McAlpin in Raleigh County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)

Site of Mark Twain High School

Photographed By J. J. Prats, July 15, 2019

1. Site of Mark Twain High School Marker

Inscription. From 1921-65 school served students from coal towns Hot Coal, Big Stick Woodbay, McAlpin, Stotesbury, Tams, Ury, Helen, Amigo, Sophia and Slab Fork. Robert C. Byrd, valedictorian, Mark Twain High School class of 1934, served in West Virginia Legislature (1847- 53) & Congress (1853-59). Elected to Senate in 1858, Senator Byrd held every major leadership position and was third in line for presidency and noted Senate scholar.

Erected 1995 by Mark Twain High School Alumni Association and West Virginia Archives and History.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Education. In addition, it is included in the West Virginia Archives and History series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1934.

Location. 37° 41.456′ N, 81° 16.836′ W. Marker is in McAlpin, West Virginia, in Raleigh County. Marker is on McAlpin Road (County Route 30) 2.4 miles south of Tams Highway (West Main Street) in Sophia (West Virginia Route 16), on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Sophia WV 25921, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Korean War Memorial (approx. 1.9 miles away); The Big Tunnel Fight (approx. 3 miles away); Camp Lightfoot

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(approx. 4.2 miles away); Baseball (approx. 4.2 miles away); Helen Coal Miners Memorial (approx. 4.2 miles away); Helen (approx. 4.2 miles away); Miners Memorial (approx. 4.2 miles away); Helen, WV (approx. 4.2 miles away).

Also see . . . Wikipedia entry for Robert C. Byrd. Excerpt:

Robert Carlyle Byrd (born Cornelius Calvin Sale Jr.; November 20, 1917 – June 28, 2010) was an American politician who served as a United States Senator from West Virginia for over 51 years, from 1959 until his death in 2010. A member of the Democratic Party, Byrd previously served as a U.S. Representative from 1953 until 1959. He is the longest-serving U.S. Senator in history. In addition, he was, at the time of his death, the longest-serving member in the history of the United States Congress ... Byrd was the last remaining member of the U.S. Senate to have served during the presidency of Dwight Eisenhower, and the last remaining member of Congress to have served during the presidency of Harry S. Truman. Byrd is also the only West Virginian to have served in both chambers of the state legislature and both chambers of Congress.
...
When he was ten months old, his mother died in the 1918 flu pandemic. In accordance with his
Photographed By J. J. Prats, July 15, 2019

2. Site of Mark Twain High School Marker
mother's wishes, his father dispersed their children among relatives. Calvin Jr. was adopted by his aunt and uncle, Titus and Vlurma Byrd, who changed his name to Robert Carlyle Byrd and raised him in the coal-mining region of southern West Virginia.

(Submitted on August 22, 2019.)

High School Building Dedication Plaque image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. J. Prats, July 15, 2019

3. High School Building Dedication Plaque

Now mounted on a whitewashed concrete base, it reads, “Mark Twain High School. Erected 1921-1922. Cost $35,000.00. Board of Education, Slab Fork District, Raleigh County, W Va. J.G. Shrewsbury, President & bull; H.H. Lilly, Secretary, • C.R. Stahl, Commissioner • P.S. Grose, Commissioner • Lacy Cole, Supervisor.”

Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, November 27, 2021

4. Site of Mark Twain High School Marker

Pedestal has been repainted.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 28, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 22, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 862 times since then and 120 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 22, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 4. submitted on November 28, 2021, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.