A bulleted list of key events in Pocahontas County history

 

Key events in Pocahontas County history:

• 1732 - The area that would become Pocahontas County is first explored by Europeans.
• 1749 - The first permanent settlement in the county is established by the VanMeter family.
• 1763 - The county is named after Princess Pocahontas, the daughter of the Powhatan chief who married the English settler John Rolfe.
• 1774 - The county falls under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Virginia.
• 1775 - The American Revolutionary War begins, and the county is a hotbed of partisan activity.
• 1783 - The war ends, and the county becomes part of the United States.
• 1821 - The county's first newspaper, the Pocahontas Weekly Banner, is established.
• 1861 - The Civil War begins, and the county is divided in its loyalties.
• 1863 - The Battle of Droop Mountain is fought in the county, and the Union victory helps to secure the state of West Virginia for the Union.
• 1865 - The war ends, and the county begins to rebuild.
• 1871 - The Greenbrier Hotel opens in White Sulphur Springs, and the county becomes a popular tourist destination.
• 1892 - The county's first railroad is built.
• 1920 - The county's first paved road is built.
• 1930 - The Great Depression hits the county hard, but the New Deal helps to revive the economy.
• 1945 - World War II ends, and the county experiences a period of prosperity.
• 1960s-1970s - The county's population begins to decline as jobs in the logging and mining industries disappear.
• 1980s-1990s - The county begins to focus on tourism and recreation as a way to boost the economy.
• 2000s-Present - The county continues to grow as a tourist destination, and its population begins to stabilize.

In addition to these key events, Pocahontas County has a rich and diverse history that includes Native American culture, the Civil War, and the development of the tourism industry. The county is also home to a number of historic sites, including the Greenbrier Hotel, the Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park, and the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park.