WV Historical Markers - Let's Find All 700

See previous post (#960). This Marker is located about 1 mile south of the first marker, on 20th St just as it branches off left to become Norway Ave. It's somewhat hidden under a tree in the front yard of a bank. I went right by it the first time, partly because I was watching the traffic around me (I do that sometimes )




Historical Marker located on 20th St intersection with Norway Ave, about 1/2 mile west of the entrance to Spring Hill Cemetery.




Same Marker - Side #2.




Somewhat hard to see under the tree, eh? Especially when there's oncoming traffic. View southeast heading toward the cemetery.




View northbound just coming off Norway Ave onto 20th St.

Edward Scissorshands to the white courtesy phone, please.





Just look for this sign, and you've found the marker. I just did a right-face from the last photo.

OK, I couldn't find a couple of the markers in Huntington, it was 2:30, the sky is turning black up north, and I'm tired (600 miles of backroads marker hunting in the past 36 hours). Time to head north so I don't have to ride home later in the dark/rain.

*******

Got on Rt 2 on the north-east corner of Huntington. Right away, I'm in Guyandotte. Indian name, probably named for the Guyandotte River that flows from Raleigh County (near Beckley in the southeastern part of WV) northwest and empties into the Ohio River at this point.

From The Tragic Fate of Guyandotte, by our very own Joe Geiger, Director of the WV Dept of Archives and History, and Project Manager for the Historical Markers:

In 1861, western Virginia was the scene of a fierce struggle which magnified the bitterly divided sympathies of its populace. In effect, this area of Virginia experienced its own civil war, and within two years, the great conflict engulfing the United States led to the formation of the new state of West Virginia. By the fall of 1861, Union forces had gained tenuous control over most of this region, although Confederate cavalry raids were frequent and discouraging to Union supporters. One such raid, carried out on November 10, 1861, targeted the town of Guyandotte, Virginia, which served as the hostile host of a Union recruit camp. While successful, this action precipitated the burning of the town by Union troops and sympathizers in one of the Civil War's early acts of retaliatory destruction. These events foreshadowed the increasingly harsh nature of the Civil War, reflecting the hardships suffered by the soldiers of both sides, as well as the civilian population and local communities. Guyandotte's fate was a result of the residents' suspected collaboration with the Confederate raiders and the town's established reputation as a "hot bed of secession."

By the middle of the nineteenth century, Guyandotte was a small, bustling port on the Ohio River. Founded in 1810 at the confluence of the Ohio and Guyandotte rivers in Cabell County, the town featured a number of profitable businesses including the Buffington Mill, reportedly the largest flour mill on the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.1 Guyandotte hosted many river travelers and a road, built in the early 1830s, connected the town with the James River and Kanawha Turnpike at Barboursville, the county seat. To boost commerce, locks and dams were built along the Guyandotte River in the early 1850s, enabling navigation southward into the Guyandotte Valley.2 The Guyandotte Herald predicted continued growth for the town, stating that "once the Guyandotte is fairly opened, the increase of business will be beyond conception."

To read the entire article: http://www.wvculture.org/hiStory/journal_wvh/wvh54-2.html




Historical Marker located on Rt 2 less than 1 mile east of Rt 60.




Same Marker - Side #2




View eastbound on Rt 2 passing through Guyandotte.


To order a copy of "West Virginia History - Your Guide to the History of the Mountain State 1939-2006" Vol 54 - Click Here

Excerpts from The Civil War Record of Albert Gallatin Jenkins, C. S. A.
By Flora Smith Johnson

Link to complete article on: WV Division of Culture and History website.

Albert Gallatin Jenkins was born November 10, 1830, on the plantation at Greenbottom which his father, William Jenkins, had owned and occupied since 1825. Between the ages of fourteen and eighteen he attended Jefferson College, at Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. After his graduation there in 1848 he entered upon the study of law at Harvard University, and in 1850 was admitted to the bar. In 1856, he went as a delegate to the National Democratic Convention held in Cincinnati, and from 1857 to 1861 he represented his district in the 36th and 37th Congresses. In April 1861, he resigned his seat in Congress, feeling impelled to ally himself at once with the Confederate cause.

Jenkins performed illustrious services as a leader of cavalry in the border warfare that was waged in Western Virginia. An English writer regarded him as a romantic border chieftain, who had led his people in swift and inexplicable forays to wrest their freedom from an invader.
His military experience was attended by fitting recognition and promotion. The Confederate high command called him to assist in carrying out their purposes in other theaters of war, on one occasion choosing him above all other Confederate cavalrymen for a service of major importance. The following paragraphs will attempt to trace the trend of this man's Civil War career, to give an account of some of his exploits, to present an estimate of his character as a soldier, and as an implement in the Confederate cause.

After leaving Washington, Jenkins returned to his home at Greenbottom where, on April 20, 1861, he was elected captain of a company composed of a hundred and one riflemen from Cabell and Mason counties. Jenkins converted the members of his company into cavalrymen and gave them the name of Border Rangers. On May 29, 1861, they were sworn in as Confederate soldiers.

[As a follow-up to the previous post on Guyandotte, here is a brief summary of his exploits there. It is interesting to see how the various Historical Markers relate.]

On the night of November 10, 1861, Jenkins with seven hundred men made a swift surprise attack upon the Regiment of Ninth Virginia Infantry, then in process of formation at Guyandotte. Of the one hundred and fifty at that time comprising the body, only those escaped who fled or concealed themselves at the outset, and Jenkins captured all their papers, books, and rolls. The next morning the steamboat Boston came up from Portsmouth, Ohio, bringing two hundred of the Fifth Virginia Regiment. These soldiers turned the cannon upon the town and afterward burned the most valuable property in Guyandotte. From there the Jenkins command went into winter-quarters at the camp meeting ground in Russell County, Virginia.

By this time Jenkins had reduced the territory lying between the Guyandotte and Big Sandy rivers to a state of anarchy. In December 1861 a petition, drawn up at Wheeling and signed by Governor Francis H. Pierpont, requested Abraham Lincoln to send a strong official who would be capable of stamping out rebellion in that region. The petition informed the President that it was through the highways of the Guyandotte and Big Sandy River valleys that the Confederates had from the beginning transported supplies to their armies. Also in December 1861, Jenkins was endorsed for the commission of brigadier general.





Historical Marker located on Rt 2 , about 2 miles south of the Cabell Co / Mason Co Line.




Same Marker - Side #2




View southbound on Rt 2

Rt 2 is a nice peaceful, scenic ride along the Ohio River. Very relaxing.

I couldn't find much on this gentleman except what is already noted on the marker. If I find more during my research, I will come back and add/edit.

Located on Rt 2 just north of the Cabell Co / Mason Co line, about 1 mile south of Glenwood. The cemetery is located about 100 yards to the east along a small gravel road.




Historical Marker located on Rt 2 just north of the Cabell Co / Mason Co line.




Same marker - Side #2




View north on Rt 2 - Cemetery is off to the right (east) about 100 yards.




View south on Rt 2. The Cabell Co line starts at the bridge (small green Cabell Co. sign is barely visible to the right of the bridge)




View of the cemetery where Thomas Hannan is buried (large square stone just on the right edge of the tree - appears to be "striped"). Looking west toward Rt 2 and the marker. Historical Marker is barely visible to the right of the tree (see next photo for closer view).





Closer view of Thomas Hannan's gravestone. Historical Marker is more visible in the background.





Plaque on Hannan's gravestone.

Another in a series of Andrew & Charles Lewis March markers (1 of 6 markers throughout the state).





Historical Marker located in the parking lot of Krodel Park, on Rt 2 about 2 miles east of downtown Point Pleasant. It's about 30-40 yards off the highway and down a slight hill, so it's easy to miss unless you are REALLY looking hard for it. Trust me (and if you don't trust me, ask Rider WV ).





Same marker - Side #2






Entrance to Krodel Park, east entrance. Historical Marker is to the left of my bike in this photo. That's Rt 2 in the foreground (Point Pleasant is to the left - west - about 2 miles).




Another view of the Krodel Park sign and the Historical Marker.

Those of you who follow or participate in the WV Tag-O-Rama will probably recognize this one. I used it as a tag location a few months back.

Located on Old Rt 50 about 1 mile west of the Ritchie Co / Doddridge Co line, about halfway between Clarksburg and Parkersburg. (This is all on the north side of the new 4-lane Rt 50).

This marker was at the "Marker Spa" for a makeover when I did the tag, and just re-appeared late August or early September. Looks nice!

For a nice article on Rt 50 in WV and across the US: http://www.route50.com/westvirginia.htm

For a Wikipedia article including mileage listings and junctions with other roads: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_50_in_West_Virginia


For additional photos of the old town of Tollgate, including the toll bridge, post office, and school: http://travel.webshots.com/album/37014103ilVFaJ?start=0




Historical Marker located about 50 yards north of New Rt 50 on access road to Tollgate. (Within view of New Rt 50)





Same Marker - Side #2





View of Historical Marker from access road that connects New Rt 50 to Tollgate. New Rt 50 (4-Lane) eastbound is visible to the right, and Tollgate is to the left about 1/2 mile.



A re-shoot of the tag photo from earlier this summer. This appears to be a "Rails to Trails" walking/biking path made when they removed the old railroad tracks.





Old Rt 50 eastbound entering Tollgate. This used to be the main east-west highway through WV. :eek1 I remember some scary rides home from Parkersburg when I was a kid, including a head on collision right in front of us.


OK, I'm out of photos - time for another ride!

Greenbrier Ghost, Rt 60 junction with I-64



From the South



From the North



The defense actually brought the subject up in court. It sounds like Edward Shue had another ghost or two in his past.

I noticed the "shiny" Toll Gate sign when I was heading across 50 a couple weeks ago. I thought it had already been "found" or I would have taken a pic. When I was a kid we went and checked out a train wreck in Toll Gate. It was pretty cool.

Well, I was out of Marker photos, and didn't know what to do :eek1 , so I went for a ride. All is good, now. It was starting to warm up a bit when I left Clarksburg about 10:30am (about 50 and sunny), but I threw on some extra layers of clothes and even put a couple of layers in my saddlebags. I figured the temps would drop when I got to Mt Storm/Thomas/Davis, and I was right. Sunny, but 40s. Winter is definitely coming!

Rt 50 eastbound runs through a small section of the southwest tip of Maryland (Red House) before re-entering WV at Gormania. This section of Rt 50 is some GREAT riding, especially from Grafton East. Two of the best spots are just west of Cool Springs (west of Rt 72) and climbing the mountain eastbound from Erwin to Dayton. Entering WV at Gormania, Rt 50 is a very scenic ride with views of the Mt Storm wind turbines and powerplant off in the distance on the fall-foliage mountains. A beautiful ride any time of the year, but more so in October.




Historical Marker located in Gormania on Rt 50 as you enter Grant County eastbound from Maryland.

For more on Grant Co: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_County,_West_Virginia




View eastbound on Rt 50 entering Gormania, WV. Marker is to the left, just after the end of the bridge.




Same Marker - Side #2. View westbound leaving WV. Why would anyone want to leave WV? Because there's more of WV about 20 miles ahead.





View westbound entering Maryland.

Unless I'm mistaken here are the last two markers from Wood Co. to be posted. Both are located at Mount Wood Park which is about 15 miles east of Parkersburg.

The Endless Cable System...







Amazing that system of pumping oil wells was used there for 100 years!

Early Oil Wells......






Here's a WWII Submarine Memorial that's located at the entrance to the park...









Nice area for riding....SR 31 heads east out of Williamstown and I don't remember it having any straight stretches at all.

We rode through Cairo, North Bend State Park and Harrisville. Then west on SR16 to St. Marys and then to Marietta.

Just Go,

Thanks for the new markers. Great photos and writeups.

I will go back and double-check, but I'm still showing 3 more available in Wood Co:

1) George Rogers Clark - Blennerhassett Dock, Point Park
2) Wood Co / State of Ohio - Rt 50 Bridge
3) Parkersburg - Federal Bldg

Maybe I missed these - wouldn't be the first (or last) time. I hope to update the spreadsheet again tonight after work (7am-7pm today )

Thanks again!

This one is listed as missing from the front of the Blackwater Falls Lodge. I went there Thursday looking for clues and found none. Just as I was leaving the parking lot, I saw a park ranger and asked him about it. He said he had been there 20 years and there was never a marker in front of the lodge. Hmmm. However, he said, there was one up at Pendleton Point, about a mile past the falls parking lot. Several years ago, a tree fell on it and broke it off the pole. He told me it may still be up at the maintenance building.

Off I went in search of the lost marker. At the maintenance building, one of the gentlemen there knew where it was. He led me behind one of the buildings where we found it leaning up against a wall. Sure enough, it had been broken off.




Ouch! This marker is identical to the one on the footpath leading down to the falls.




RIP. Is it repairable? We'll ask the experts in Charleston and get back with you.

I can imagine that a lot of the "missing" markers are laying around in warehouses and maintenance facilities throughout the state. It's fun to put on the Sherlock Holmes hat and find them.

I looked extensively for those three markers............no go...

They may have been in for re-painting. P-burg isn't too far from me so I can go back to see if I can find them once more.

Way to go Sherlock... ............

My understanding from speaking with Mr. Geiger is that when it breaks like that its an easy fix and they just put a new bottom on it.

Later,
Chrome...

Superglue and Ducktape!

Union Baptist Church located on CR 25/7 (Fairgrounds) Milton

From interstate 64 East of Huntington, WV take exit 28 (Milton) and turn toward Milton,
drive 3/10 mile to US route 60. Turn right onto US route 60 West and drive 4/10 mile to
1st stoplight. Turn left onto Fair Ground Road and drive 7/10 mile to One Pumpkin Way.
Milton Bridge is located on your left. The traffic was terrible due to the Pumpkin Festival.
The marker is not located at the current site of the bridge. I think the marker might be
located at the original location of the bridge. I hope to return and find this marker and
the Harshbarger Corner marker.