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Logan Shares 150 Years

Anyone who grew up in the fifties and sixties in Logan County can remember what it was like to come to town, especially on Saturday morning or afternoon. Just about anyone you wanted or needed to see was in Logan.

The sidewalks were always full of old friends standing in their familiar places all along Stratton Street, and the shops and stores were full of Moms with youngsters in tow, buying new shoes, back-to-school clothes or getting a monthly haircut. It was the day of the week when working parents came to town to do their marketing or business, to treat the kids to a matinee at the theater or to enjoy a shake at Franklin's Restaurant or some other now bygone but well-remembered place -- the Smokehouse, G.C. Murphy Co. or the New Eagle Restaurant.

The memories of those days are even warmer when familiar faces and names are brought to mind -- those folks around whom you grew up and who had a part in your "raisin'."

Coming to town was a family affair which helped to make Logan County more of a community than a county.

Logan -- just as its neighbors Man, Chapmanville, Holden and scores of even smaller hamlets -- has a personality all its own. It also has the power of spirit which demonstrates to all fortunate enough to visit that it is truly a "small town with a big heart," where true southern hospitality is practiced the way it is only preached in other states.

It is a pleasure to welcome visitors to the community of Logan in the year of its 150th Anniversary.

Early History of Logan

The island now known as Midelburg on the Guyandotte River in Logan was a Shawnee capitol and gathering place for several Native American tribes. This, combined with mountainous terrain and inaccessibility, discouraged white settlement of the area. From this protected vantage point the Shawnee Chief Cornstalk planned his strategies.

After the Battle of Point Pleasant and the death of Chief Cornstalk in 1774, the Shawnees in West Virginia were under the command of his daughter, Princess Aracoma. A beloved figure to the people of Logan, Aracoma is credited with settling the conflict between the native population and the settlers through her marriage to a white man. Aracoma brought peace to the people and lived among them until her death in 1780. She is buried on her island home in Logan.

White settlers ventured into the area in 1799. Up and down the rivers and creeks of the county they built their log cabins, cleared the forest and established civilization in what was then an almost impenetrable wilderness. By 1820 there were some 2,000 settlers living in what would become Logan County.

Named in honor of the chief of the Mingo tribe, Logan officially became one of the counties of the Commonwealth of Virginia on May 7, 1824. The county seat was established at Lawnsville in 1826, but officially incorporated in 1852 as Aracoma. The city name was later changed to Logan by the West Virginia Legislature to conform with the name of the county.

Aracoma Story

Logan can lay claim to one of America's most romantic legends, the story of Aracoma, which has grown around the authentic details of an incident in the history of the region some 200 years ago. Aracoma and her white husband, Boling Baker, moved into the valley sometime close to the year 1760 and lived in peace on the island in today's city of Logan until 1780.

Aracoma blends tales of the Shawnee with the story of young love. Boling Baker, a scout for General Braddock's army, was captured by Chief Cornstalk. Rescued from death by the chief's beautiful daughter, Aracoma, Baker was adopted into the tribe and became her husband.

In 1952 Thomas McEvoy Patterson was commissioned to write a historic drama for the centennial celebration of the city of Logan. The production was staged on the same island where the events took place.

The nation's bicentennial was occasion for revival of the story, and in 1976 a permanent home was secured at chief Logan State Park. The people of Logan County pitched in to help create an amphitheater for the 1977 production. The Liz Spurlock Amphitheater is still in use today. The Aracoma Story runs in the summers at Chief Logan State Park.

Civil War

Arthur I. Boreman, West Virginia's first governor, once called the state "the child of the rebellion."

Although the Civil War was more than 130 years ago and the last veteran of America's great conflict died in 1959, it is alive in Logan County every September.

"Rebellion in the Hills," the annual Civil War reenactment, brings a multitude of people to Chief Logan State Park, including educators, students, Civil War buffs, history enthusiasts and the general public.

The reenactment begins with a walking tour of Logan and a chat with Civil War era Logan County residents. It is highlighted by an authentic Civil War skirmish, which brings reenactors to the county from 15 states including Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

You will feel that you have been transported back in time to 1863 as you hear the boom of the cannon, the pop of the musket, the gallop of the cavalry, the clash of the swords and the struggle of the men in blue and the men in gray.

Also watching the battle are none other than Confederate General Robert E. Lee along with General Stonewall Jackson. You will also see President Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary look on intently.

Following the skirmish and Union victory, Lincoln, clad in his black suit and black top hat, will address the audience with one of his powerful speeches in front of the state park's Baltimore & Ohio train.

Hatfield-McCoy

Before the building of the railroad in 1889, the Tug Valley was rural and isolated. Subsisting on farming, gathering ginseng and rudimentary timbering, the people relied on no one but their families or "clans."

Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield (1825-1909) ruled the West Virginia side of the Tug Valley in the area of Matewan and Mate Creek which was then known as Logan County. Leader Randolph "Old Ranel" McCoy (1839-1921) dominated the Kentucky side of the Tug River.

No towns existed, and even the county seat, Logan Courthouse, was located beyond the mountain ridges which surrounded and defined the valley.

Some people say the feud started in 1865 as the Civil War ended, but others say it began in 1878 when Floyd Hatfield and Ranel McCoy argued over the ownership of a pig. A jury of six Hatfields and six McCoys settled the case in a Kentucky court, where one McCoy voted for acquittal. The resulting resentment, combined with suspicion and mistrust, led to a series of tragic events over a period of twenty-one years. As many as 20 confirmed members of the clans lost their lives during the duration of the infamous feud.

A marble monument of Devil Anse Hatfield stands over his grave at Sarah Ann in the Hatfield Family Cemetery, located south of Logan on West Virginia Route 44. Beside him are the headstones for other members of the Hatfield clan. For more information on visiting the Hatfield Cemetery or the Hatfield-McCoy Feud, call the Logan County Chamber of Commerce.

Coal Heritage

Industrialists were aware of the wealth of Logan long before coal could be transported to outside markets. While the Guyandotte River was suitable for floating logs, it was not until the railroad arrived late in the 19th century that coal became king. With the railroad came the mines, schools, houses and stores of the coaltowns. By 1907 fifteen companies were operating in Logan County. At the peak of the industry in 1925, there were fifty companies operating more than one hundred mines.

During this period many of the other fields throughout the state had organized with the United Mine Workers. The miners and operators of the Logan Field showed little interest in this movement. A march from Marmet in Kanawha County, planned to force unionization, was disbanded before reaching Logan in 1919. However, in 1921 a second march came to Logan, where residents had gathered to protect their property from the invaders. The famous "armed march to Logan" which began on August 24 led to the "Battle of Blair Mountain" and ultimately to declaration of martial law by President Harding, who ordered federal troops into Logan County to quell the conflict. It was not until 1933 that the United Mine Workers gained any ground in Logan.

Today Logan is part of The National Coal Heritage Area, one of only eighteen National Heritage Areas in the United States. The NCHA will "preserve, protect and interpret" significant lands and structures associated with the coal mining heritage of West Virginia.

Communications

On May 8, 1952, WVOW radio went on the air in Logan and has been the voice of the community for 50 years, broadcasting Little League games and local news. Logan has seen its share of mine disasters over the years. The worst occurred on March 8, 1960 at the Holden 22 Mine. WVOW kept the community informed for eleven horrible days until the bodies of seventeen miners were found.

Chief Logan State Park

Located in the heart of West Virginia's southern coalfields, Chief Logan State Park lies four miles north of the town of Logan. The park and the town share the name of the Chief of the Cayuga Tribe, also known as the Mingo. The 3,300-acre park is one of the most visited state parks in West Virginia.

Chief Logan features a 25-site campground, restaurant, amphitheater and wildlife center, an ideal place to learn about the fauna of the area. Exhibits feature native animals including wild boar, bobcats, barred owl, red shouldered hawk, native reptiles and a pair of ornery black bear cubs.

Park facilities provide for a wide range of recreational activities from hiking and horseback riding to swimming and miniature golf. Game courts, picnic and playground areas are found throughout the park.

Guests are invited to visit the Liz Spurlock Amphitheater, home to a variety of summer shows, including the popular "The Aracoma Story," which celebrated its 25th anniversary at Chief Logan State Park in 2000.

An old Kanawha 2,700 class steam locomotive near the park restaurant reminds visitors of the importance of the bygone era of coal in southern West Virginia.

Logan County Arts and Crafts Fair

The year 2002 will bring the 30th Annual Logan County Arts and Crafts Fair to the Logan Memorial Field House. Scheduled for early August, the fair hosts local crafters as well as vendors from out of town. Crafters display a wide variety of unique handmade art and craft items.

The fair provides shoppers with the opportunity to find unusual gifts for very special occasions. In addition to great food and unique crafts, local entertainment will grace the stage during the fair. The county's local history, culture and heritage are displayed throughout the weekend. Sponsored by the Logan County Chamber of Commerce, the event welcomes visitors to Logan County for a weekend of good food, families and fun.

Sources: Centennial Program, City of Logan; The Logan Banner; Coalfield Convention & Visitors Bureau

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Regional Resources
	Logan County / Coalfield Map
Logan Shares 150 Years Anyone who grew up in the fifties and sixties in Logan County can remember what it was like to come to town, especially on Saturday morning or afternoon. Just about anyone you wanted or needed to see was in Logan. The sidewalks were always full of old friends standing in their familiar places all along Stratton Street, and the shops and stores were full of Moms with youngsters in tow, buying new shoes, back-to-school clothes or getting a monthly haircut. It was the day of the week when working parents came to town to do their marketing or business, to treat the kids to a matinee at the theater or to enjoy a shake at Franklin's Restaurant or some other now bygone but well-remembered place -- the Smokehouse, G.C. Murphy Co. or the New Eagle Restaurant. The memories of those days are even warmer when familiar faces and names are brought to mind -- those folks around whom you grew up and who had a part in your "raisin'." Coming to town was a family affair which helped to make Logan County more of a community than a county. Logan -- just as its neighbors Man, Chapmanville, Holden and scores of even smaller hamlets -- has a personality all its own. It also has the power of spirit which demonstrates to all fortunate enough to visit that it is truly a "small town with a big heart," where true southern hospitality is practiced the way it is only preached in other states. It is a pleasure to welcome visitors to the community of Logan in the year of its 150th Anniversary.
Early History of Logan The island now known as Midelburg on the Guyandotte River in Logan was a Shawnee capitol and gathering place for several Native American tribes. This, combined with mountainous terrain and inaccessibility, discouraged white settlement of the area. From this protected vantage point the Shawnee Chief Cornstalk planned his strategies. After the Battle of Point Pleasant and the death of Chief Cornstalk in 1774, the Shawnees in West Virginia were under the command of his daughter, Princess Aracoma. A beloved figure to the people of Logan, Aracoma is credited with settling the conflict between the native population and the settlers through her marriage to a white man. Aracoma brought peace to the people and lived among them until her death in 1780. She is buried on her island home in Logan. White settlers ventured into the area in 1799. Up and down the rivers and creeks of the county they built their log cabins, cleared the forest and established civilization in what was then an almost impenetrable wilderness. By 1820 there were some 2,000 settlers living in what would become Logan County. Named in honor of the chief of the Mingo tribe, Logan officially became one of the counties of the Commonwealth of Virginia on May 7, 1824. The county seat was established at Lawnsville in 1826, but officially incorporated in 1852 as Aracoma. The city name was later changed to Logan by the West Virginia Legislature to conform with the name of the county. Aracoma Story Logan can lay claim to one of America's most romantic legends, the story of Aracoma, which has grown around the authentic details of an incident in the history of the region some 200 years ago. Aracoma and her white husband, Boling Baker, moved into the valley sometime close to the year 1760 and lived in peace on the island in today's city of Logan until 1780. Aracoma blends tales of the Shawnee with the story of young love. Boling Baker, a scout for General Braddock's army, was captured by Chief Cornstalk. Rescued from death by the chief's beautiful daughter, Aracoma, Baker was adopted into the tribe and became her husband. In 1952 Thomas McEvoy Patterson was commissioned to write a historic drama for the centennial celebration of the city of Logan. The production was staged on the same island where the events took place. The nation's bicentennial was occasion for revival of the story, and in 1976 a permanent home was secured at chief Logan State Park. The people of Logan County pitched in to help create an amphitheater for the 1977 production. The Liz Spurlock Amphitheater is still in use today. The Aracoma Story runs in the summers at Chief Logan State Park. Civil War Arthur I. Boreman, West Virginia's first governor, once called the state "the child of the rebellion." Although the Civil War was more than 130 years ago and the last veteran of America's great conflict died in 1959, it is alive in Logan County every September. "Rebellion in the Hills," the annual Civil War reenactment, brings a multitude of people to Chief Logan State Park, including educators, students, Civil War buffs, history enthusiasts and the general public. The reenactment begins with a walking tour of Logan and a chat with Civil War era Logan County residents. It is highlighted by an authentic Civil War skirmish, which brings reenactors to the county from 15 states including Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. You will feel that you have been transported back in time to 1863 as you hear the boom of the cannon, the pop of the musket, the gallop of the cavalry, the clash of the swords and the struggle of the men in blue and the men in gray. Also watching the battle are none other than Confederate General Robert E. Lee along with General Stonewall Jackson. You will also see President Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary look on intently. Following the skirmish and Union victory, Lincoln, clad in his black suit and black top hat, will address the audience with one of his powerful speeches in front of the state park's Baltimore & Ohio train. Hatfield-McCoy Before the building of the railroad in 1889, the Tug Valley was rural and isolated. Subsisting on farming, gathering ginseng and rudimentary timbering, the people relied on no one but their families or "clans." Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield (1825-1909) ruled the West Virginia side of the Tug Valley in the area of Matewan and Mate Creek which was then known as Logan County. Leader Randolph "Old Ranel" McCoy (1839-1921) dominated the Kentucky side of the Tug River. No towns existed, and even the county seat, Logan Courthouse, was located beyond the mountain ridges which surrounded and defined the valley. Some people say the feud started in 1865 as the Civil War ended, but others say it began in 1878 when Floyd Hatfield and Ranel McCoy argued over the ownership of a pig. A jury of six Hatfields and six McCoys settled the case in a Kentucky court, where one McCoy voted for acquittal. The resulting resentment, combined with suspicion and mistrust, led to a series of tragic events over a period of twenty-one years. As many as 20 confirmed members of the clans lost their lives during the duration of the infamous feud. A marble monument of Devil Anse Hatfield stands over his grave at Sarah Ann in the Hatfield Family Cemetery, located south of Logan on West Virginia Route 44. Beside him are the headstones for other members of the Hatfield clan. For more information on visiting the Hatfield Cemetery or the Hatfield-McCoy Feud, call the Logan County Chamber of Commerce. Coal Heritage Industrialists were aware of the wealth of Logan long before coal could be transported to outside markets. While the Guyandotte River was suitable for floating logs, it was not until the railroad arrived late in the 19th century that coal became king. With the railroad came the mines, schools, houses and stores of the coaltowns. By 1907 fifteen companies were operating in Logan County. At the peak of the industry in 1925, there were fifty companies operating more than one hundred mines. During this period many of the other fields throughout the state had organized with the United Mine Workers. The miners and operators of the Logan Field showed little interest in this movement. A march from Marmet in Kanawha County, planned to force unionization, was disbanded before reaching Logan in 1919. However, in 1921 a second march came to Logan, where residents had gathered to protect their property from the invaders. The famous "armed march to Logan" which began on August 24 led to the "Battle of Blair Mountain" and ultimately to declaration of martial law by President Harding, who ordered federal troops into Logan County to quell the conflict. It was not until 1933 that the United Mine Workers gained any ground in Logan. Today Logan is part of The National Coal Heritage Area, one of only eighteen National Heritage Areas in the United States. The NCHA will "preserve, protect and interpret" significant lands and structures associated with the coal mining heritage of West Virginia. Communications On May 8, 1952, WVOW radio went on the air in Logan and has been the voice of the community for 50 years, broadcasting Little League games and local news. Logan has seen its share of mine disasters over the years. The worst occurred on March 8, 1960 at the Holden 22 Mine. WVOW kept the community informed for eleven horrible days until the bodies of seventeen miners were found. Chief Logan State Park Located in the heart of West Virginia's southern coalfields, Chief Logan State Park lies four miles north of the town of Logan. The park and the town share the name of the Chief of the Cayuga Tribe, also known as the Mingo. The 3,300-acre park is one of the most visited state parks in West Virginia. Chief Logan features a 25-site campground, restaurant, amphitheater and wildlife center, an ideal place to learn about the fauna of the area. Exhibits feature native animals including wild boar, bobcats, barred owl, red shouldered hawk, native reptiles and a pair of ornery black bear cubs. Park facilities provide for a wide range of recreational activities from hiking and horseback riding to swimming and miniature golf. Game courts, picnic and playground areas are found throughout the park. Guests are invited to visit the Liz Spurlock Amphitheater, home to a variety of summer shows, including the popular "The Aracoma Story," which celebrated its 25th anniversary at Chief Logan State Park in 2000. An old Kanawha 2,700 class steam locomotive near the park restaurant reminds visitors of the importance of the bygone era of coal in southern West Virginia. Logan County Arts and Crafts Fair The year 2002 will bring the 30th Annual Logan County Arts and Crafts Fair to the Logan Memorial Field House. Scheduled for early August, the fair hosts local crafters as well as vendors from out of town. Crafters display a wide variety of unique handmade art and craft items. The fair provides shoppers with the opportunity to find unusual gifts for very special occasions. In addition to great food and unique crafts, local entertainment will grace the stage during the fair. The county's local history, culture and heritage are displayed throughout the weekend. Sponsored by the Logan County Chamber of Commerce, the event welcomes visitors to Logan County for a weekend of good food, families and fun. Sources: Centennial Program, City of Logan; The Logan Banner; Coalfield Convention & Visitors Bureau \|\| Order your FREE West Virginia Heritage Magazine \| Request FREE regional travel information \| Logan County Regional Resources \| Logan County / Coalfield Region Map \| Locator Map \| Back to the top \| Take me home \|\| site by WVAgency