Lawnvale. One mile north, home of Dr. T. C.
Atkeson, head of Grange for
many years. Dean of the West Virginia
College of Agriculture and
author of many works on
agriculture. For nearly 50
years, Atkeson was a leader
among farmers of . . . — — Map (db m137323) HM
On Lafayette Street (West Virginia Route 62) at High Street, on the right when traveling north on Lafayette Street.
Established in 1849 by a joint stock company. First principal was George Rosetter. The school flourished until Civil War began, when it was occupied alternately by soldiers of the Federal and Confederate armies. After the War, the property was . . . — — Map (db m137307) HM
On Lafayette Street (West Virginia Route 62) north of High Street, on the right when traveling north.
Here at Buffalo Presbyterian Church on May 13,
1861, Confederate Capt. William E. Fife mustered
the Buffalo Guards, the militia company he had
raised in 1859. The families of church members
who served in the company included the Alexanders, . . . — — Map (db m137304) HM
On Lafayette Street (West Virginia Route 62) at High Street, on the right when traveling north on Lafayette Street.
Chartered in 1837, the town of Buffalo predates the formation of Putnam County in 1848. Possibly named
after the nearby Big Buffalo Creek, the town was from its beginnings inextricably tied to river trade and
to agriculture. In its early days, . . . — — Map (db m137327) HM
On Charleston Road (West Virginia Route 62) 0.3 miles north of the Kanawha River bridge south of Buffalo (Route 869), on the left when traveling north.
Indian Village. The Buffalo Indian Village and Cemetery, between the road and the Kanawha River, was one of the largest Indian towns in West Virginia. It was occupied about 1650 by Shawnee Indians who later moved westward. . . . — — Map (db m137328) HM
On High Street just east of Lafayette Street ( Route 62), on the right when traveling east.
Confederate Gen. Albert G. Jenkins led 550 cavalrymen on a 500-mile raid, Aug. 22 to Sept. 12, 1862, attacking Federal forces, capturing prisoners, and destroying military stores.
From Salt Sulphur Springs he rode along the Tygart and Buckhannon . . . — — Map (db m137358) HM
On High Street south of Buffalo Road ( Route 62), on the left when traveling south.
The Buffalo United
Methodist Church
has been placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
c.1870 — — Map (db m261739) HM
On Cross Lanes Drive (West Virginia Route 62) just north of Melton Avenue, on the right when traveling south.
Kanawha County. Authorized, 1888; organized 1789 from Greenbrier and Montgomery. Named for the Kanawha River, bearing name of Indian tribe. Salt making brought early settlers into the valley and from it grew vast modern chemical plants.
. . . — — Map (db m85987) HM
On Roosevelt Boulevard (U.S. 35) south of North Ash Circle, on the right.
Site of Federal homestead project, located on land granted to George Washington in 1773. The “Red House” was built by Joseph Ruffner in 1840. Here, February 2, 1864, General E.P. Scammon, Union commander, was captured by Confederates. — — Map (db m85683) HM
On Charleston Road (West Virginia Route 62) south of A Street, on the right when traveling south.
Hometown Park can trace its existence back to at least the 1920s. In 1918, Hatfield and Mitchell Coal and Mining Company bought the Apha Mine located nearby on the Little Guano Creek. The mining
company provided a small piece of land as a place . . . — — Map (db m86221) HM
On Charleston Road (West Virginia Route 62) south of A Street (Local Road 35/11).
The nearby highway is part of route
traversing W.Va. from Lewisburg to
Point Pleasant memorialized by the
state to commemorate the march of
the American Colonial army of 1,200
men led by Andrew & Charles Lewis.
After a month's march this . . . — — Map (db m11454) HM
On Charleston Road (West Virginia Route 62) south of A Street when traveling south.
The earliest export industry of the Kanawha River Valley revolved around the manufacturing of salt. Though the discovery of coal veins in Putnam County dates back to at least 1800, for most of the nineteenth century these coal deposits supplied . . . — — Map (db m86239) HM
On Charleston Road (Route 62) south of A Street (Local Road 35/11).
Acquired 7.276 Acres of this land by a grant, dated December 1, 1773 issued to him by
John Murray, Earl of Dunmore, last Royal Governor of Virginia. This tract was surveyed in July, 1773, by William Crawford, upon warrants issued to George . . . — — Map (db m11451) HM
On Charleston Road (West Virginia Route 62) south of A Street (Local Road 35/11).
This “Poca River Tract” of
7,276 acres was acquired by
George Washington, and
surveyed by Wm. Crawford, 1773.
It bordered Kanawha River, "12
miles and 227 poles."
Washington’s nephew, Lawrence,
resided at Red House Shoals. — — Map (db m11453) HM
On Main Street (Alternate West Virginia Route 34) at Dudding Avenue, on the right when traveling west on Main Street.
In honor of the men who served
their country during the World War
1917-1918
Sacred to the memory of those who died
for liberty, justice, and peace.
Forest C Burdette •
Harvey E. Carpenter •
Vicker Hall •
John L. Jordon •
Issac C. . . . — — Map (db m274459) WM
On U.S. 60 near Midland Trail ( Route 34), on the left when traveling east.
Hurricane Baptist Church. Hurricane Baptist Church was founded May 26, 1860, near the old Hurricane Bridge. F. H. Reynolds was first clerk and James Mitchell the first moderator. This log meeting-house was burned in 1863 by soldiers of the . . . — — Map (db m238017) HM
On Midland Trail (West Virginia Route 34) 0.3 miles north of U.S. 60, on the right when traveling north.
At 5:30 a.m., on March 28, 1863, 600 Confederates opened a "galling cross fire" on 275 Union soldiers from the 13th West Virginia Infantry, who occupied a large earthen fort located on the western heights to your front. Confederate sharpshooters . . . — — Map (db m315707) HM
On Interstate 64 east of Hurricane Creek Road (County Road 19), on the right when traveling west.
Native Pollinator Habitat
West Virginia is praised as being both wild and wonderful by visitors and residents. Also known as the Mountain State, WV is unique because of diverse topography and miles of beautiful country roads and scenic . . . — — Map (db m230362) HM
Native Pollinator Habitat
West Virginia is praised as being both wild and wonderful by visitors and residents. Also known as the Mountain State, WV is unique because of diverse topography and miles of beautiful country roads and scenic . . . — — Map (db m253606) HM
On West Virginia Route 34 east of Sycamore Road (County Route 50), on the right when traveling east.
Lincoln County. Formed in 1867 from Cabell,
Kanawha, Boone and Putnam.
Named for Abraham Lincoln,
the sixteenth president of the
United States. Producer of oil,
gas and coal. Also noted for
high quality of tobacco grown
on its . . . — — Map (db m178199) HM
On Charleston Road (U.S. 35) at Frazier Lane, on the right when traveling south on Charleston Road.
Red House Shoals. Oldest community on the Kanawha River between Charleston and Point Pleasant, being settled circa 1795. In 1819, steamboat “Robert Thompson” failed to navigate the shoals here on a trip to Charleston. This led to an . . . — — Map (db m85690) HM
On Charleston Road (West Virginia Route 62) 5.2 miles north of the Kanawha River bridge ( Route 869), on the left when traveling north.
On September 27, 1862, the 91st
Ohio of Col. John Turley, marching
from Point Pleasant, learned that
Jenkins’ Cavalry was camped near
Buffalo. As the Ohioans approached
the Confederate position,
skirmishing ensued; for four hours.
Turley’s . . . — — Map (db m137295) HM
On Winfield Road (U.S. 35) 0.5 miles south of Interstate 64, on the right when traveling south.
First Confederate victory in Kanawha Valley fought here July 17, 1861. Charge of the Rangers under Captain (later General) Jenkins won the day. Whitelaw Reid described the event as a war correspondent with Gen. Cox's Union forces. — — Map (db m20787) HM
Near Winfield Road (West Virginia Route 817) north of Ventroux Road, on the right when traveling north. Reported unreadable.
The 1861 Kanawha Valley Campaign
Union and Confederate leaders both wanted control of the Kanawha Valley, an approach to the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia, filled with such important resources as salt and soldiers, whose loyalty . . . — — Map (db m268902) HM
On Winfield Road (West Virginia Route 817) 0.4 miles north of Tompkins Crossing Road, on the right when traveling north.
Putnam County. Formed in 1848 from Cabell, Mason, and Kanawha. Named for Gen. Israel Putnam, a Revolutionary War hero. The county is cut by trails made by American bison to the Ohio River. Its oldest town, Buffalo, is named for them. . . . — — Map (db m178696) HM
On Courthouse Drive at Emergency Lane / Sabre Street, on the right when traveling south on Courthouse Drive.
Planting Roots in Putnam County
James William Hoge was born on April 9, 1830 in Staunton, Augusta County, Virginia to Reverend Peter C. and
Sallie Kerr Hoge. He studied law and was admitted to the bar at age 20 in 1850, later moving to . . . — — Map (db m247236) HM
On Winfield Road (West Virginia Route 817) 0.5 miles south of Waterside Circle, on the right when traveling south.
Located near here was the original
Kanawha Valley Drag Strip, opened
in 1958. The first organized drag
strip in West Virginia, it helped legitimize
the sport in the area. The strip
benefited from its proximity to
neighboring Ohio, drawing on . . . — — Map (db m137368) HM
On Courthouse Drive at Emergency Lane / Sabre Street, on the right when traveling south on Courthouse Drive.
A Microcosm
Historians use the word microcosm as shorthand to show that a piece is
representative of the whole. “A house divided against itself,” Putnam
County sent approximately 10% of its population to war, nearly half to . . . — — Map (db m137355) HM
On Winfield Road (West Virginia Route 817) just north of Courthouse Drive, on the right when traveling south.
Sited on land owned by Charles
Brown, who started a ferry here in
1818, the town was named for Gen.
Winfield Scott, Mexican-American
War hero. Putnam County’s seat,
it was incorporated in 1868. Its
location along the Kanawha made
it an . . . — — Map (db m137350) HM
