Elkins, West Virginia

County seat of Randolph County, Elkins, WV (map) was incorporated in 1890. The town was named for Stephen B. Elkins, United States Senator from West Virginia, 1895-1911. Elkins is the location of Davis and Elkins College. Elkins, WV Elkins, WV is locate about: 28 miles east of Buckhannon, WV; 25 miles southeast of Philippi, WV; and about 40 miles southwest of Canaan Valley, WV. Airports Elkins-Randolph Co. Regional Airport (map) Lodging Elkins, WV Hotels: Find nearby hotels and make online reservations Weather Elkins, WV Weather: Current conditions, forecasts, weather alerts, and more     Map of Elkins and Vicinity View a larger version of this map (best viewed full-screen) with links to driving directions and additional mapping options. Attractions Elkins Coal and Coke Company Historic District Nearby Canaan Valley Ski Resort, one of West Virginia's top skiing destinations Beverly Historic District (Randolph County) Audra State Park (Barbour County) Canaan Valley Resort State Park (Tucker County) Media Radio WDNE (AM 1240) : WCDE (FM 90.3) : WBHZ (FM 91.9) : WELK (FM 94.7) : WDNE (FM 98.9) The first radio station in Elkins, WV, WDNE-AM, went on the air in 1948. Newspapers The Inter-Mountain Schools Randolph County Schools Photos Photos of Elkins, WV - 1939 Photos of Elkins railroad yard - 1939

Maps Map of Elkins, WV showing streets and highways, and nearby airports, parks, hospitals, buildings, churches, cemeteries, trails and other points of interest; with link to driving directions. Topo map of the Elkins, WV vicinity. Photos Western Maryland Railway - Elkins, WV Elkins, WV - 1939 Census Data Population: 7,032 (2000 Census) Geodata Elevation: 1930 feet Longitude: -79.8469 Latitude: 38.9258

Development of Elkins, WV

In 1881, by act of Legislature, the Potomac and Piedmont Coal and Railroad Company was reorganized as the West Virginia Central and Pittsburg Railroad Company (WVC&P), with Henry G. Davis as president and Davis' son-in-law, Stephen B. Elkins, as vice-president. The railroad's main line was completed to Elkins, WV, in 1889. By 1891, trains were running on a line to Beverly, and to Belington, where connection was made with the Tygart Valley branch of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) from Grafton, WV. Davis formed another railroad, the Coal & Iron Railroad (C&I), in December 1899. In 1903 the C&I completed a rail line from Elkins connecting with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (C&O) at Durbin.

Davis' rail lines penetrated the vast Elkins Coal Field, facilitating the industrial development of the region, and fostering the creation of numerous coal mining operations, lumber mills and timber operations. Numerous new coal and logging boom towns were created and preexisting towns experienced rapid growth during the early-1900's,

Elkins received its first economic stimulus as the location of WVC&P's large locomotive and car shop complex, which in turn resulted in the construction of many new homes for railroad workers. The resulting activity attracted a good class of merchants who increasingly attracted trade from the surrounding country.

In May of 1892, Davis incorporated the Coal & Coke Railroad (C&C), and purchased the existing Charleston, Clendenin & Sutton Railroad which had completed a rail line from Charleston to Flatwoods, WV. The WVC&P was sold in 1902, becoming part of the reorganized Western Maryland Railway (WM). That same year, H. G. Davis began construction of an extension to the C&C line to Elkins, to open up the undeveloped timber and coal regions of Upshur, Braxton and Clay counties. The C&C line connecting Elkins and Charleston was completed in January of 1906. The C&C provided a direct link between the state's northern and southern railroad lines, thus providing West Virginia's northern and southern coalfields with easier access to "western markets," e.g., the Great Lakes. In 1917 the C&C was taken over by the B&O.

Variant Names for Elkins, WV

Joans Friends, Jonas Friends, Leadsville, Leeds Village, Leedsville