Welcome to Logan, WV History and Nostalgia
April 1999 from the top of Buskirk Hill.
This website is dedicated to preserving the history and memories of our county. Everyone is welcome to help in this endeavor by sharing their photos, memories and any information they may have about the history of our county. We especially would appreciate help from local historians. Please check out our posts and photos and feel free to join in on any of the discussions. Our web address is www.LoganWV.us — an easy United States web address to remember. Thanks for stopping by!
Logan County, Virginia was formed on May 7, 1824 and named in honor of the famous Mingo Indian Chief. The Logan Courthouse village was first established as Lawnsville in 1827. The town was first incorporated in 1852 as Aracoma. Its first mayor was Thomas Dunn English who wrote “Ben Bolt”. The Aracoma name was changed to Logan in 1907.
William Anderson “Devil Anse” Hatfield (Sept 9, 1839 – Jan. 6, 1921) famous patriarch of the Hatfield clan is buried in the county.
Featured and Recent Photo Additions
W.L. Robinson Co. Insurance downtown Logan courtesy of Dwight Williamson. Image 1679.
W.L. Robinson Co. Insurance downtown Logan courtesy of Dwight Williamson. Image 1679.
Photo of Mrs. Sam Rasser, Mrs. Washley Herald, Mrs. Nina Baisden, Mrs. Albert Porter, Polly Salmons and Mrs. Allen Viars at No. 16 coal camp at Shegon on Mud Fork near Logan WV. Courtesy of Mark Edward Jones. Image 1649.
Photo of Mrs. Sam Rasser, Mrs. Washley Herald, Mrs. Nina Baisden, Mrs. Albert Porter, Polly Salmons and Mrs. Allen Viars at No. 16 coal camp at Shegon on Mud Fork near Logan WV. Courtesy of Mark Edward Jones. Image 1649.
Drilling a test hole for new courthouse. Logan Banner clipping March 19, 1963 courtesy of Mark Edward Jones. Image 7814.
Drilling a test hole for new courthouse. Logan Banner clipping March 19, 1963 courtesy of Mark Edward Jones. Image 7814.
J.T. Fish Company at Yuma courtesy of Mark Edward Jones. Image 46813.
J.T. Fish Company at Yuma courtesy of Mark Edward Jones. Image 46813.
1924 Cherry Tree near Logan, WV courtesy of Brandon Ray Kirk
1924 Cherry Tree near Logan, WV courtesy of Brandon Ray Kirk
Hollena Store, Rum Creek - the individual who sent this photo to me said it wasn't his and didn't remember where he got it. If you have information about it, please leave a comment or contact the admin. Image 1461.
Hollena Store, Rum Creek - the individual who sent this photo to me said it wasn't his and didn't remember where he got it. If you have information about it, please leave a comment or contact the admin. Image 1461.
Logan, WV - looking up Island Creek postcard. Image 7164.
Logan, WV - looking up Island Creek postcard. Image 7164.
March 3, 1927 Logan, WV by Feeney Photo. Courtesy of Bill Bricker. Image 1246.
March 3, 1927 Logan, WV by Feeney Photo. Courtesy of Bill Bricker. Image 1246.
Featured Articles
| LOGANBANNNER.COM – Dwight Williamson: Old newspaper articles tell of Battle of Blair Mountain Sept. 4, 2024  A look at local history reveals that Logan County has been in the national headlines numerous times for various reasons. From the Civil War burning of the Logan County Courthouse to the Hatfield-McCoy feud of the late 1800s and throughout all of the 20th century, something of national interest has always percolated in good ol’ Logan.While political scandals have earmarked the pages of local history since the early 1900s, the month of September is more notable for something that occurred some 103 years ago this month — the Battle of Blair Mountain. Read more. |
| LOGANBANNNER.COM – Dwight Williamson: A letter from Ohio reveals an unlikely success story Aug 28, 2024  It is sometimes hard for me to believe that it has been nearly 40 years since the name of Mamie Thurman started becoming almost a household name throughout the region.Since those early days of the stories of Mamie’s gruesome murder and the details of the trial of Clarence Stephenson, the accused African-American who was found guilty of the crime, Mamie has been featured in various ways — from books to television news, various school social studies projects, and even YouTube episodes. In a bizarre way of thinking, one might say that Mamie still lives, at least in name. Read more. |
| LOGANBANNNER.COM – Dwight Williamson: Graveyards abounded under Logan streets Aug. 14, 2024 The Logan Banner did not exist when the county of Logan or the village that is now known as the town of Logan came into existence. In fact, it wasn’t until 1888 that the newspaper started being published as The Logan County Banner.The point being that there are no real written records of what was the beginning of the town that has gone by the names of Logan Courthouse, Lawnsville, Aracoma and Logan. Therefore, we really do not know just what occurred in the settling of the Guyandotte River community that is named after a Native American chief. More specifically, who decided to settle and develop what had to be at the time an obvious Native American graveyard? Apparently, early settlers to the site were not superstitious. Read more. |
| LOGANBANNNER.COM – Dwight Williamson: 1938 was a typically interesting year in Logan County Jul 24, 2024  Historical Logan, for all of its faults, has always been the site of many noteworthy happenings. From the days of Princess Aracoma until today’s undisclosed madness, one can blindly choose a year in local history in which to review and never will there be a dull moment. Such is the case for the year of 1938. Read more. |
| Remembering the Community of Holden 22 By Dwight Williamson This week, as we remember the 18 coal miners who lost their lives March 8, 1960 at the Holden No. 22 mine. I dedicate this story to those miners, their families and all of the hundreds of coal miners who over the years lost limbs and lives; and to those who died from coal industry-related diseases, such as black lung, silicosis and emphysema. For even as we remember the miners today, there are forces at work to deny miners’ families the benefits that were originally promised to them. Read more. |
Early Live in Logan County Described by K.F. Deskins The Logan Banner, Nov.12, 1937By Stan Tobin Sixty years ago, which is comparatively a short time in the ordinary span of things canoes and flatboats floated up and down the Guyan River, deer, bear and wild hogs roamed the hills in abundance and the few people that lived in the valley existed by what nature had to offer. Read more. |
| A stringent look into the history of Logan County By Dwight Williamson A stringent look into the history of Logan County will reveal that from 1924 until 1932 two of Devil Anse Hatfield’s sons pretty much ruled the county, but it should be pointed out that the “dynamic duo” really was just following up on the practices of their predecessor, Sheriff Don Chafin, who previously had been declared as “King” of Logan County. Read more. |
| Hatfield Pioneers By Coleman A. Hatfield  *This article is from the 1952 Centennial Program Booklet published by the City of Logan. Foreword by Dr. Coleman C. Hatfield (1927-2008): “My father, Coleman A. Hatfield, the son of Cap Hatfield, spent the majority of his adult life researching Hatfield and McCoy feud history. Besides being a Logan attorney, he was a gifted writer and researcher in his own right. He kept meticulous journals and audiotapes throughout his life about his historical findings, before passing away in 1970. In addition to his research, Dad remembered and recounted many of the stories and tall tales that he personally had heard Devil Anse and his wife, Levicy, tell the grandchildren through the years.” Read more. |
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