Kanawha County Images

When first published, this was the first widely published book about West Virginia's most populous county since the early 1900s. Authors Stan Cohen and Richard Andre spent years researching stories of old, and painstakingly looking through archives and attics for never-before-seen photos. The result changed how we view and look back on Charleston-presenting not only a history but also a vivid picture of life in a vibrant city and county. The book begins with prehistoric people who left behind mysterious burial mounds throughout the Kanawha Valley. It covers the growing settlement, and traces the region's growth from the salt capital of the United States to the chemical capital of the world.The book is ultimately a collective snapshot of Kanawha County history, particularly the four-decade period of boundless growth between 1880 and 1920, when the population ballooned from 4,000 to 40,000. Kanawha County Images still hits all the right notes: from nostalgia, to long-disappeared landmarks, to tales never told before. This is a must-read if you want to know more about Kanawha County or remember the Charleston and nearby towns of yesteryear.