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Kanawha County, West Virginia
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Bridge at Charleston, 1943
Bridge at Charleston, 1943

"On the 19th day of December 1794 the General Assembly of Virginia enacted 'That 40 acres of land, the property of George Clendennin, at the mouth of Elk river, in the county of Kanawha, as the same are all nearly laid off into town lots and streets, shall be established a town, by the name of Charlestown, and Reuben Slaughter, Andrew Donally, sr., William Clendennin, John Morris, sr., Leonard Morris, George Alderson, Abraham Baker, John Young, and William Morris, gentlemen, appointed trustees thereof.' " [source: The Weekly Register (Point Pleasant, WV) 12 Dec 1894, p3]

Kanawha County was created in 1789.
It takes its name from the Native term, Kanawha: "place of white stone".
The county seat is Charleston, which is also the state capital.

Kanawha County is the most populous county in the state of West Virginia

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Charleston Facts:

1788 - In May Charleston was first settled by George Clendenin, who built the first house of logs on Kanawha Street, about one hundred and fifty feet above Brooks Street, and known as Clendenin Fort or Block House. Kanawha Street was called Front Street and Virginia Street, Main Street.

1790 - Charleston Population: 35

1794 - The last person to be killed by Indians was Shararack Harmon, living at the mouth of Venables Branch.

1796 - First Court house built of logs 30x40 feet, one story high. August first, first attorney admitted to practice, Edward Graham.

1797 - The first white child born in Charleston was General Lewis Ruffner, born October 1st, in Clendenin fort.

1798 - Daniel Boone made last survey on Kanawha September 8th.

1800-Population 65.

1801 First Post Office Kanawha Court House, Edward Graham, Post Master.
[Source: Ledger of Genealogy Quarterly Publication; WV Gen. Society; vol. 24, #2; June 2007]

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Cities
Charleston * Dunbar * Marmet * Montgomery (part) *
Nitro (part) * Smithers (part) * South Charleston * St. Albans 

Towns
Belle * Cedar Grove * Chesapeake * Clendenin * East Bank * Glasgow * Handley * Pratt

Census-designated places
Alum Creek (part) * Big Chimney * Chelyan * Coal Fork * Cross Lanes *
Elkview * Jefferson * Pinch * Rand * Shrewsbury * Sissonville * Tornado

Unincorporated Communities
Aarons * Acme * Acup * Airport Village * Amandaville * Amelia * Annfred * Arborland Acres * Barren Creek * Blackhawk * Blakeley * Blount * Blue Creek * Blundon * Bream * Brounland * Burnwell * Cabin Creek * Carbon * Cinco * Coalburg * Coalridge * Coco * Corton * Crede * Crown Hill * Davis Creek * Dawes * Decota * Dial * Diamond * Dickinson * Donwood * Dry Branch * Dungriff * Dupont City * East Nitro * East Side * Edgewood * Elk * Elk Forest * Elk Hills * Emmons (part) * Eskdale * Etowah * Falling Rock * Ferrell * Fivemile * Forest Hills * Forks of Coal * Fort Hill * Frame * Gallagher * Giles * Green Valley * Greencastle * Grippe * Guthrie * Hansford * Hernshaw * Hicumbottom * Highlawn * Hillsdale * Hitop * Holly * Hollygrove * Hollyhurst * Hugheston * Institute * Island Branch * Ivydale * Jarrett * Jarretts Ford * Joplin * Kanawha Estates * Kayford * Kelly Hill * Kendalia * Laing * Leewood * Loudendale * Lower Falls * Malden * Mammoth * Meadowbrook * Mink Shoals * Pocatalico * Pond Gap * Port Amherst * Putney * Quick * Quincy * River Bend * Rocky Fork * Rock Lake Village * Rutledge * Sanderson * Sharon * Tyler Heights * Tyler Mountain * Winifrede
 

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Website Updates

Dec. 2024:
Sicklist News for SNYDER
Fire news for SNIDER, CROW, HASKINS, RIDLEY, ROBINSON
Obits for CLARKSON, ANDERSON, JOHNSON
Marriage News for MOWRY-COFFEY, SMITH-PEYTON
Gossip News for WINES, JONES, BASSETT, DUNBAR

Sept. 2024:
 Obits: WHITTINGTON, THOMAS, SHILLIDAY, HOWELL, WILLIAMS,  RANDOLPH
Marriages: DAVIS-DAVIS, PRICE-HALSTEAD, ROBERTS-DENNING, SOLOF-LEVY
Birth News: INGRAM, SCARBERRY, STOUT, HARLESS, SLATER, CASDORPH, MEREDITH
Sicklist News: JARRETT, ROE
Court News: RADCLIFFE
Community News for DOVENER, VICKERS
Military News: HOLT, JONAS, MYERS

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