(Preface): On April 20, 1863, Confederate Gens. William E. "Grumble" Jones and John D. Imboden began a raid from Virginia through present-day West Virginia on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Taking separate routes, they later reported that . . . — — Map (db m50353) HM
Named for Thomas Harris. His nephew, Gen. Thomas Harris, distinguished himself in the Union Army in Petersburg and Cedar Creek. He was one of the commissioners who tried those charged with plotting assassination of Lincoln. — — Map (db m64098) HM
On East Main Street (West Virginia Route 16) at Ferguson Lane, on the right when traveling west on East Main Street.
Harrisville. Laid out on lands owned by Thomas
Harris, uncle of Gen. Thomas Maley
Harris, in 1822. Originally part of
Wood County, it was chartered in
1832 and incorporated in 1869. The
town has been called Solus. Ritchie
Court House, and . . . — — Map (db m173702) HM
On East Main Street (West Virginia Route 16) at Ferguson Lane, on the right when traveling west on East Main Street.
Born in Ohio, Freer served in the Union army during the Civil War. He moved to WV in 1866; served as prosecuting attorney for Kanawha, Fayette, and Boone counties; and helped get the state capital moved to Charleston. Moved to Ritchie County, where . . . — — Map (db m173708) HM
On Staunton Turnpike (West Virginia Route 47) west of Smithville, on the right when traveling east.
Frederick Lemon discovered a vein of natural asphalt near Macfarlan Creek in 1852. Shortly after the Civil War, the narrow-guage Calico Railroad was completed from Cairo to facilitate mining at the newly created boomtown of Ritchie Mines.
After . . . — — Map (db m82103) HM
On Northwest Turnpike, 0.1 miles east of Sugar Run Road, on the right when traveling east.
Doddridge County
Formed in 1845 from Harrison, Ritchie, Tyler and Lewis. Named for Philip Doddridge, lawyer and statesman of western Virginia. Many of the Indians who once came to this State got war and hunting weapons from flint quarries . . . — — Map (db m142407) HM
On West Myles Avenue / Old U.S. 50 (Local Route 50/39) west of Main street (West Virginia Route 74), on the left when traveling west.
Settled by John Bunnell, a veteran of the Revolution, near the salt lick which attracted great game herds. The “Stone House,” built about 1807 by John Webster, was one of the famous inns on the Northwestern Turnpike. — — Map (db m42241) HM
On Main Street (West Virginia Route 74) just south of Collins Avenue, on the left when traveling north.
Constructed in two phases: east end construction circa 1883; east end remodeled and west end constructed circal 1900. The depot closed in 1974. The last passenger train passed through in the Spring of 1981.
Restoration began in the early . . . — — Map (db m42243) HM
On West Myles Avenue / Old U.S. 50 (Local Route 50/36) west of Main Street (West Virginia Route 74), on the right when traveling west.
The Webster House, now known as The Stone House, was built shortly after 1800. The walls of the house are two feet thick, constructed of flagstones of various shapes and sizes held together by cement and mortar. John Webster, the builder, sold it to . . . — — Map (db m42239) HM
On Staunton Turnpike (West Virginia Route 47) 1 mile west of Cairo-Cisco Road (County Road 15), on the left when traveling west.
Ritchie CountyFormed in 1843 from Lewis, Harrison and Wood. Named for Thomas Ritchie, Virginia journalist. In 1772, Elias and Jesse Hughes and Colonel William Lowther explored this region to the Ohio. Hughes River was named by them.
Wirt . . . — — Map (db m130368) HM
On Cabin Run Road (County Route 10) at U.S. 50, on the right when traveling north on Cabin Run Road. Reported missing.
The Northwestern Turnpike, a favorite project of George Washington, opened in 1838. Such highways were called "turnpikes" from the gates at which tolls were collected. This town is named for the toll gate which stood here. — — Map (db m80241) HM