The U.S. state of West Virginia is a state full of mountains. The city of Huntington is a city in the western region of the state and located on the Ohio River and across the river from, of all places, the U.S. state of Ohio.
Some of you are saying, “Yeah! Too bad that it happens to be a boring city with nothing to do.”
Those who see the city of Huntington, West Virginia as a boring city has obviously never visited the city. Some of you may have heard of Marshall University which is located in this city. The university was made famous by the movie We Are Marshall about how the university’s American football team that was tragically killed in a plane crash and, when the university wanted to end the program, the people of the university told them otherwise.
Some of you are saying, “That is nice, but this city is not a railroad city.”
Ladies and Gentlemen, you are wrong again. One of the founders of the city of Huntington was a man named Collis Potter Huntington. Yes, it is the same Collis Potter Huntington who had a steam locomotive named for him. He is considered one of the “Big Four” of western railroad as he was the man who built the Central Pacific Railroad which became a part of the Transcontinental Railroad. He founded the city to be hub for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. Another railroad, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, also came here, and they built a passenger train station downtown.
Welcome to the Heritage Station. What is the Heritage Station? It was once a passenger train station for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. When passenger service ceased, the old train station remained. Also called the Heritage Village, not to be confused with the Heritage Village and Farm, a living history museum located south of the city, it houses the Cabell Huntington Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and a few shops and restaurants. One of the shops is called the ‘Red Caboose’, which sells arts and crafts by regional artists. There are old freight houses and an old bank that is part of the village. What is special about the bank? It is said that it was robbed by Jesse James, the famous outlaw. It was the city’s first bank robbery.
As you approach the Heritage Station, the first thing you will see is not the old train station but a steam locomotive. The locomotive was first used by a coal mine and then used to haul lumber. You will also find an old Pullman passenger car and two boxcars.
Need a reason, to visit Huntington, West Virginia? You actually have many reasons to visit this city. The Heritage Station is just one of them.
The Heritage Station is located at 210 Eleventh Street at Veterans Memorial Boulevard (U.S. Route 60). Parking is on site. You can get more information at https://ghprd.org/index.php/heritage-station.
As mentioned, you have many reasons to visit Huntington, West Virginia. The Heritage Station is one of many.
John Cowgill: Stories of the Railroad 