Alum Creek, West Virginia (WV), is an unincorporated community on the Coal River in Lincoln County and Kanawha County and is named for Alum Creek, a stream that enters the Coal River there. Used for pickling and to tan hides, alum, for which the town is named, outcrops in a deposit of clay along the creek nearby.
Union Carbide long operated a summer camp for employees on their families on the banks of the Coal River near the town. Holley Hills Estate, near Alum Creek, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Lodging near Alum Creek, West Virginia
History of Alum Creek
The community developed in the late 19th century as a small settlement known as Rome, founded by the Childress family in the 1890s at the junction of the Little and Big Coal rivers. The region’s growth was spurred by the construction of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, which followed the Coal River to transport coal from the rich fields in Boone and Logan counties into Saint Albans, West Virginia. The railway helped establish the area as a hub of mining and commerce.
As the community expanded, local governance took root, and in 1910, Rome officially adopted the name Alum Creek, inspired by the nearby stream containing alum deposits along its banks. The arrival of bridges in 1922, spanning both the Big and Little Coal rivers at the “Forks of Coal,” further unified the settlement and stimulated development.
During the early to mid-20th century, the community thrived as both a coal-mining and chemical-industry town. A summer camp, first called Camp Walhonde and established near the Coal River in 1926, was later purchased by Union Carbide and renamed Camp Cliffside, serving as a recreational retreat for employees and their families. Schools soon followed: Alum Creek Elementary on the Kanawha County side, Midway Elementary in Lincoln County, and Washington District High School, built in the 1930s and named after its tax district. The high school operated for decades before being closed in 1980 due to consolidation.
The town entered a period of transition in the mid-1980s with the construction of U.S. Route 119 through the area. While the highway brought new business and easier access to Charleston, the simultaneous decline of the coal and chemical industries meant economic hardships for many families. Still, the community remained resilient, and in recent decades, business growth along Route 119 has contributed to rising median incomes and a broader footprint that now encompasses more than 17 square miles.
The town is also home to several sites of historical importance today. The Holley Hills Estate, a Greek Revival home built around 1885, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Other notable landmarks include the Swinging Bridges at the Forks of Coal, constructed in 1922, Lions Club Park, the two elementary schools, the old high school building, and the Forks of Coal Missionary Baptist Church, established in 1832 alongside its historic cemetery.
From a modest riverside settlement to a resilient community shaped by industry, infrastructure, and heritage, Alum Creek’s story reflects both the challenges and the perseverance of small-town Appalachia.
Parks & Public Recreation
The following public recreation areas are located within a drive of approximately 20 miles of the community.
Kanawha State Forest
Coal River Water Trail
Little Coal River ATV Trails
Hilbert Wildlife Management Area
Fork Creek Wildlife Management Area
Location
The community is located off the US-119 expressway, approximately 15 miles southwest of the Kanawha County seat at Charleston, West Virginia, and 30 miles east of the Lincoln County seat at Hamlin, West Virginia.
Map of Alum Creek, West Virginia
Regional Information
Alum Creek is located in the Metro Valley Region in western West Virginia.
