The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Huntington, West Virginia, USA.
Timeline 18th century
1775 - First permanent settlement in modern-day Huntington was founded as "Holderby's Landing".
19th century 1837 - Marshall University is founded as Marshall Academy. 1871 Huntington incorporated; named after businessman Collis P. Huntington who initiated town planning. Peter Cline Buffington elected mayor. 1872 Huntington Argus newspaper begins publication. First Congregational Church founded. 1873 Chesapeake and Ohio Railway begins operating. Huntington station opens. 1874 Spring Hill Cemetery opens. Huntington Advertiser newspaper in publication. 1880 - Population: 3,174. 1885 - Davis Opera House built. 1887 Seat of Cabell County relocates to Huntington from Barboursville. Railroad depot built. 1888 - Ohio River Railroad (Wheeling-Huntington) begins operating. 1890 - Population: 10,108. 1891 - Guyandotte becomes part of Huntington. 1893 - "Central City" incorporated near Huntington. 1898 - The Parthenon opens. 1899 - Cabell County Courthouse opens. 1900 - Ohio Valley Electric Railway begins operating.
20th century
1901 - Cabell County Courthouse dedicated. 1903 Carnegie Public Library opens. Camden Park opens. 1905 Heiner's Bakery opens. United States Post Office and Court House opens. 1907 - Old Main opens. 1908 - Huntington purchases the lands for the future project Ritter Park. 1909 Central City becomes part of Huntington. Herald-Dispatch newspaper in publication. 1910 St. Cloud Commons opens. Liggett and Myers Tobacco Company opens. Population: 31,161. 1912 - Barnett Hospital and Nursing School opens. 1913 March 30: Ohio River flood. Ritter Park, is created. (Includes timeline) 1915 - Huntington City Hall was built. 1916 - Old Huntington High School opens. 1917 - Liggett and Myers Tobacco factory built. 1919 - Simms School Building opens. 1920 - Population: 50,177. 1923 - West Virginia Colored Children's Home opens. 1924 Foster Memorial Home opens. Memorial Arch is built. St. Mary's Hospital opens. St. Joseph Central Catholic High School is established. 1925 Ohev Sholom Temple is built. West Virginia Building is built. 1926 - Tivoli Theatre in business. 1927 - WSAZ radio begins broadcasting. 1928 Keith-Albee Theatre in business. Fairfield Stadium opens. 1929 - Rotary Park Bridge is built. 1930 Rotary Park Bridge built. Population: 75,572. 1935 - Flood. 1936 - Huntington Junior College established. 1937 - The Ohio River flood of 1937 occurs. 1939 - Barnett Hospital and Nursing School closes. 1941 - Beverly Theatre in business. 1949 - WSAZ-TV television begins broadcasting. (Timeline) 1950 Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse (arena) opens. Population: 86,353. 1952 - Tri-State Airport opens. 1954 - WCHS-TV opens. 1955 WHTN-TV (television) begins broadcasting. WOWK-TV opens. 1956 Cabell Huntington Hospital opens. Huntington Hornets is founded. 1957 - Huntington Hornets disbanded. 1961 - Marshall University active. 1968 - Cabell-Wayne Historical Society founded. 1969 - West Virginia Public Broadcasting opens. 1970 November 14: Airplane crash occurs near city; Marshall University football team among the fatalities. West Huntington Bridge built. 1971 - Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority opens. 1972 - Tri-State Transit Authority opens. 1977 Huntington Civic Center (arena) opens. University's Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine established. Nick Rahall becomes U.S. representative for West Virginia's 4th congressional district. 1978 - Beech Fork State Park is founded. 1980 - Population: 63,684. 1981 Cam Henderson Center opens. Huntington Mall opens. WVAH-TV is founded. 1983 Huntington Area Food Bank established. Huntington station is rebuilt. WTSF opens. 1984 Harris Riverfront Park opens. WQCW opens. 1985 East Huntington Bridge opens. City adopts "strong mayor" style of government. 1987 - Huntington Museum of Art opens. 1988 - WLPX-TV opens. 1990 Huntington Cubs is founded. Fairfield Stadium closes. 1991 Joan C. Edwards Stadium opens. Museum of Radio and Technology opens. 1993 Huntington Blizzard is founded. Masonic Temple opens. Owens-Illinois Glass Co. manufactory shuts down. 1994 Cabell Midland High School opens. Robert C. Byrd Bridge to Chesapeake, Ohio opens. The Huntington Cubs disband. 1996 Heritage Farm Museum and Village opens. Huntington High School opens. Old Huntington High School closes. Sam Hood Field opens. 1998 - Spring Valley High School opens. 2000 City website online (approximate date). Huntington Blizzard moves to Beaumont Texas and remains as the Wildcatters. Port of Huntington Tri-State opens.
21st century 2001 - David Felinton becomes the youngest mayor in Huntington, West Virginia history. 2003 - Marshall Commons, opens. 2004 Fairfield Stadium is demolished. Pullman Square is built. Tsubasacon starts. 2006 Fictional but based on true events We Are Marshall movie released (set in Huntington). Huntington Heroes is founded. 2007 - Robert C. Byrd Biotechnology Science Center opens. 2008 Dot Hicks Field opens. Huntington Heroes disbands. 2009 Kim Wolfe becomes mayor. The Marshall Rec Center opens. Huntington Prep School is founded. 2010 - Population: 49,138. 2011 Huntington Hammer is founded. West Virginia Colored Children's Home is demolished. 2012 Huntington Hammer disbanded. Sam Hood Field closes. Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse closes. 2013 Stephen T. Williams becomes mayor. Veterans Memorial Soccer Complex opens. 2014 - Chris Cline Athletic Complex opens. 2015 - Evan Jenkins U.S. representative for West Virginia's 3rd congressional district. 2024 Jack Cook Field opens. Tri-State Coal Cats is founded.
See also Huntington history List of mayors of Huntington, West Virginia National Register of Historic Places listings in Cabell County, West Virginia Other cities in West Virginia: Timeline of Charleston, West Virginia Timeline of Wheeling, West Virginia
References
Bibliography
George S. Wallace. Huntington through 75 Years. Huntington: 1947. Doris C. Miller. Centennial History of Huntington. Huntington Centennial Commission, 1971. James E. Casto. Huntington: An Illustrated History. Huntington: Chapman Printing, 1997.
. Circa 2014- (Series of articles) James E. Casto. Lost Huntington, Recalling Vanished Landmarks. Drummond Press. Jacksonville, Florida, 2015.
External links
Items related to Huntington, various dates (via Digital Public Library of America) (subject guide)