This marker is along a curvy road at the peak of the hill. It is set back from the road a little…read morebit and needing some clearing. There is some space to pull over to stop and read the marker. The marker reads, "White Oak Fuel Company built the Oakwood Mine Complex in 1902. In 1915, 21 miners died when gas in the mine exploded. A year later, the original wooden tipple was upgraded to a multi-story steel structure. New River Company ran the mine after absorbing White Oak Fuel, a subsidiary, in 1936. Peak output was 515,936 tons in 1940. The mine shut down in 1965." The maker was erected in 2012 by West Virginia Department of Abandoned Mine Lands and the West Virginia Department of Archives & History. [Review 19615 overall - 89 in West Virginia - 586 of 2023.]

This marker is along the entrance lane to the Spring Hill Cemetery and points out some of the…read morehistory. It stands beside the relocated graves of the Andrew Donnally family. It reads, "Moved here from Kanawha City where the original cemetery was created in 1830 by Andrew Donnally Jr. Born Oct. 17, 1778 at Ft. Donnally in Greenbrier County he died June 21, 1849 at his home on the Kanawha opposite Malden. He came to the Kanawha Valley with the first settlers in 1788 and lived in Pt. Pleasant Briefly. Andrew Donnally Jr. became the largest saltmaker in the Kanawha Valley and served as Sheriff, County Clerk, Justice of the Peace and Delegate to the Virginia Assembly from Kanawha. He married Marjery Van Bibber in 1802. They were parents of 13 children. many of their descendants are buried nearby in this the oldest section of Spring Hill Cemetery." Andrew Donnally Jr was part of a well known frontier family tied to early settlement in western Virginia. He became one of the earliest pioneers in what would become Charleston and grew into a major figure in the Kanawha Valley salt industry, which dominated the region's economy in the early nineteenth century. Donnally died in 1849 and was buried at Spring Hill Cemetery, leaving behind a legacy rooted in frontier defense, early industry, and the growth of Charleston from a small settlement into a regional center. [Review 15 of 2026 - 199 in West Virginia - 25206 overall]

This marker is located along US-60 next to the Kanawha River and points out the adjacent wooden…read morecabin. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, " Constructed in 1846. This cabin served as kitchen house for the 600-acre estate of John Morgan. The day before the Battle of Scary, on July 16, 1861, Union troops commanded by Gen. Jacob D. Cox camped on the Morgan estate and were fed from this kitchen. Donated to the city of St. Albans by Albert Sidney Johnson Morgan, 1883-1973, this historic cabin was restored and is now known as Morgan Plantation Kitchen Museum." The marker was erected in 1974 by the West Virginia Department of Archives and History and there is room to stop and park here. At 6:30am, the place was definitely closed but the cabin sits right by the road so you can still walk around and take a look. The restored log cabin is small, weathered, and clearly old and even from the outside you get a sense of how it once worked as the plantation's separate kitchen house. Quiet spot at that hour, worth a quick stop if you're passing through Saint Albans. [Review 910 of 2026 - 222 in West Virginia - 26091 overall]

This marker is by the street in front of the Putnam County Courthouse and points out not only the…read morehistory of this town but of the Civil War battle that took place here. Winfield remained one of West Virginia's smallest and most isolated county seats well into the 20th century, relying almost entirely on the Kanawha River for travel and commerce because it had neither a railroad nor a paved road until 1926. The town's early growth centered on river navigation at Red House Shoal, where steamboats were forced into a narrow channel that made Winfield a natural checkpoint for traffic. A windstorm destroyed the original 1849 courthouse in 1898, leading to the construction of the 1900 building that still stands as the historic annex. A major 1928 fire wiped out a block of businesses, and the Depression soon shuttered the replacement bank. Construction of the Winfield Locks and Dam in 1936 and the bridge in 1957 finally shifted the town from a river hamlet into a connected suburban center poised for modern growth. On the front, "Winfield. Sited on land owned by Charles Brown, who started a ferry here in 1818, the town was named for Gen. Winfield Scott, Mexican-American War hero. Putnam County's seat, it was incorporated in 1868. Its location along the Kanawha made it an important hub for trade and commerce and of strategic value during the Civil War. Use of ferry ended with bridge opening in 1957." On the reverse, "Lt. Col. Vincent Witcher and Capt. Phillip Thurmond led two columns of Confederates on October 26, 1864, against Federal troops that were protecting Winfield and local river traffic. Though outnumbered, Company D of the 7th West Virginia Cavalry under Capt. John Reynolds repulsed the attack, killing Thurmond and taking several prisoners without suffering any major casualties." The marker was erected in 2017 by the West Virginia Archive and History. [Review 924 of 2026 - 234 in West Virginia - 26105 overall]

This marker near Nitro City Hall and the fire department points out some of the earliest colonial…read moreand settlement history of the area. The front of the marker reads, "Military Survey. December 1, 1773, George Washington patented 21,941 acres known as the "Pocatalico Survey." Included were the present sites of Nitro, Sattes, Poca and Cross Lanes. The tract was divided among eight former officers who served in the French and Indian War (1754-1763): Adam Stephen, John Savage, Andrew Lewis, John Wilper, Thomas Bullitt, Peter Hogg, William Wright and John Fry." And the reverse, "Nitro. Founded Nov. 1, 1917 as site of U. S. Govt. "Explosive Plant C." Thompson Sterratt Co. finished job in eleven months with work force of 110,000. Project included a town to support a population of 24,000 and cost $60 million. Plant operated by Hercules Powder Co. made 350 tons of cannon powder daily. Bought by Charleston Industrial Corp. Nov. 1919 and resold to Monsanto, FMC and Fike cos." The marker was erected in 1982 by West Virginia Department of Culture and History. Nitro's wartime construction brought an unusually diverse workforce into the Kanawha Valley, with government records noting employees from every state and 41 nationalities, many staying only about 40 days before moving on. After the Armistice halted production, Nitro transitioned into a civilian chemical-industry hub and today, the city blends its military origins with recreation and tourism reflecting a shift toward service-based amenities while preserving its boomtown history. [Review 929 of 2026 - 238 in West Virginia - 26109 overall]

This lovely old Mansion is the residence of the Governor of West Virginia. Many great men and their…read morefamilies have lived in this home. Located on the grounds of the West Virginia Capitol Complex at 1716 Kanawha Blvd E, Charleston, WV 25305 The West Virginia Governor's Mansion (or West Virginia Executive Mansion) is a historic residence located next to the Kanawha River in Charleston, West Virginia and is the official residence of the Governor of West Virginia. The Colonial Revival (Georgian Revival) building was completed in 1925 by Charleston architect Walter F. Martens and is part of the West Virginia Capitol Complex, which also includes the West Virginia State Capitol. The building itself has a red brick exterior, with a columned portico at the entrance. The foyer was inspired by the White House, with checkered black-and-white marble flooring and dual staircases. The first floor of the mansion includes the drawing room, ballroom, state dining room, library, and a sitting room. The second floor houses the governor's own rooms, as well as those of his family, while additional bedrooms are on the third floor.[2] In all, the structure has 30 rooms.[3] The mansion also features walled gardens, a separate garage, and servant quarters.[2] The total cost of the mansion, including land, construction, and furnishings, was approximately $203,000 at the time of its construction.[

A wonderful old house, fitting for the responsible officer of the state government…read more When I was a child, my parents would take me trick-or-treating, and we always stopped by the Governor's Mansion. At the time, Arch Moore was governor. He and Mrs. Moore would actually greet you at the door themselves, and give candy. How awesome is that?

As a city on a river, Charleston has a handful of bridges that ensure the two sides are able to…read moreconnect. While the upriver Chuck Yeager Bridge carries both I-77 and I-64 over the river, this one is downriver from the city and is simply named the South Side Bridge. Perhaps one day it will get named after a worthy West Virginian. In the meanwhile, the South Side Bridge was built in 1936 by the Wisconsin Bridge and Iron Company and was updated in 1990. The bridge spans 1146 feet with a main span of 420 feet and is 38.7 feet wide. It is a Parker through truss bridge. It brings I-64 over not only the Kanawha River but also Kanawha Boulevard and MacCorkle Avenue and a railroad line. My two crossings of the bridge today were easy and smooth thanks to low weekend traffic. As there are signs on the bridge that note the "exit only" lanes, it is likely much more challenging during rush hour. There is no toll here which is a positive. [Review 566 of 2025 - 151 in West Virginia - 24127 overall]

The 1148-foot South Side Bridge opened in 1936 and carries Dickinson Street over the Kanahwa River…read morein the middle of Charleston WV. It is a through truss bridge with clearance enough for a Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star doing 500mph to miss the water and the deck. According to an April 2010 item in the Charleston Gazette this is the bridge Chuck Yeager famously flew under in 1948 - a year after breaking the sound barrier: one pass, heading west, to impress/scare the locals and then back to work. No more, no less, the general was just having a little too much fun. Yea Chuck!

Early afternoon, I crossed the Richard J. "Dick" Henderson Memorial Bridge, the span tying Saint…read moreAlbans on the south bank to Nitro on the north. It isn't one of the big Kanawha River crossings like up in Charleston, but the 1998 steel girder design feels steady, practical, and built for everyday traffic rather than showpiece architecture to support a crossing carrying an interstate. The bridge carries the name of Dick Henderson, a longtime Saint Albans civic figure and former mayor remembered for pushing community development, supporting local businesses and helping modernize the town during the mid 20th century. Even with its modest profile, the crossing gives you a clean view of the river, moves smoothly, and like the others along this stretch of the Kanawha, it's toll-free, making it an easy and straightforward way to get between the two cities. [Review 913 of 2026 - 225 in West Virginia - 26094 overall]