Pratt, West Virginia (WV), a community on the Kanawha River in Kanawha County, was incorporated in 1905 and named for the family of Charles K. Pratt, of New York, whose company acquired vast coal and timber holdings in and around Paint Creek. The community had also been known as Clifton and Dego.
Settled in 1871, the community was established by the Morris and Hansford families. During the Mine Wars (1912-1913), the town served as a headquarters for mine guards and the national guard and was the location of a number of "bullpens," where striking miners were held. Its most famous prison during the period was Mother Jones.
The Pratt National Historic District includes plantation-style residences and the offices of the Paint Creek Coal & Coke Company.
Lodging near Pratt, West Virginia
Parks & Public Recreation
Pratt is situated on a bend in the Kanawha River upstream of the mouth of Paint Creek. The Paint Creek Trail ascends the creek from Pratt to Beckley, West Virginia. Residents of and visitors to Pratt also benefit from their proximity to Charleston, West Virginia, and its park systems. The Kanawha is a popular boating and fishing stream.
Location
Pratt is located on highway WV-61 approximately four miles northwest of Montgomery, West Virginia, eight miles east of expressways I-77 and I-64 at Chelyan, West Virginia, and seven miles north of I-77 and I-64 at Paint Creek.
Map of Pratt, West Virginia
Regional Information
Pratt is located in the Metro Valley Region in central West Virginia.
