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West Virginia in the Civil War chronicles the role West Virginians played in the Civil War through the use of vintage photograph

West Virginia, ""Child of the Storm,"" was the only state formed as a result of the Civil War. West Virginia witnessed battles, engagements, and guerrilla actions during the four years of the Civil War. The struggle between eastern and western Virginia over voting rights, taxation, and economic development can be traced back to the formation of the Republic. John Brown's 1859 raid on the United States Arsenal at Harpers Ferry played a major role in the Civil War, which started in western Virginia with the destruction of Baltimore & Ohio Railroad property. When Virginia voted to secede and join the slave-holding Confederacy, the counties of western Virginia formed the pro-Union government known as the Restored Government of Virginia in Wheeling. West Virginia in the Civil War chronicles the role West Virginians played in the Civil War through the use of vintage photographs.

From a civil war medical outpost to oil-boom town, Parkersburg's fascinating history in rich, historic photographs and first-hand accounts.

The history of Parkersburg is, essentially, the history of the United States. Founded shortly after America's independence, Parkersburg grew from a small river town in what was once wilderness to a thriving industrial city to one that is currently redefining itself. Industrial giants, such as Camden and Cabot, made Parkersburg a leader in the oil and gas industry by the early 20th century. The maturing city boasted numerous factories, luxury hotels, upscale stores, and several ornate theaters while also serving as a rail hub. Parkersburg also took pride in education, with architecturally stunning primary and secondary schools and the building of a branch campus of West Virginia University. High school sports contributed to the city's reputation, with a lengthy list of statewide championships won by local schools.

One of the most notoriously dangerous and deadly correctional facilities in the US, this history of the legendary penitentiary in West Virginia will make you reconsider a life of crime.

In 1863, the newly formed West Virginia lacked a state penitentiary to house convicted felons. As a result, construction began in July 1866 on the West Virginia Penitentiary, the second public building constructed in the state. The infamous and foreboding West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville was known as one of the bloodiest institutions in the United States. With an extensive history of violence, the prison was ranked on the Department of Justice's Top Ten Most Violent Correctional Facilities list. Nearly 1,000 inmates perished within the stone walls of the prison, many of whom are said to still be serving their sentence, even after death. Many inmates were tortured, executed, murdered, or committed suicide. Plagued by these horrific events, the prison is a hotspot for paranormal activity. Images of America: West Virginia Penitentiary chronicles the fascinating history of a notorious prison from the planning stages to present day.

See how Charles Town, West Virginia, retains its original small town charm while attracting visitors today.

Charles Town, located in the Shenandoah Valley of West Virginia, was petitioned in 1786 and founded on January 7, 1787, by Charles Washington, George's youngest brother. Many of this historic community's streets are named for Washington family members, including Mildred and Samuel. The Jefferson County Courthouse, made famous as the location for the 1859 treason trial of the abolitionist John Brown and the 1922 Miners' Trials, sits in the center of town on one of the original four lots platted by Charles for community use. Today, Charles Town retains its original small town roots while attracting visitors with such diverse activities as The Charles Town Races and Slots and nearby hiking and whitewater rafting.

Unlike many American towns, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia is a city so well-preserved that many of the archival photos show buildings that still exist today.

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, sits in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountainsat the confluence of two rivers, the Potomacand Shenandoah.

Without the influence of John Brown and his raiders, Meriwether Lewis of Lewis and Clarkfame, and Thomas Jefferson, Harpers Ferry might have remained a sleepy little village. Instead, it became a frequently contested location for troops during the Civil Warand changed hands eight times. Many of the current shops and restaurants are housed in the restored original buildings, built in the 1800s.

A visit to Harpers Ferry is like stepping back in time to the year 1859, because the town has been restored to that period. It has been designated a National Historical Park, with many buildings owned and maintained by the National Park Service.

Vintage images bring to life the pioneer era, the bustling development of the twentieth century, and the people who made it happen.

Preston County, West Virginia, is the only county in the United States with that name. It lies nestled into a corner of the state bounded on the north by Pennsylvania and the Mason-Dixon Line, and on the east by the state of Maryland. This scenic Appalachian region has a variance in elevation from a low of 870 feet to a high of 3,236 feet. With more tillable land than any other county in the state, Preston County is naturally a farming community, although mining, timber, recreation, and tourism are vital contributors to the county's economy. In this vibrant retrospective, local author Charles A. Thomas brings the county's past to life, covering the period from 1890 to the mid-1900s.t. We visit turn-of-the-century schools and mills, and see the trains and railroaders who made this area prosper in the late 1800s.

The playground of figures like Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Buffalo Bill, Wheelingis filled with memorable snapshots documenting famous (and infamous) moments in American history.

When most people think of Wheeling they remember Independence Hall and the birth of West Virginia, but Wheeling's history goes back even further to the frontier legends of Lewis Wetzel and Maj. Samuel McColloch. Including photographs of both Wetzel's cave, Major McColloch's smokehouse, and a multitude of historic photographs Images of America: Wheelingdepicts the way life used to be. Famous visitors like Babe Ruth, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Charles Lindbergh, President John F. Kennedy, actress Sarah Bernhardt, and Buffalo Bill are featured.

Within these pages memorable snapshots document some famous moments in the history of the 20th century, such as when President Eisenhower decided to keep Senator Nixon on the ticket at the Ohio County Public Airport and Sen. Joseph McCarthy's famous speech about Communists in the State Department at Wheeling's McLure Hotel. However, the real stars of this book are Wheeling's own buildings, industries, and people, from machine workers on the job to millionaires at play. A chapter devoted to the African-American experience in Wheeling includes Center Market's slave auction block as well as an image of the great jazz saxophonist Leon ""Chu"" Berry. This collection highlights some of the horrific natural disasters that occurred at the turn of the century as well as Wheeling's Victorian architectural treasures, which were erected during the same era.

Images of America: The Great Ohio River Flood of 1937 brings together 200 vintage images that offer readers a look at one of the darkest chapters in the region's history.

From the time settlers first pushed into the Ohio Valley, floods were an accepted fact of life. After each flood, people shoveled the mud from their doors and set about rebuilding their towns. In 1884, the Ohio River washed away 2,000 homes. In 1913, an even worse flood swept down the river. People labeled it the ""granddaddy"" of all floods. Little did they know there was worse yet to come. In 1937, raging flood waters inundated thousands of houses, businesses, factories, and farms in a half dozen states, drove one million people from their homes, claimed nearly 400 lives, and recorded $500 million in damages. Adding to the misery was the fact that the disaster came during the depths of the Depression, when many families were already struggling.

Discover the rich history of Jackson County, West Virginia through vintage images in this pictorial history.

On October 28, 1770, George Washington entered present-day Jackson County by traveling south down the Ohio River. The Sachem tribe camped with Washington's party and expressed a desire to barter with the Virginia traders. Washington made extensive notes of the terrain, animals, and timber. By 1772, Washington had patents on more than 6,800 acres in Jackson County. This led to the Ohio River being the source of trade, entertainment, and survival early in the history of Jackson County. Named after the seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson, Jackson County was established by an act of the Virginia General Assembly on March 1, 1831, out of parts of Mason, Kanawha, and Wood Counties. The terrain is sandy with fertile bottomlands along the Ohio River and gently rolling hills toward the east. Ripley is the county seat, situated in the central part of the county, and is named in honor of Harry Ripley, who drowned in Big Mill Creek in 1830.