Hancock County

by George B. Hines III, Lou Martin

Overview

Hancock County, West Virginia, located in the Upper Ohio Valley, was first settled during the Revolutionary War. Over the next century, it transformed from a frontier forest into rolling fields, pastures, and orchards. In the 1830s, investors began building brickyards in New Cumberland, which would become the county seat. Hancock County was still primarily home to farmers and brickhands until the construction of potteries (including the world's largest pottery, Homer Laughlin China), which gave birth to the towns of Chester and Newell. The location of a steel mill near Hollidays Cove created the town of Weirton. The new industries tripled the county's population and provided employment to three and four generations of county residents. Recently tourism and recreation have become increasingly important to the local economy, evolving from the bygone days of Rock Springs Park to the ever-expanding Mountaineer Race Track and Gaming Resort of the present.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738543314
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	10/09/2006
Series:	Images of America Series
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	1,056,857
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.31(d)

About the Author

George B. Hines III is retired from the former Weirton Steel Corporation and is a current employee of the City of New Cumberland, particularly active in civic pride and beautification projects. Lou Martin is working on his Ph.D. in history from West Virginia University, researching Hancock County's steel and pottery workers.