Halcyon, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Halcyon, West Virginia
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 Halcyon, West Virginia
Location in West Virginia
Halcyon, West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Logan and Lincoln |
| Elevation | 735 ft (224 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| GNIS ID | 1742534 |
Halcyon is a small, unincorporated community in West Virginia, United States. This means it's a group of homes and people living together, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Halcyon is located on the West Fork of Big Harts Creek and stretches across parts of both Logan and Lincoln counties.
Contents
Exploring Halcyon's Geography
Halcyon is found in the upper part of the West Fork of Big Harts Creek. This area includes smaller streams like Piney Fork, Workman Fork, and Marsh Fork. The lower section of Piney Fork is located in Lincoln County.
Early maps from 1910 and 1912 showed the main West Fork starting where Workman Fork is today. However, by 1925 and 1928, maps began calling this part Workman Fork. This change happened between 1912 and 1925. Workman Fork also includes a stream called Long Branch.
According to the 1925 map, Marsh Fork and Workman Fork join together to form the beginning of the main West Fork. But older maps from 1910 and 1912 show that Marsh Fork and Long Branch were originally seen as smaller parts of the main West Fork. Important streams flowing into Marsh Fork are Thompson/Barker Hollow and Brushy Fork. Piney Fork has its own smaller streams, including Rattlesnake Branch, Lick Fork, Haw Bush, and Alford Branch.
A Look at Halcyon's History
The first pioneer families settled in Halcyon between 1800 and 1840. These early settlers included the Elkins, Vance, Dingess, Thompson, and Workman families. Later, other families like the Alfords, Baisdens, Belchers, and Bryants also moved to the area.
During the American Civil War, which happened from 1861 to 1865, many local families in Halcyon supported the Southern states, known as the Confederacy.
In 1889, Halcyon was the site of a small event related to the Lincoln County feud. This was a conflict between different families in the area.
According to a business directory from 1923-1924, Halcyon had about 100 residents. It was located about 15 miles northwest of Logan, which was the main town and banking center for the county. The closest place to ship goods was Chapmanville, about three miles west. Halcyon was also about 50 miles from the larger city of Huntington.
Halcyon's Economy and Jobs
The main industry in Halcyon was timbering, which means cutting down trees for wood. Albert Dingess, Jr. was an important businessman in the community. He ran a store where people could buy goods, a gristmill (a mill for grinding grain into flour), and a sawmill (a mill for cutting logs into lumber). The 1923-1924 business directory also listed Dingess as the owner of a general store and grist mill.
The Halcyon Post Office
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The Halcyon Post Office first opened in 1906. Albert Dingess, Jr. was the first postmaster, serving from May 3, 1906, until April 20, 1921.
After him, Everett Dingess took over. He was acting postmaster starting May 11, 1921, and officially became postmaster on September 21, 1921. He held this job until July 14, 1923. The 1923-1924 business directory mentioned that mail was delivered to Halcyon three times a week. The post office closed on July 14, 1923, and mail service for Halcyon was then handled by Ferrellsburg in Lincoln County.
Schools in Halcyon
Several schools once served the children of Halcyon, all located in Logan County. These included:
- Bud Dingess School
- Lee Dingess School (located in an area called Barker Hollow)
- Piney School
- Workman Fork School
Interestingly, the old Piney and Workman Fork school buildings are still standing today. In recent years, they have been used as homes.
Halcyon's Churches
The Workman Fork United Baptist Church was built in the early 1930s at the mouth of Workman Fork. Other churches in the Halcyon area include Piney Community Church on Piney and Morning Star Church at the mouth of Brushy Hollow. These churches have been important gathering places for the community.
Recent Events in Halcyon
In the early 1920s, there was a conflict between the Bryant and Dingess families in the community.
Electricity first came to Halcyon in the 1930s, bringing modern conveniences to the homes there.
Today, young people from Halcyon attend schools like Chapmanville Primary School, Harts PK-8 School, Chapmanville Middle School, or Chapmanville Regional High School.
Notable People from Halcyon
- French Bryant (1855-1938): He was involved in the Lincoln County Feud.
- Albert Dingess, Jr. (1882-1953): He was a postmaster, a merchant (someone who sells goods), and a miller (someone who operates a mill).
- David C. "Dealer Dave" Dingess (born around 1857): Known as a horse trader and a talented fiddler (someone who plays the fiddle).
- Leander A. "Lee" Dingess (1865-1931): He worked as a law official and an attorney.
- John Wesley "Crockadil" Workman (1834-1912): A veteran of the Confederate States Army during the Civil War and a mail carrier.
