Putnam County

A visit to Putnam County is a unique adventure which transcends more than 150 years. Formed in 1848, Putnam County was named after General Israel Putnam, a Revolutionary War hero. Much of the land here was surveyed by George Washington and while we remain very proud of our rich history, we also are a progressive county with so much to offer our visitors.

Bancroft

Andrew Phalen and his wife were considered to be the founders of Bancroft. He soon discovered a coal seam on his property which he began mining commercially, selling the coal in burlap bags. Thus he became the first mine operator in the area. Phalen later leased his mine to the newly formed Energetic Coal Company, and in 1881 they named the place Energetic. Later the company was sold to Tom Bancroft, and he changed the name of the town to Bancroft. However, before the end of the century, the mine blew out when old Bancroft went broke. The mine was never reopened, and Bancroft became a permanent village for the Plymouth, Black Betsy and Raymond City mines.

Buffalo

In 1770 George Washington traveled up the Kanawha 14 miles where the town of Buffalo is now. Killing 5 Buffalo and wounding others in this area is possibly the basis for naming the site Buffalo. In 1798 the Oldaker family was the first settlers in the area.

Eleanor

In 1799 President George Washington willed a piece of land in Eleanor to his nephew, Howell Lewis. Lewis moved his family from Richmond to their Putnam County land in 1812 where they built their home by the mouth of Buffalo Creek which is now the lower part of Eleanor. After the death of Mr. Lewis the land was sold several times to many farmers. In 1930, the State of West Virginia purchased 2200 acres of the old Garden City land to make it available for the U.S. Government.

Hurricane

On a cool, misty morning in the year of 1774, a party of surveyors commissioned by George Washington was travelling down the Kanawha River. As the sun was slowly rising, cutting through the fog of this early spring day, they noted in their journal that all  trees at the mouth of the creek were bent in the same direction... and they called the location” the place of the hurricane”. The first settlement was established about 1811 and was known as Hurricane Bridge.

Poca

Founded in the 1800’s, Poca had only a population of 200 by the year 1880. The town was made up of miners and sawmill workers which became the Saturday night town for the workers and a bedroom town for commuters. Main Street was so narrow that two cars could not pass. A New York columnist wrote, “it was the only town in the U.S. with a sidewalk in the middle of the road”.

Red House

The first settlement was made at Red House Shoals (now Red House) around 1806. It was known by that name until recent years, when the Post Office Department shortened the name to Red House. The town is located on the north bank of Kanawha River opposite Winfleld. Rising almost perpendicular above the town is Red Rock, a bare rock cliff towering to the height of 456 feet. It is remarkable for its red appearance. The summit is crowned with lofty pines and cedars, and it is the first land mark which the traveler ascending the Kanawha beholds. It is believed the shoals was named by early boat-men who envisioned that the red rock resembled a red house.

Winfield

The early history of Winfield describes the area as only a wide place in the road before 1848 when it became the county seat of the new county of Putnam. It was named for General Winfield Scott.