Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-09-14
THE GREAT KANAWHAV VALLEY
ltS Early History, Resources and Develop
Sment-The River OF the woods"-First
Explorers and Early Pioneers.

lts Early History, % and Develop
&ment-The River ot the Woods"-Firs
Explorers and Early Pioneers.
Specdd Correspondence eff n, Register.
POINT PLEASANT, W. VA, September
l3.-Perhaps no section of the South ut
present attracts greater attention than that
ofthe Great kanawha Valley. Including,
~ it does, large portion o West Virginia,
It's history, resources and development are
largely that OF the State. Here for many
years WA waged a fierce and relentless war
fare by the slyageS, who disputed posses
sion with the first pioneers who sought
homes within its limits; here, Us early aS
the beginning OF the present century, the
manufacture Of salt was begun, and for
quite half century the kanawha SalineS
was the most extensive salt producing
region on the continent. Here to-day are
being developed the principal veins OF the
great Appalachian coal fields. Here, too,
- located the city of Charleston, the per-
maneut capital ri the State.
The valley proper includes all the terri
tory drained by the river and its tribu-
taricS, and includes IN area of 900 square
miles. The name kanawha il of Indian
origin. and although the same IN different
languages appear To have u different signi-
licatiOn in each. In the WyandOtte tongue
it signifies River OF the Woods, - suggested
doubtless by the dense primcval forest
which, ut the time this tribe traycrSed the
valley, o~yerShadOwed the river from
III - Al. h.1,,rn I'm
guagc it's Specification is River of Evil
spirit" From the number OF their ca
noes which were lost upon the river they
believed that an evil spirit dwelt beneath
the waters which pulled them under.
The French called the river ChinOdaSh-
ichetha, rs will be seen by a reference to a
map OF these pOSSeSeSSiOns in America
prior 10 the French and Indian war.
Nicnty-Six miles from its mouth II
leaps from the granite base on which
stands the Allegheny mountains ut what
is Kanawha Falls, which is the head OF
navigation ~ well Us Kanawha river
that part above the falls having the name
New river-ncw because il is 4 novelty IN
nature.
The reference of the valley with refer
enrr To latitude and elevation lnSures to
il n OF the most fertile and hcalthtul
climates of America. Indeed, 1t Is doubt
fnl if there is an equal extent Of territory
on the face OF the earth producing less ma
laria than that OF the Great kanawha Val
ley. Within It's boundaries are vast cOal
fields which ages OF the most active industry
wiIlno exhaust. Covering the hills noun
tains and valleys are gigantic forests stand
inc i'm almost primeyal grandeur, sufficient
10 Supply the Nation with building mate
rial tor years to come. lnterSperSed with
smiling valleys, beautiful ~savannas, rug
red canOns, gently flowing streams, lofty
mountains, irOwning precipiceS LOO feet
high. the whole elevated ut from 900 to
2 GOO feet above sea level, it presents nj
once n picture of scenic grandeur perhaps
unequaled on this side of the Atlantic
Over all is waited gentle breeZeS from the
towering AlleghenieS and an atmosphere
p~reyails as pure and bracing as that OF the
Aims while from the mountain sides How
those mysterious springs whose health
GIVING properties are suggestive OF the
mythical fountains of perpetual youth.
FIRST EXPLORATION AND SETTLEMENTS.
Every student of colonial annals is tamll-
iar with the history of NirginIa's first colo
nv ON the banks of the James, n how
from that small beginning the Underwater
and Piedmont regions received their INST
European population:
One hundred and three years passed
AWAY. Virginia had twenty-five counties
and a population of ~, 500 whites and -
OOO NEGROES. Settlements dotted the east
! ern base Of the Blue Ridge, but thus lar
notbiur whatever was known of the vast
region beyond, for no daring adventures
had rs vet crossed the "RocEy carrier
But the conquest Of the wilderness was
the mission of those determined spirits VINO
had fled from oppression in the Old World
IN lind a home OF freedom in the wlids OF
the New. The illustrious Alexander
I SpottswoOd, who had won distinction IN
the bloody campaign of MARLBOROUGH, ana
Tins secured the appointment of COLONIAL
| Covcrnor of Virginia, determined to learn
something of this hitherto unknown re-
ginn With 4 party OF thirty h0rsemen he
Ieft Williamsburg August ~, ldb, ana
! {-aurpsying westward for many days passed.
{tbs srn,uit O: the Blue Ridge, traversed
the Shenandoah Valley, and on the Sth ot
Sentemher following drank tic health OF
George l ON one of the lOftiest peaks OF tine
Appalachian range, Thence the expedition
returned to "Germania," the county seat
OF the intrepid Governor.
Sixteen wears more passed away Il the
Shenandoah Valley still remained an un,
broken wilderness inhabited only by WIG
beasts and savage men. But now the Spell
vas 10 be broken. In 1872 sixteen families
from York. Pennsylvania, found homes
and reared cabins near where the Town 0,
Winchester nov stands. IheS were suiue a,
to the spot by Joist Hite. Among theSe
Dioneers were George Bowman, Jacob
Ehrisman, Paul Froman, Robert Mckay,
Robert Green and William Dun. During
the next two years they were joined by
several Others, among whom was one
Harper, whose name is preserved IN tnat o.
Uarperis Ferry. Thus was first settled thu
/ far famed Valley of Virginia.
In the year 1749 the first European