General Articles.
By Dwight Williamson There have been many notable figures who have made their homes in what is now Logan County. One such person that few people are aware of is a man who came from his native Philadelphia in 1852 to settle along the Guyandotte River to what was then sparsely settled western Virginia in […]
English credited with discovering coal in Logan Co. Read More »
By Dwight Williamson The events that formulate the subject matter of history have proven bountiful in Logan County. From times past when Aracoma and other Indians roamed our hills and valleys until the present day huge success of the million-to-one shot, Landau Eugene Murphy Jr., there is tremendous history that involves people and places in
Logan Co. people with national interest Read More »
By Dwight Williamson Man, W.Va., was incorporated in 1918. The formal boundaries for the Town of Man encompass a land area of 1.1 sq. miles and a water area of 0.05 sq. miles. The elevation is 738 feet. February 26th marked the anniversary of the Buffalo Creek disaster that took place in 1972. For those
The little town at the mouth of Buffalo Creek Read More »
By Dwight Williamson Another relic of the town of Logan is in the process of disappearing. URCO Incorporated purchased the property from the State Auditor’s Office for taxes and employees are currently razing the 102-year-old structure located on Hudgins Street across from the Logan Post Office. The building was built and opened in 1912 as
City losing another historical structure Read More »
By Dwight Williamson From everything I’ve been able to discover over the years, it appears Logan County was a mighty tough place to live, particularly during the 1800’s. There were no real law enforcement officers, and oftentimes matters were settled—let’s just say—outside of a court room. The Hatfield-McCoy feud is a prime example. However, there
Early Logan Co.: A mighty tough place to live Read More »
By Dwight Williamson While great detail will be given in a future edition of this newspaper regarding the history of legendary Logan County Sheriff Don Chafin and the very house in which he lived, for today’s purposes, I would like to relate a story that few people living nowadays have ever been aware of —
The legendary Don Chafin Read More »
By Dwight Williamson “People who die are not buried in a field, they are buried in the heart” — Anonymous. There exists a somewhat forgotten yet historic cemetery in the town of Logan. Located on High Street, it is unintentionally hidden from view and rarely receives visitors. Like the ghostly former home of legendary Logan
The historic cemetery in Logan Read More »
By Dwight Williamson Some of Logan County’s most precious history has truly been buried within the bounds of Logan County. Unfortunately, along with time, and some factors beyond the common man’s reach, the great efforts of men and women of the past are not nearly as distinguished as perhaps they should be. Take, for instance,
Alderson helped elevate Logan to greatness Read More »
By Dwight Williamson Island Creek Coal Company’s No. 16 store was located where D&S Machine Shop is now just above the Verdunville Post Office. The center of a coal camp, company stores were busy except on Sunday’s when they were closed. It is believed that this photo was taken on a Sunday since there are no vehicles or customers. There was a time not that long ago when nearly every Logan County community had its own version of today’s Walmart.
Growing up with the Company Store Read More »
Mountain Woman: Reflections on Life in the Appalachian Coalfields by Matt Browning at mattbrowningbooks.com Earlier this year, I was invited by Voices of Appalachia to write a piece about Appalachian culture. I chose to interview my mother about her experiences growing up, getting married, raising a family and retiring in the coalfields of Logan County,