Prior to the advent of automobiles, rural communities consisting of a school, a church, and frequently a store or post office, were spaced about every four miles so that people would not have too far to travel to obtain groceries and mail. Many of these community centers were located at crossroads in order to serve the greatest number of people.

ADALINE - Located on Fish Creek at intersection with Cameron Ridge and Greenfield Ridge. Had a four-room school and Methodist Church. Has a large gas compressing station for underground storage.

ALLEN SCHOOL - On Rt. 86, one-half mile from Rt. 88. Closed in 1911.

ALLEN SCHOOL:- On Waymans Ridge, one mile from US 250. Closed in 1924.

ALLEY SCHOOL - At Majorsville. Closed in 1953.

ANDERSONVILLE - On Harts Run, two miles from Woodruff, near Pennsylvania state line. Had a post office named "Balls" in early 1900's.

ANGEL SWAMP - Flood plain laying between 12th Street, Parriott Avenue, and Fairgrounds. Area inhabited by low income families since the 1920's or earlier. Name came about when someone spoke disparagingly of the inhabitants to a social worker, probably Francina McMahon, who responded, "they are all angels to me".

ARNOLDS GROVE - Located three miles from Moundsville on Fork Ridge.

BAKERS STATION - Located at north end of Cresaps Bottom. Blockhouse was built as defense against Indians during Revolutionary War.

BALLS - Post office at Andersonville.

BANNEN - Also called "Germantown". Located on WV 89 along Fish Creek. Has inactive Meadowdale Church and formerly had a store and post office.

BEAR WALLOW - Marshy location on Bowman Ridge where bears wallowed in mud.

BEELER STATION - Site of a blockhouse as defense against Indians during the Revolutionary War. Has a Christian Church.

BELLAIRE BRIDGE - Privately funded toll bridge between Bellaire and Benwood that was built in 1926 and later purchased by the Ohio DOT for 2.1 million. The bridge was closed on May 1, 1991.

BELTON - Located on U.S. 250, Fish Creek and B & 0 Railroad, with a station named "Denver". Has a store and formerly a post office and school.

BLOODY KANSAS - Widely accepted nickname for Kansas Ridge, a branch of Roberts Ridge.

BOARDTREE - Located at north end of Boardtree railroad tunnel. Had a store, post office, and passenger train platform, and railroad siding, all of which are gone.

BOGGS ISLAND - Located opposite Boggs Run, near Ohio shore. Drowned by US Corps of Engineers when they dammed the Ohio River.

BOOMGROUND - Area in Moundsville between Parrs Run and Cherokee Hills.

BRICK YARD TURN - Sharp turn about 1/4 mile above Moundsville on US 250 East.

CALIS - Formerly called Seatonville, located on Dry Ridge at Wolf Run Road intersection. Has Mt. Hope Methodist Church and Mt. Union two-room school that was active until about 1970.

CAMP WASHINGTON - Located along US 250 one-quarter mile west of Irish Ridge, was a picnic area with a grove of trees. It is historically inaccurate that George Washington once camped here.

CAPTINA - Coal company village located at intersection of WV Route 2 and Fish Creek Road to Graysville, it was established in 1919 and demolished in 1955 to make room for construction of the Kammer and Mitchell Power Plants. The post office was named "Woco", a contraction of "Woodland Coal Company". The railroad siding was established prior to the coal company and was called "Whittaker" in that it was on the property of a farmer whose name was Whitteker. The village had a two-room school and store.

CAPTINA ISLAND - A narrow river channel separates Captina Island from the lower end of Round Bottom.

CAPTINA RIFFLE - Probably located near mouth of Captina Creek, it was a serious obstacle to navigation on the Ohio River during low river stage prior to construction of dams.

CEDAR ROCK SCHOOL - On Pone Ridge, one mile west of Calis. Closed in 1926.

CENTENNIAL SCHOOL - On Rines Ridge about one mile north of Burch Ridge intersection.

CHESTNUT GROVE SCHOOL - On Rt. 88 at Hanlin Hill. Closed in 1911.

CHESTNUT HILL - Located at Round Bottom near the present Washington Lands School. It had a post office, railroad siding, and was a flag stop for trains. It also had two sand and gravel pits.

CIRCLE A SCHOOL - On Middle Grave Creek, three miles from Moundsville. Closed in 1952.

CLARINGTON STATION - Railroad station for Kent.

CLOUSTON - Named for local landowner, it is located two miles north of Cameron on north fork of Big Grave Creek. It had a school, store, and a Methodist Church that is still active.

COE SCHOOL - One mile west of Clouston on north fork of Big Grave Creek. Closed in 1927.

CRESAPS - Coal company village founded in 1923 and demolished in 1955 to make room for the Kammer Power Plant. It was located in north end of Cresaps Bottom. It had a Methodist Church and a school. The post office at Cresaps was named "Frances".

CRESAPS BOTTOM - Flat land along the Ohio River north of Fish Creek. Named after early settler, it is now the site of the Mitchell and Kammer Power Plants.

CRESAPS GROVE - Shaded picnic site at Cresaps Bottom.

CROSSROADS SCHOOL - On Dry Ridge. Closed in 1938.

CROWS GROVE - Shaded picnic site on Fork Ridge near Glen Easton.

DALLAS - Located on the border with both Ohio County and Pennsylvania state line. Formerly named West Union. It has Presbyterian and Methodist churches, a store, post office, volunteer fire department, and grade school.

DENVER - Railroad station name for Belton.

DENVER HEIGHTS - Ridge top along U.S. 250 between Belton and Littleton. Has three former school sites and a church (on Rice Ridge).

DEVIL'S ELBOW - Most acute bend in the entire 980 mile length of the Ohio River. Located at mouth of Big Grave Creek, south of Moundsville.

DUG HILL - Northern extension of Tomlinson Avenue from First Street to Parrs Run.

ELLA - Former name for Fairview (Burch Ridge).

FAIRVIEW - Located two miles east of Moundsville on US 250. Has a Methodist Church and formerly a school.

FAIRVIEW (BURCH RIDGE) - Near junction of Waynes Ridge and Burch Ridge, it once had a store, church, school, and blacksmith shop. It was formerly called "Ella".

FALL RUN (OR WILDCAT) SCHOOL - Near Georgetown. Closed in 1956.

FISH CREEK ISLAND - Ohio River island immediately upstream from mouth of Fish Creek. Had 40 acres of fertile river bottom farmland. There is a stone arched bridge, now under water, to the West Virginia shore.

FLATS OF GRAVE CREEK - Reasonably flat land embraced by Little, Middle and Big Grave Creeks, along the Ohio River.

FORT VAN METRE - Constructed during the Revolutionary War as a defense against Indian attack, the fort was located on Big Wheeling Creek about four miles east of Elm Grove.

FOSTERS LANDING - Riverboat landing and railroad siding somewhere in Cresaps Bottom.

FRANCES - Name of post office at Cresaps.

FRANKLIN - Also known as Higgs Landing or Lower Graysville. Located one mile south of Woodlands at mouth of Coon Run, where Burch Ridge intersects with WV Route 2. Has had a grist mill and store. Franklin was the railroad name for a flag stop.

FREEDOM SCHOOL - On Rines Ridge about three miles north of Burch Ridge intersection. Closed in 1955.

GARRETT STATION -Former name for Woodruff.

GEORGETOWN - About one mile from Boardtree. Railroad name was "Nuss". Has a store.

GERMAN SETTLEMENT-Another name for S1. Joseph.

GLEN EASTON - Located on Big Grave Creek, and had a railroad station. Community was named for a B & a Railroad contractor, whose son was buried here in 1915, although he had little or no contract with the town. The town grew during the oil drilling boom when it had a grist mill, four stores, a hotel, a church and a school.

GOLDEN - Location on Number Two Ridge about halfway between Majorsville and Dallas. Site of Number Two School.

GOOSETOWN - Another name for Knoxville.

GORBY SCHOOL - On Bowman Ridge at junction with Rosbys Rock Road. School is now a community center.

GORMLY - Short-lived community in Valley Run during oil boom. Was also called "Ragtown" because so many people lived in tents. Named for J. C. Gormly Oil Company.

GOUDY FORK - Formerly called Powells Fork, it is the intersection ofWV 88 with U.S. 250. An old, large homestead, formerly Buzzard's Tavern, was located here until razed in the 1980's.

GRAVE CREEK - Name of the site on Big Grave Creek that had a Hope Gas Company pumping station. It was about four miles from Moundsville and was a flag stop on the railroad.

GRAVEL BOTTOM - Ancient sand and gravel bar now covered by southern or possibly all of Glen Dale.

GRAVEL HILL - Incline in Western Avenue between Moundsville and Glen Dale, located about two hundred or three hundred yards south of WV Rt. 2 and the Jefferson Avenue Extension.

GRAYSVILLE - Located on Fish Creek about 112 miles from the Ohio River, at terminal of Taylors Ridge Road and Rines Ridge Road; had a school, church, post office, and Hornsbrook Grist Mill. Village was formerly called Hornsbrook.

GREEN VALLEY - Big Grave Creek Valley between Cameron and Pennsylvania state line.

GREENFIELD RIDGE - Now devoid of people. Formerly had two churches, a school named "Freedom", and a post office named "Howard".

GREENFIELD SCHOOL - On Greenfield Ridge. Closed in 1955.

GREENPOINT SCHOOL - On McCreary Ridge, near Hare Krishna Palace.

GREENWOOD SCHOOL - On Cameron Ridge. Closed in 1955.

GRETNA GREEN - Lower of two switchback turns on US 250, about one mile east of Moundsville.

HARMONY HILL - Strip of land on east side of WV Rt. 2 in Benwood, between Boggs Run and Shads Crossing. Had several saloons before Prohibition.

HARRIS SCHOOL - On Brushy Ridge, off Fork Ridge. Closed in 1927.

HARSH SUGAR CAMP - Grove of sugar maples on Big Wheeling Creek at junction with Dry Ridge Road. Grove was used as a picnic site. Gypsies would camp there as late as 1925.

HATTEN HALL - This was an I.O.O.F. Lodge building that was used for many community events. Located south of Sherrard on Rt. 88. It was in dilapidated condition for many years before being razed in the 1960's.

HAZEL DALE SCHOOL - On Irish Ridge, two miles from Wheeling Creek.

HAZEL GREEN SCHOOL - One mile north of Calis. Closed in 1923.

HICKS SCHOOL - One mile east ofClouston on north fork of Big Grave Creek. Closed in 1927.

HIGGS LANDING - Early name for Franklin.

HINKLE SCHOOL - On Reid Ridge. Closed in 1955.

HORNSBROOK - Former name for Graysville.

HORNSBROOK LANDING - Early name for Woodlands.

HOWARD - Post office on Green Field Ridge in about 1900, maybe two miles north of Wetzel County.

HOWARD-YOHO SCHOOL - On Greenfield Ridge near Wetzel County.

JUNGLE SWITCH - Short section of double track on west side of Little Grave Creek where two streetcars could pass. Tracks were surrounded by woodlands.

KATES ROCK - (Story #1) - Large rock located near river at south end of Narrows, north of Glen Dale. A young girl living nearby named Kate would stand atop the rock and wave at passing steamboats. Rock was destroyed to make room for railroad track. (Story #2) - Large rock located at east end of Narrows south of Moundsville, near Devil's Elbow. Small tows from Pittsburgh would tie up here to be consolidated into larger tows for trip downstream. B & 0 Railroad broke up the rock to be used for bridge at abutments at 11 and 12th Streets in Moundsville.

KENT - Former village at north end of Wells Bottom, established when a farm was sold off into lots in 1924. The railroad stop was called "Clarington Station" because it served the village across the river before Kent was established. A ferry crossed the river here until the early 1960's when the New Martinsville bridge was built. The post office and school were named "Welcome". There have been six schools in Wells Bottom, with the southernmost called "Democracy".

KENTUCKY HEIGHTS - Strip of steep residential land in Benwood, west of Rt. 2 between the Bellaire Bridge and Shads Crossing.

KNOXVILLE (ALSO CALLED GOOSETOWN) - Located on Middle Grave Creek near junction with several trail to Fork Ridge and ridges off US 250. Knoxville had a water powered grist mill, a blacksmith shop, a store, and a post office at one time. Only the original brick millers home survives.

LAMONT - Post Office located in a store attached to the Alexander Home, which was 1 1/2 miles from Rt. 88, on the Pine Hill Road.

LANG - Railroad station to serve Powhatan Point, a village across the Ohio River. It was also called "Powhatan Station", and a ferry provided service from Powhatan Point to Pig Run where the train station was located, south of Pig Run.

LAUREL POINT SCHOOL - On Middle Grave Creek near Terrill Ridge intersection.

LIMESTONE - Located on US 250, six miles east of Moundsville. Has a Presbyterian Church, school, store, and two beer joints. Early name was Maizeville.

LINDSEY BRIDGE - Name of bridge spanning Big Grave Creek near Ohio River. Named for Lindsey family who lived nearby.

LOCUST GROVE SCHOOL - On road between Sand Hill and Grandstaff Run. Closed in 1955.

LONE OAK SCHOOL - On US 250, one mile west of Beeler Station. Closed in 1957.

LOUDENVILLE - Named for local landowner, village was located at forks of Big Grave Creek, two miles west of Cameron. Roads from Goshen Ridge, Fork Ridge and Clouston terminated here. It once had a railroad station and siding, store, post office, grist mill, school, Methodist Church, and Church of Christ; all are gone now.

LOWE SCHOOL - One mile west of US 250 on Fork Ridge.

LOWER BANE SCHOOL - On Fork Ridge about three miles west of US 250. Closed in 1955.

LOWER GRAYSVILLE - Early name for Franklin.

LYNN CAMP - Located on Fish Creek at junction with Sally's Backbone.

MAJORSVILLE - Located on Big Wheeling Creek at Pennsylvania state line. Majorsville had a school (Alley), closed in 1953, and a natural gas pumping station for many years, and for the last thirty or forty years has had a modern compressing station to service the Majorsville natural gas storage field.

MARTIN SCHOOL - On Fork Ridge at intersection with Aston Ridge.

McCLEAN RUN - Located one-half mile from Moundsville off Middle Grave Creek. Formerly nicknamed "Slaughterhouse Hollow".

McCONNELL FIELD - Located where the Plaza Shopping Mall is now situated. Visiting circuses and carnivals would set up here.

McCONNELL SCHOOL - On Sorgum Ridge. Closed in 1911.

McDONALD SCHOOL - On Fish Ridge.

McDONALD RIDGE - Former name for Fish Ridge.

McKEEFREY - Coal company village built in 1921 and razed in 1947. It was located at former "Chestnut Hill" area of Round Bottom.

MEIGHEN - On Fish Creek at mouth of lower Bowman and Middle Bowman Runs. Had a Christian Church and a school.

MILLERSBORO - Located near Wetzel County line, in the headwaters of Lynn Camp Run. Had a Post Office and Dr. Wayt's office.

MOZART - Older community that is about half in Ohio County, and is adjacent to Mt. Olivet.

MT. HOBART SCHOOL - On Rines Ridge about two miles from Fish Creek.

MT. OLIVET - Area about three miles long from Bethlehem to Garvins Lane, along Rt. 88 and several side roads. Almost all hilltop land has been subdivided into small acreage for residential housing. Has a Catholic and Methodist Church, parochial school, store and volunteer fire department.

NATRIUM - Chemical plant area south of Kent.

NEFFS HILL - Northern extension of Jefferson Avenue from First Street to Parrs Run.

NIXON SCHOOL - On Nixon Ridge.

NUSS - Railroad name for Georgetown.

OAKDALE SCHOOL - On McCreary Ridge, one mile from US 250. Closed in 1957.

PAW PAW SCHOOL - On Rt. 86, three miles from Glen Dale. Closed in 1911.

PHILLIPS GROVE - A former picnic site located at Rock Lick.

PIERCE SCHOOL - On Fork Ridge two miles from Moundsville. Closed in 1944.

PIONEER - School and Methodist Church on Rines Ridge near the Wetzel County line. Both are gone.

PLEASANT VALLEY - Located on US 250 near junction with three ridge roads. Had a school, Methodist Church, store, and post office. Currently has a store and Methodist Church.

POPLAR SPRINGS - Located at junction of US 250 and WV 891, four miles north of Cameron. Site of the huge brick Ingram home constructed in the mid-1800's over a spring, and surrounded by Lombardy poplar trees. House provided overnight accommodations for drovers who were driving their cattle from Ohio to the Baltimore market. Last owners virtually abandoned the fine home which fell into disrepair and was widely said to be haunted. It was a pathetic eyesore for many years until it was finally razed in about 1980.

POWELLS FORK - Forn1er name for Goudy Fork.

POWHATAN STATION - Another name for Lang.

PROCTOR - Located one-half mile south of Wetzel County line at the Ohio River. It provides post office service for much of Franklin District, including Fish Creek, Rines Ridge, Burch Ridge, and St. Joseph.

RAGTOWN - Another name for Gormly.

RANKIN TURN - Upper of two switchback turns on US 250, about one mile east of Moundsville.

RAVEN ROCKS - Located on Fish Creek.

RED GATE - Landmark along Wheeling Avenue in Glen Dale. Probably south Glen Dale, possibly at Tomlinson Farm.

RIGGS SCHOOL - On Roberts Ridge about five miles from Moundsville. Closed in 1941.

ROCK LICK - Located on WV 891 near the Pennsylvania state line. It had a school, store, and a Presbyterian Church, which is now a community church. Phillips Grove, a picnic area, was located at Rock Lick.

ROCKDALE - School on upper Bowman Run. Closed in 1955.

ROSBYS ROCK - Located on Big Grave Creek at junction with roads to Fork Ridge and Bowman Ridge. Had a railroad station and siding, store, school, and church. All are gone except the Methodist Church.

ROSENBERGER SCHOOL - Located at Wolf Run. Closed in 1931.

ROUND BOTTOM - Named for the crescent shape of the riverbank. It was renamed Washington Lands sometime after 1955, probably because some new "high toned" residents did not like the connotation of the original name. Round Bottom has had a school since 1848 and a Methodist Church since 1858.

SEATONVILLE - Earlier name for Calis.

SHADS CROSSING - Dangerous railroad grade crossing at north end of center Benwood. Three different automobiles and a streetcar were struck here resulting in four or five deaths.

SHEPARD BRIDGE - Take your pick - one is located on Fish Creek, downstream from Adaline, and the other one is located on Big Wheeling Creek, at terminal of Pine Hill Road.

SHEPHERDS TUNNEL - Railroad tunnel one mile east of Rosbys Rock.

SHERRARD - Located on WV Rt. 88 near intersection with several ridge roads. Population of this area has increased in the last 50 years as most previous hilltop farmland has been subdivided into small home sites. Several thousand people live within five miles of Sherrard. Sherrard has four churches, two schools, two stores, and a volunteer fire department.

SILVERSIDE SCHOOL - On Garvins Lane. Closed in 1911.

SLAUGHTERHOUSE HOLLOW - Nickname for McClean Run.

SLIPPERY FORD - On Fish Creek, downstream from Games Ridge Road. "Hall" school was located there.

SQUIRREL ALLEY - Secondary road between Cameron and Big Run.

ST. JOSEPH - Rural area extending into Wetzel County that was settled by several German immigrant families in 1840. It has a Roman Catholic Church and formerly had a parochial school. It was also called "German Settlement". The name of the post office was "Yeagersville".

STONEY HOLLOW SCHOOL - On Fish Creek one mile west of Shephard Bridge.

SUNNYSIDE SCHOOL - At Mozart. Closed in 1911.

TERRILL SCHOOL - One-half mile off Fork Ridge on Terrill Hill Road.

TEUTONIA - Halfway between Lynn Camp and St. Joseph. Had a school. Post Office established in 1903. A. Breiding, Postmaster.

THE "Y" - Railroad junction for Parrs Run Spur, located on "mainline" west of Wal-Mart two or three hundred yards.

THE SUBWAY - Low point in the Boggs Run Road under railroad overpass which was formerly WV Rt. 2. This was the first place where Route 2 was shut off by flood waters.

THE WATERING TROUGH - Located about two hundred yards below Gretna Green on US 250. Hillside spring fed water into a trough for passing horses.

THOMPSON - Post office in Round Bottom that was moved from the Burley Farm, two miles north to the Matthews Farm.

TRIUMPH - School on Pleasant Ridge.

TUNNEL HILL SCHOOL - On US 250 at Hupp Ridge.

UNION - Early church on Rines Ridge served by Rev. Samuel Gatts. Later was called "Old Union" and replaced by a new church in 1903.

UNION-CLAY SCHOOL - On Roberts Ridge at Kansas Ridge intersection. Closed in 1974.

UPPER BANE SCHOOL - ON US 250 west of Poplar Springs. Closed in 1927.

VICTORY - School on Pleasant Ridge.

WALNUT GROVE - Name of a former grade school near Bannen and Wetzel County line, and also the name of a former grade school located on a dead end ridge top road that originates in Ohio County. Both schools were closed in about 1955.

WASHINGTON LANDS - Relatively new high class name for "Round Bottom".

WELCOME - Former community encompassing most of Wells Bottom.

WELLING TUNNEL - Bored under Hupp Ridge, about one mile east of Cameron.

WELLS - Post office on Fish Ridge, which formerly was "McDonald Ridge".

WELLS BOTTOM - Named after an early settler, it is now the site of Bayer and PPG Chemical Plants, plus the remnants of the village of Kent. It is also known as "Natrium" after salt wells were drilled there starting in the 1940's.

WESTERN A VENUE - Narrow brick street that served as WV Rt. 2 between Moundsville and Glen Dale until new highway was finished in 1943.

WETZELVILLE - Former post office in Marshall County.

WHITTAKER STATION - Railroad siding and flag stop half mile north of the mouth ofFish Creek.

WILLOWDALE SCHOOL - On Little Grave Creek.

WOCO - Name of post office at Captina.

WOLF SPRING - Site #1 (favored by the author) - Located between First Street and Parrs Run, about 100 yards east of Jefferson Avenue. Spring destroyed when mine shaft was sunk in 1885. Site #2 Located near Cherokee Drive and Dorsey Street. This spring was used for drinking water until about 1920 when it was found to be contaminated. Site #3 - Located at west end of Third Street. This was probably the spring used by the Tomlinson family that lived nearby.

WOOD HILL - Located on US 250 between Fairview and Limestone. Has a Methodist Church and formerly a school.

WOODLAND (RAILROAD STATION) OR WOODLANDS (POST OFFICE) - Formerly called Hornsbrook Landing. Village was immediately south of the mouth of Fish Creek and fronted on the Ohio River. It was along WV Route 2, and near the terminal of Taylors Ridge, Rines Ridge, Burch Ridge, and the Fish Creek Road. It was within. two miles of Graysville and during the 1920's and 1930's, the mining villages of Captina and Cresap. In 1938, Woodlands had four general stores with gasoline pumps, and a post office. Four other combination stores and filling stations were less than two miles away. The Bowen Recreation Park was located on the riverfront and very popular during the 1930's and 1940's. Most of Woodlands was on a floodplain and properties were being abandoned in the 1950's. New highway construction in the late 1950's eliminated the business district along Route 2.

WOODRUFF - Formerly called Garrett Station. Had a railroad station, Post Office and Gray's Store.

YEAGERSVILLE - Name of post office at St. Joseph.

YOHO SCHOOL - On Rines Ridge near intersection with Burch Ridge. Closed in 1976.

NOTE: Information on schools taken from Schools, Churches and Cemeteries of Marshall County, West Virginia, by Dale & Naomi Lowe.