Early
History of Guyandotte
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.
Additional Historic
Information
Raid on Guyandotte
Guyandotte Meeting 1861
Burning of Guyandotte
General Albert G. Jenkins
Major
Kellian Whaley