Discovering the Roots: The Hidden Stories Behind Unique Names of West Virginia Locales
As you navigate the country roads of Southern West Virginia, you might notice the unique and sometimes unfamiliar names on the signs around you. You may even hear locals pronouncing the same place names differently. These names, rich in history, often trace their origins back to traditional Native American languages.
Southern West Virginia is steeped in the heritage of numerous indigenous tribes who once used the region’s waterways as migratory routes and hunting lands for about 6 months out of the year. The Kanawha, Mingo, Delaware, Shawnee, and Eastern Band of Cherokee tribes all left their mark on this land. A clovis spear point was found near the town of Hinton, indicating that Native peoples were in Southern West Virginia over 10,000 years ago, hunting giant creatures such as wooly mammoths and mastodon.
Join us as we explore some of the significant place names in Southern West Virginia and uncover their Native American roots, revealing a rich tapestry of history woven into the very fabric of this beautiful region!
Wyoming
Wyoming County boasts pristine forests, adventurous ATV trails, and stunning starry nights at Twin Falls Resort State Park. According to Wyoming County History, ‘“Most historians believe that it came from a loose translation of the Delaware Indian word Maughwauwama, meaning “large or extensive plains.”’
Monongahela
The Monongahela National Forest is the only National Forest entirely within the boundaries of West Virginia. One of the most unique places within the Monongahela National Forest is the Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, a northern bog climate that seems misplaced in the south. Again thought to be from Native Delaware influence, the word Monongahela is thought to mean “the river of falling banks.” The official pronunciation in its original Lenape language is Mo-noun-GEE-ha-la, but you will hear it pronounced both as Mononga-HEE-la and Mononga-HAY-la or simply referred to as “the Mon” for those who are tired of the debates.
Pocahontas Coalfields
Mercer and McDowell counties are the southernmost counties in the state, and they are known for their historic coalfields and Hatfield-McCoy off-road adventures. The Pocahontas Coalfield spanned both counties as well as Tazewell County in Virginia. Named after the Algonquian princess, the Pocahontas coal seams produced some of the best coal in the world and are rated at 15,000 Btu/lb, meaning the coal was highly efficient at power generation. Learn more about coal history in Southern West Virginia by visiting sites along the National Coal Heritage Trail and by visiting the Bramwell Depot.
Gauley
When West Virginia was part of New France before the French and Indian War, the river was named Gauley to reference the historic region of Gaul, present-day France. To see the Gauley River, visit Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park for breathtaking scenic overlooks. Prior to French Colonization, the Gauley River was referred to as the Tokebeloke by the Delaware Natives, meaning “falling creek”.
Kanawha
Two iconic whitewater rivers, the New and the Gauley meet to become the Kanawha River in Gauley Bridge. Kanawha itself means “water way” or “transport way,” which is fitting because the river flows north past the state capital of Charleston. The word Kanawha was proposed as the name of the state of West Virginia, after the Kanawha Natives who lived here, but it was ultimately denied because of potential confusion with the county of the same name.
Sources:
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015009099824&view=1up&seq=720&size=125
“Smokeless Coal Fields of West Virginia”. The Coal and Coke Operator and Fuel Magazine. 17. Pittsburgh, PA: Coal Publishing Company: 249. July 1913.
https://www.history.com/news/8-things-you-may-not-know-about-west-virginia
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