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Looking Back

The city of Huntington was founded in 1871 by railroad magnate Collis P. Huntington who was looking to build a western terminus for his fledgling Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. By February 1871, he had found the perfect location in a cornfield on the banks of the Ohio River. For more than a century, the C&O was the region's largest employer.

The next century and a quarter witnessed many changes to the city that extends for some 15 miles along the river's flood plane. Three bridges now span the beautiful Ohio and a major interstate runs south of town. Between the river and the highway stands the Huntington metropolitan region, home to more than 315,000 residents, a beautiful park system, factories, businesses, hotels, theaters, an art museum and, of course, Marshall University. Over the last 13 years, the city has seen many dramatic events.

Electric lights first shone on Huntington streets on November 12, 1886. This led city fathers to decide to add the electric street car to city transportation.

In September 1913, Ritter Park, located on the city's southside on land once considered the outskirts of town, opened to the public. Ritter Park, named for Charles Lloyd Ritter in honor of his gift of several acres of land, has been dubbed the "Jewel of Huntington."

In 1926, the Sixth Street Bridge, Huntington's first span across the Ohio River, opened to traffic. Two years later saw the opening of the opulent Keith-Albee Theatre, the city's largest movie theater and then one of the largest in the country outside ofNew York City.

The winter of 1937 brought a terrible flood as water from the swollen Ohio River inundated most of the region testing the endurance of the residents. The entire city was paralyzed by the far-reaching waters. Six thousand people were left homeless. Later, a 15-mile long flood wall was built to protect the city by the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers.

In 1961, a long sought-after event took place as Marshall College became a university.After a decade of growth, tragedy struck on November 14, 1970, when a chartered airliner crashed on its approach to the Tri-State Airport, claiming the lives of 75 passengers and crew including almost all of the Marshall football team. The city mourned for years.

Today Marshall University is the state's fastest growing institution for higher learning with an enrollment in excess of 16,000 students. Downtown Huntington also is making a comeback with new businesses, specialty shops, restaurants and various activities.

What the next century may hold in store for the Huntington region is anyone's guess. But whatever is in the cards for the Jewel City, there will always be high points and low points for future historians to ponder.

Courtesy of Discover Huntington WV magazine

History Timeline

View History From The 2000's, 1900's, 1800's, or 1700's

2000's


2002 - Ground-breaking for Pullman Square. Click For More

2001 - Ground-breaking for Kinetic Park project.

1900's


1984 - Harris Riverfront Park is dedicated in hopes of helping area residents get reacquainted with the Ohio River.

1979 - Gannett Corp. merges the Afternoon Advertiser with the Herald-Dispatch.

1971 - Gannett Corp. buys the Herald-Dispatch .

1961 - Marshall College is officially designated a university and renamed Marshall University.

1960 - On May 6th, John F. Kennedy campaigns (by train) in Huntington and visits Jim's Spaghetti House (a local eating landmark).

1956 - Cabell-Huntington Hospital is opened.

1955 - The second TV station, WHTN - TV (now WOWK), is established.

1949 - The first TV station, WSAZ , is established.

1937 - In the midst of the Great Depression, Huntington is again flooded. It is called the "Great Flood of 1937" and spurred the construction of the current flood wall.

1928 - On May 8th, the Keith-Albee Theater opens.

1924 - St. Mary's Hospital opened

1913 - On September 11th, Ritter Park is officially opened.

1913 - City of Huntington is flooded by the Ohio River again.

1911 - Guyandotte becomes part of Huntington.

1909 - C. L. Ritter donates more land for the above park and the park is named after him.

1909 - The Herald and The Dispatch merge.

1909 - Central City becomes part of Huntington.

1908 - A city park is established along Four Pole Creek. Click For More

1904 - The Huntington Dispatch is started.

1902 - The Cabell County Public Library is opened, and was funded by Andrew Carnegie.

1901 - First long distance telephone service available.

1800's


1893 - Central City is incorporated. Click For More

1891 - Huntington gets telephone service. Click For More

1891 - Central City (just west of Huntington) laid out and settled.

1890 - The Huntington Herald is started by G.A. Northcott and five other men.

1889 - The Advertiser is now published daily.

1889 - First Huntington Independent School Board elected to manage the Huntington Independent School District. Click For More

1887 - The first daily newspaper, The Evening Times , is established.

1887- Cabell County seat moved to Huntington.

1886 - First electric street lights.

1884 - Huntington experiences it's first serious flood.

1875 - The Independent merges with The Cabell Press (Guyandotte paper) and is called The Weekly Advertiser .

1873 - The first locomotive comes through the area. Click For More

1872 - Another paper, The Commercial , is established.

1871 - On Feb. 27th, the West Virginia Legislature approved an act incorporating the City of Huntington.

1871 - On Dec. 31st, Peter Cline Buffington (grandson of Thomas Buffington) is elected as the first mayor. Click For More

1871 - The first flatbed press comes to Huntington.

1871 - A weekly paper, The Independent, is published.

1870-71 - City plan for Huntington laid out. Click For More

1869 - Collis P. Huntington buys the ailing C&O Railroad for $850,000 and surveys Holderby's Landing and the area just west of Guyandotte as the base for the C&O Railroad. Click For More

1867 - State of West Virginia takes over operation of Marshall College.

1861 - In June, a landmark battle of the Civil War takes place in Guyandotte. This battle helps to spawn the new state of West Virginia. Click For More

1858 - Virginia General Assembly makes Marshall Academy a college and changes the name to Marshall College.

1842 - Charles Dickens visits the United States and cruises down the Ohio River past the future site of Huntington, WV. Click For More

1840's - Steamboats replace keel boats on the Ohio River.

1838 - Marshall Academy is incorporated as an academy.

1837 - Marshall Academy founded by John Laidley in honor of his friend, US Supreme Court Chief Justice, John Marshall.

1821 - James Holderby (1782-1855) purchased a farm between what is now 14th and 17th Streets on the eastern edge of Huntington. Click For More

1810 - The Virginia General Assembly granted an official charter to Guyandotte.

1809 - Cabell County is created. Click For More

1806 - First official settlement of Guyandotte; a small trading post was opened.

1700's


1775 - Guyandotte christened by surveyors. Click For More

History Courtesy of CityOfHuntington.com