Huntington is West Virginia’s second largest city, and is located in the Southwest corner of the state. The city sits on the border of West Virginia and Ohio, and has influence from Appalachian, southern, mid Atlantic, and mid West culture. It is often called one of the northernmost cities of the south.
The Harris Riverfront Park is a favorite park of locals. Many concerts and community activities are held here. Sometimes there are free open-air movies. The park is located between the city's flood wall and the Ohio River. On the opposite shore is the beautiful
river and Ohio town. It makes me think of a phrase I once heard, “life is not lacking of beauty, but lacking of eyes to find beauty.”
From Harris Riverfront Park, we arrive at the Huntington Art Museum, which is the largest art museum in West Virginia. The museum displays paintings, sculptures, prints and sketches, porcelain, silverware, furniture and other works of art from North America and Europe. It also features all kinds of colorful glass products made in West Virginia and the Ohio Valley, American folk art, Chinese and Japanese decorations, Haitian art, guns and Near Eastern decorative art.
The C. Fred Edwards greenhouse is located at the entrance of the museum. It is a subtropical and tropical plant greenhouse.There are many plants and organisms from all over the world to see.
In order to get a locals perspective, we met up with Les, a local veteran. Let's ask him some questions.
So, um, so tell me a little about yourself.
I grew up in the mountains of West Virginia, in Davis Creek. I Started working when I was eleven or twelve. Delivering papers, cutting grass, working at Foodland. When I graduated high school at seventeen I volunteered and went into the military. Went to Vietnam, got out of nam. Went to Fort Stuart, and then over to Germany for twelve to fourteen months. As soon as I got out of there I went to work in the coal fields, the strip jobs, doing repairs on the equipment for six years. I started working on the railroad, and I’ve been here ever since. So you have been living in West Virginia all of your life right? West Virginia and Ohio. That’s basically just across the river. So what was it like when you were a kid?
I lived on a mountain that there were probably twelve families so, we were kind of a close knit community. Everybody watched out for each other. There was no, basically no technology at the time to speak of. Everybody was honorable, truthful, and the community kind of policed itself.
So what kind of changes have you seen up to this point?
The economy grew, I mean they, businesses, they are still bringing businesses in. We have some parks where its all, like in South Point where I live they have a chartered industrial park. They're still bringing businesses in. A group of the city founders formed an LLC company where they purchase property. They make a deal on the taxes, and go ahead an build these buildings for people to lease out and then they go find the companies to go and lease them. This area is good because we have major highways, major waterways, and major railways. Its good for businesses to come into and set up.
So what's um, what's the local culture like here?
Basically the people are friendly, hard working, and 50/50 on their religious end. A lot of people are very religious, which is good. It helps keep their morals up, keeps positive attitudes. The government in this area seems to try hard to help people. Its just tough times sometimes with the economy.
So in this area like, are families close to each other? More than other states?
Most of the families are close, they're still like they were fifty years ago.You get your reunions, the holidays, but due to the work ethics, you've got people working day shifts, working the night shifts, people traveling and working, the family culture is not as close as it used to be because everyone used to be in one area working now you know, you work basically in the same state as, its getting harder for families to get together than it used to be.
Pepperoni roll is one of the local favorites.What are some other local foods?
Junk food, from hamburgers, stuff like that. Americans like to eat a lot of that. Its not healthy, but its good food.
What about some food, um, that's specifically from here? This area.
Pizzas a big thing that's on peoples diets. They love pizza, um, we have some wild game restaurants here with bear, turkey, grouse, different items like that that you can't find in a lot of places. And they prepare it in the ways they used to, and it really tastes good. Deer, I mean people love deer hunting in this area, they love to deer hunt. They close the schools for two weeks for deer hunting season. Venison is a really big item in this area for food.
So what to do local people normally do in like, in the summer? What are the activities?
Summertime we go boating, kayaking, some people parachute. We have a company here where you can go up and parachute, sky dive. Fishing, and soccer, and basketball. A lot of people like to shoot weapons here, so shooting ranges are pretty busy. Which they have indoor ranges in the winter time.
So, um, on the weekend, like, do people like to go outside? Or do they mostly stay in?
People do like to get out in the winter time, unless its zero temperatures. They enjoy getting out, they enjoy getting in the snow, and skiing, that sort of thing in the snow.
Would you say people from West Virginia, they are more friendly than other states?
West Virginia, Tennessee, the Southern states in the country seem to be more friendly than the ones in the North. Its a cultural thing. West Virginians are, if you get out away from the major cities you have a problem they will help you. If you need a place to stay they will invite you into their home, give you food, a bed to sleep in, or a couch to sleep on. They're really caring people. Most of the country thinks their a little backwards, you know hill billys, but most West Virginians are proud to be called a hill billy. Because that stands for honesty, courtesy, respect, in our eyes.
So what are the, you know, some of the misconceptions that people have about West Virginia that you would like to like, you know, address?
They think they're backwards people, which some are not as educated as others. And they may be ignorant of some things going on in the world because they're isolated in small pockets in the mountains. But I don't know what else is bad that people think about West Virginians. Once they talk to em, get to know them, they love them. We're proud, we're honest, we're patriotic to the country. West Virginia in World War Two had as many people volunteer to go, you know, fight in Germany, but they had just as many people as the larger states. We're a really patriotic state.
So, um, what, one last question. Um, what message do you have for like, for people coming to visit Huntington?
To Huntington? Enjoy the culture. Check out the river front. Mingle with the college students. Check up on the history of Huntington and the area, because its pretty interesting, and stay safe.
Not far from the coffee shop where we spoke with Les is Pullman square, where you will find a variety of shops, restaurants as well as a movie theatre. As we walk down the street, we arrive at a place called "the market”, a local favorite. It is a great place to get the local flavor.
We decided to stop for lunch at the Frostop, established in 1959. It is located near Marshall University and Cabell hospital. They make delicious hamburgers, hot dogs and are famous for their root beer. This icon of the 50s and 60s is the only Frostop left in West Virginia.
Marshall University isn’t far away, and reminds me of the Marshall football team plane crash. On November 14, 1970, southern airways flight 932, a charter flight from Kingston, North Carolina to Kenova, West Virginia hit some trees and crashed just before arriving at the tri state airport in Huntington. All 75 passengers on the plane were killed, including 37 Marshall University football players, 8 football coaches and head coach Rick Tolley. The 2006 film We Are Marshall also describes the accident.
If you happen to come through in October you can’t miss the Kenova Pumpkin House, a long time local tradition. It will be our last stop while here. The house is surrounded by around 3000 carved pumpkins on display. It attracts many visitors and locals alike. It even features a lot of delicious carnival foods.
Well, that's Huntington West Virginia, at least as we saw it during our visit.
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