James E. Casto Livres

Wayne County, West Virginia, was established on January 18, 1842, from part of Cabell County and named for Gen. Mad Anthony Wayne. The state's westernmost county, it lies at the juncture of two the Ohio and Big Sandy. The town of Wayne is the county seat. Although the southern half of the county was first to be settled, it was slow to develop. In contrast, the northern part bordering Cabell County grew rapidly. The city of Huntington ultimately expanded westward into Wayne County, an area now known as Westmoreland. In addition to Wayne and Huntington, the county has three other incorporated Ceredo, Kenova, and Fort Gay. In the 19th century, timbering and farming were the county's economic mainstays. The southern end of the county experienced a growth spurt when, in 1890, the Norfolk & Western Railway was completed to Kenova. Today, many residents commute to Huntington or nearby Ashland, Kentucky. The county is the birthplace of gospel singer Michael W. Smith, major league pitcher Donnie Robinson, and Fannie Belle Fleming, better known as stripper Blaze Starr.

Established in 1809, Cabell County is located in West Virginia's Mid-Ohio Valley. When rail tycoon Collis P. Huntington pushed the tracks of his Chesapeake & Ohio Railway across the mountains from Virginia into Cabell County, he founded the town that would become the county's great metropolitan center. Business and industry soon began to rise, and Cabell grew into one of the Mountain State's busiest, most populous regions. This dramatic history of Cabell County begins with the arrival of the area's first settlers and continues into the 21st century. Introduced are James Holderby, Peter Cline Buffington, John Hunt Oley, and the other venturesome souls who set in motion the forces that made Cabell County the thriving place it is today. An informative text and 200 vintage photographs recreate key historical events, including the day when the James Gang robbed the Bank of Huntington, the sagas of Barboursville and Milton, the early days of Marshall University and its spectacular growth and success, and the strange but true story behind the creation of Ritter Park. Readers also gain a feel for life in past eras as they witness the paddle wheelers that plied yesterday's Ohio River and the steam locomotives that chugged their way through the county's history.

Founded in 1871 by Collis P. Huntington, the rail tycoon's namesake city thrived as a gateway to the coalfields of southern West Virginia. The city's earliest leaders included Mayor Rufus Switzer, who created one of the community's true jewels, Ritter Park, and John Hooe Russel, who opened the city's first bank and, when it was robbed, jumped on his horse and gave chase to the bandits. Over the years, Huntington has been home to such varied individuals as Carter Woodson, the father of Black History Month; Dr. Henry D. Hatfield, who was West Virginia governor but said he would rather be known as a "country doctor;" Dagmar, the blonde bombshell of 1950s television; basketball star Hal Greer; golfing great Bill Campbell; Stella Fuller, who spent her life ministering to Huntington's poor; and the spectacularly generous Joan Edwards, who gave away $65 million. Legendary Locals of Huntington captures their stories and many others in a striking panorama of a remarkable community.