Hollidays Cove, West Virginia facts for kids

Hollidays Cove is a neighborhood located in Weirton, West Virginia, in the United States. It was started in 1793 and was the first lasting settlement by European settlers in that area. Back then, it was part of Brooke County, Virginia, but later became part of Hancock County, West Virginia. The area got its name from John Holliday, who built a simple log cabin in 1776 in a valley. People in that region called these valleys "coves." This particular cove was near a stream called Harmon's Creek.

Exploring the History of Hollidays Cove

Hollidays Cove, which makes up much of downtown Weirton today, began as a small village in the late 1700s. Over time, the apostrophe in "Holliday's" was dropped.

The Rise of Weirton Steel

A big change happened in 1909 when a man named Ernest T. Weir came from Pittsburgh. He decided to build a large steel mill just north of Hollidays Cove. This mill later became famous as the Weirton Steel Corporation.

A new town called Weirton quickly grew around the steel mill. By 1940, this new settlement was so large that it was known as the biggest "unincorporated" city in the United States. An unincorporated area is a community that doesn't have its own official city government yet.

Growing Together: Hollidays Cove and Nearby Areas

While Weirton was growing, Hollidays Cove and two other nearby areas, Weirton Heights and Marland Heights, also became official towns. These areas were located on hills and ridges surrounding the main "Weir-Cove" area.

Hollidays Cove Fort: A Revolutionary War Outpost

In 1774, during the time of the American Revolutionary War, a special fort was built in Hollidays Cove. It was called Hollidays Cove Fort. Soldiers from another fort, Ft. Pitt, built it. The fort was located where downtown Weirton is now, right by Harmon's Creek. This creek was named after Harmon Greathouse.

The fort was important for protecting the settlers. It was first led by Colonel Andrew Van Swearingen. Later, his son-in-law, Captain Samuel Brady, took command. Captain Brady was a well-known leader of a group called Brady's Rangers. In 1779, more than 28 militia members (citizen soldiers) were stationed at the fort.

A Rescue Mission to Fort Henry

A few years earlier, in 1777, Colonel Van Swearingen led a brave mission. He took about a dozen soldiers in a longboat down the Ohio River. Their goal was to help rescue the people at Ft. Henry in Wheeling, who were under attack by British soldiers and Native American tribes. This important mission was later shown in a large painting, called a mural, inside the Cove Post Office. The artist was Charles S. Chapman.

The Birth of Weirton City

In April 1909, Ernest T. Weir's company, the Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate Company, bought a large apple orchard north of Hollidays Cove. It was about 105 acres (or 0.42 square kilometers). By the end of that year, ten mills were already working on the site, and the new town of Weirton was booming. Hollidays Cove itself officially became an incorporated town in 1912.

After a public vote in April 1947, the city of Weirton was officially created on July 1, 1947. This new city was formed by combining the incorporated and unincorporated areas of Weirton, Weirton Heights, Marland Heights, and Hollidays Cove. Thomas C. Millsop, who was the President of Weirton Steel, won by a lot of votes and became the very first mayor of the new city of Weirton.