Virginia University is not in session. Eddy says locals take advantage of the quiet summers, trying out spots that would otherwise draw a crowd. "People here really use the downtown," Eddy says. When she visits a restaurant during the school year, "there's a wait no matter what."
Residents can walk freely along the quiet streets of the First Ward neighborhood.
Residents of the First Ward neighborhood take pride in their homes.
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On average, homes in First Ward, Morgantown sell after 72 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in First Ward, Morgantown over the last 12 months is $178,000, down 6% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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