Guyandotte Civil War Days

Today, Guyandotte is one of Huntington's 15 neighborhoods and the oldest section of the city. Sixty-one years before Huntington was incorporated, Guyandotte was a town, a peaceful commercial center at the confluence of the Ohio and Guyandotte rivers.

Guyandotte was first settled in 1796 on a portion of lot 42 of the Savage Land Grant, allotted to John Savage, an officer who served under Col. George Washington at the battle of Great Meadows.

It grew rapidly and in 1810 the Virginia Assembly passed an act establishing a town by the name of Guyandotte.

By 1855 Guyandotte had 40 homes, 5 stores, several churches, a school, a grist mill, a saw mill, and two cabinet makers. One of the better known businesses was the Buffington Mill, reportedly the largest flour mill between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

In 1848 a suspension bridge was built over the Guyandotte river. In the early 1850's locks and dams were built and Guyandotte became the site if a thriving timber industry.

Guyandotte was named for one the rivers bordering it. Because of its choice location, natural resources and logging industry, Guyandotte kept reasonably prosperous until 1861. Then it was nearly burned to the group by Union troops during the War Between the States.

The Civil War had a major effect on Guyandotte. Although few residents were slave holders, they were incensed by what they viewed as interference with their rights as Virginians to practice slavery. Guyandotte was a "hot bed of succession", and was reportedly the only town along the Ohio to do so and the Virginia state flag stood proudly on the riverbank.

More Guyandotte History

Oldest Town in Cabell County

Guyandotte Disasters

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