The Ceredo-Kenova Historical Marker was erected in 1975 near the western entrance to Kenova. It commemorates the foundings of Ceredo and Kenova, two adjoining small towns in northern Wayne County with their own distinct histories. Ceredo was founded in 1857 by Massachusetts Congressman Eli Thayer. His intention was for the town to become a manufacturing city populated with northern abolitionist emigrants, with the goal of converting southerners to the ideals of free labor and industrialization. Kenova meanwhile was founded in the 1890s to service the Norfolk & Western Railway. The N&W built a bridge crossing the Ohio River at this location to transport coal from the southern coalfields of West Virginia. The name Kenova is a portmanteau of the names Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia.
Dreamland Pool was founded by local businessman J. D. Booth in 1926. The community pool served as one of the area’s biggest attractions because of its many activities and convenient placing on Route 60 between Huntington, WV and Ashland, KY. Today the pool is owned and managed by the Kenova Parks and Recreation Board. It remains a family-friendly environment for recreational activities every summer.
Running through the heart of Kenova and over the Ohio River is a 6,150 foot long, 85 foot high, and over 100 year old engineering marvel, the Norfolk & Western Railroad's Kenova Bridge. Work on the bridge began in 1890 when the N&W began constructing a line to connect Norfolk, Virginia to Cincinnati, Ohio. Laborers flooded into the area, a new town was created, and lives were lost during its construction. After 23 years of work, the first passenger trains rumbled across the river on June 9th, 1913.
Ceredo-Kenova High School was a secondary school in Kenova, West Virginia from 1894-1998. It was the first high school in Wayne County and remains the longest-existing. A source of pride for both the Ceredo and Kenova communities, the C-K Wonders won twelve state football championships in its 104-year history. C-K also fielded several notable alumni, including Christian singer Michael W. Smith; MLB player Don Robinson; and Intuit CEO Brad Smith. In 1998 declining enrollment forced the closure of C-K High and it was consolidated into the new Spring Valley High School. The high school building sat vacant for many years until its demolition in 2014 to make room for the new C-K Elementary School.
The Pumpkin House is a Victorian-era home in Kenova, West Virginia. Originally known as the Joseph Miller House, the Queen Anne-style residence was constructed in 1891, when the town of Kenova was in its infancy. It is most famous for its display of thousands of carved illuminated pumpkins every Halloween. This tradition began with current owner Ric Griffith, who along with volunteers carves some 3,000 pumpkins for the spectacle. The Pumpkin House is the centerpiece of the annual C-K Autumnfest and draws 20,000-30,000 visitors each year. The attraction has received national recognition and has been featured on several television programs in recent years. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
The First Baptist Church of Kenova is an iconic church in the Kenova, West Virginia community. The first incarnation of the church was established in 1897 but was short lived. In 1908 it was revived and has remained in operation ever since. After starting with thirteen members, the church today is one of the largest in Wayne County and very prominent in the community.
Kenova Elementary School was the first and longest-operating public school in Kenova. A schoolhouse was first built at 11th Street in the early 1890s during the development of Kenova. Around 1906 the first in a series of buildings was constructed at a three-acre block on Poplar Street. For over a century all children living in Kenova attended this school. In 2011 the complex was closed over concerns about a sinkhole; for the next several years classes were held in modular units on a football field. Kenova Elementary School formally ceased to exist with the opening of the new Ceredo-Kenova Elementary School in 2017. In 2018 the vacant school buildings on Poplar Street were demolished to make way for commercial development on the site.
Kenova United Methodist Church was established in 1894 as a mission church of the Ceredo Methodist Church and remains one of the oldest congregations in the region. The congregation was located at Sycamore Street in its early years before moving to its present location in the 1910s. The current sanctuary, the church's third building, was constructed in 1980 with an educational facility added in 2003. At present, the church has over 600 members and is active in the community with a variety of programs.
The Glenwood was a prominent hotel located in the heart of Kenova. It was one of several major building projects conducted during the town’s first decade of existence. Construction began as early as 1890 but was delayed and not completed until the early 1900s. The Glenwood was notably the first location of R. Ney Williams’ drugstore, which later became Griffith & Feil Soda Fountain. The hotel itself was relatively short-lived, only operating until 1917. Years later most of the structure was demolished, but a small portion was spared and today functions as an apartment building.
Griffith & Feil is a historic pharmacy and soda fountain in Kenova, West Virginia. It is one of the oldest continuing businesses in town. The pharmacy was established in 1892 and has been in its current location since 1914. After a lengthy restoration Griffith & Feil has been returned to its classic soda fountain appearance. It remains owned and operated by the Griffith family. Enjoy a stroll into older days and take in some of the area's history depicted within the store for an interesting and fun time.
The Norfolk and Western Railroad's Union Station was one of the most prominent landmarks in the town of Kenova for much of the twentieth century. The large, two story, yellow brick station was built in 1892-1894 to service the N&W's passenger trains. Union Station began falling into disuse as the passenger train industry declined in the mid-1900s. By the 1970s the station had been shuttered and was demolished in 1975. Today nothing of the structure remains.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This tour takes you to several of Kenova's most prominent historical sites. Known as the "Western Gate to the Mountain State," Kenova, West Virginia was founded in 1894 to service the Norfolk & Western Railway. From the world-famous Pumpkin House to an authentic soda fountain at Griffith & Feil, the town of Kenova has plenty to see.
