Guyandotte, Huntington, West Virginia facts for kids

Guyandotte is a historic neighborhood located in the city of Huntington, West Virginia. It was once a separate town before it became part of Huntington. This area is home to many old buildings. French settlers first arrived here in the late 1700s. Guyandotte was already a busy town when West Virginia became a state. It sits where the Guyandotte River meets the Ohio River. This made it an important trading spot. When the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) arrived nearby in 1873, the city of Huntington quickly grew. Huntington was named after Collis P. Huntington, who founded the C&O Railway.

Guyandotte's Early Story

Guyandotte was first settled in 1799. It was built on a large piece of land called the Savage Grant. This land was given to soldiers who fought in the French and Indian War. These soldiers served under Captain John Savage. The Savage Grant covered a huge area. It stretched from what is now Milton, West Virginia, all the way to the Kentucky side of the Big Sandy River. Most of present-day Huntington is on land that was part of the Savage Grant.

Before it joined Huntington, Guyandotte was an old town with homes from the 1820s. There's still a graveyard there with settlers from the 1700s. Some of these families had names like LeTulle, Holderby, and Buffington. Huntington was actually known as Holderby's Landing before 1871. The Buffington family owned land that later became the Huntington Land Company. They were the only original land claimants who stayed in the area. Later Buffington family members were connected to Marshall College (now Marshall University). They also worked with Collis P. Huntington in business.

Guyandotte During the Civil War

When the state of Virginia decided to leave the United States, people in Guyandotte took action. On April 20, 1861, a group of men raised a "secessionist" flag. This flag showed they supported leaving the Union.

As the Civil War continued, Guyandotte became known as a place that strongly supported the Southern cause. On November 10, 1861, a large group of Confederate soldiers attacked a Union camp in Guyandotte. The Confederates quickly won. Many people in the town celebrated this victory. However, over 90 citizens were captured and sent to prison in Richmond.

The next morning, the Confederates left Guyandotte. Then, Union soldiers arrived. They burned a large part of the town. This was because the townspeople had helped the Confederates. Guyandotte already had a reputation for supporting the Southern side. A newspaper wrote that Guyandotte "has always had the reputation of being the 'orneryest' place on the Ohio River." It also said it was "the first town on the Ohio River to display a secession flag."

Connecting to Marshall University

When Huntington was founded, Marshall College was already in the area. It started in 1837 as Marshall Academy. At first, Marshall Academy was a private school. It was controlled by the Southern Methodist Episcopal Church. It was meant for high school students from wealthy families.

In 1857, the school became Marshall College. Then, in 1867, it became a public school. The college later became Marshall University in 1961. Today, Marshall University takes up a big part of Huntington, just east of the downtown area.

Historic Homes in Guyandotte

Guyandotte is home to several historic buildings. Two of these are the Madie Carroll House and the Zachary Taylor Wellington House. Both of these homes are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites.