Brake, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brake, West Virginia
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 Brake, West Virginia
Location in West Virginia
Brake, West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Hardy |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1553964 |
Brake is a small, quiet community located in Hardy County, West Virginia, in the United States. It's called an "unincorporated community," which means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Brake is nestled along the South Fork South Branch Potomac River, a beautiful river in West Virginia.
Contents
The History of Brake
How Brake Got Its Name
The community of Brake got its name from an early family who settled there. Their name was Brake, and they were led by Johann Jacob Brake. He was also known as "Brechtel" in German. The Brake family came from southern Germany in the early 1700s. They were among the first people to build a life in this area.
What Brake Was Like Long Ago
In the past, Brake was a busy little hub. It had several important businesses that helped the community thrive. These included a sawmill, which cut wood, and a gristmill, which ground grain into flour. There was also a distillery, a blacksmith shop, and a post office.
The original log house that was used as the post office in the early to mid-1800s is still standing today. It's a cool piece of history!
Important Places in Brake
The Brake Cemetery is a special place where many early residents are buried. You can find the graves of families like the Brakes, Simons, and Sees there. Some older gravestones might have been lost over time.
Brake Falls is a waterfall on a stream called Dumpling Run. This waterfall was very important because it provided power. Its rushing water helped run the sawmill and gristmill that were once in the community.
Today, many members of the Brake family, whose ancestors founded the community, live in Ohio.
See also
In Spanish: Brake (Virginia Occidental) para niños
