Mercer County (WV) Communities

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A U.S. Geologic Survey map of southern West Virginia shows the topography of Mercer County and the Bluestone Valley in 1963.

More than 200 named communities have existed historically in Mercer County, West Virginia. The boom-and-bust economy of coal mining in the county's western mountains led to the birth and death of many. Some were established by mining companies to accommodate employees. In the east, the creation of Bluestone Lake displaced many small farming communities. For more information on Mercer County, contact .

Historian Carl Wolfe, of Beckley, W.Va., has provided the following list of named communities in Mercer County.

Communities in Mercer County, West Virginia

  • Abbs Valley (1891-1897, p. o. 1890-1895) – Rock – 37°N 18’08  81°W 18’15.  – Formerly called Sammy.  Now called Nemours.
  • Ada (1891+, p. o. 1883-1964) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 17’37  81°W 08’54. Earlier known as Long Fall. Named for Ada, a child. (1945)
  • Algonquin (1918-1949, p. o. 1915-1930) – Rock -37°N 27’03  81°W 17’56.  Now known as Lamar.
  • America (1920-1935) –
  • Annie (1917?, p. o. 1908-1909) –
  • Arista (1918-1948, p. o. 1915-1966) – Rock – 37°N 28’23  81°W 15’40. Also called Patterson
  • Athens (1873 or 1891+, p. o. 1896+) – Plymouth – 27°N 25’24  81°W 00’56. Also called Concord Church. Named because of Concord State Teacher's College, a place of learning like Athens, Greece.  Earlier Concord Church.  (1945)
  • Augusta (1935) –
  • Barn (1882+, p. o. 1879-1940) – Jumping Branch – 37N 34’33  81°W 10’42. West of Flat Top near the Raleigh County line.
  • Beamer (1917) –
  • Beeson (1917-1948, p. o. 1917-2006) – Rock - 37°N 28’12  81°W 11’38
  • Bernard  (p. o. 1882-1882)
  • Bethel (1849-1904, p. o. 1847-1905) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 16’27  81°W 09’50. Junction of US 52 and 460.
  • Big Branch Junction (1911-1935) –
  • Billie (1911+, p. o. 1908-1917) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 19’00  81°W 06’25. On Clover Dew Dairy Road.
  • Black (1906-1933) – Rock – 3°7N 29’37  81°W 15’49. Part in Wyoming County.
  • Blake (1911+) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 18’13  81°W 04’07.   South of Ingleside.
  • Blue Stone (1911+) – Rock – 37°N 18’53  81°W 19’10. North of Wolfe on the Bluestone River.
  • Blue Stone (Junction) (1891-1935) – 37°N 18’52  81°W 19’25. East of Wolfe at the junction of Laurel Creek and Bluestone River.
  • Bluefield (1887+, p. o. 1886+) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 16’05  81°W 13’16.  Named for a blue flower or bluegrass that grew there. (1945)
  • Bluefield Inn (1896) –
  • Bluestone (p. o. 1926-1959)
  • Bluewell (1976+) – 37°N 18’48  81°W 16’32.  Named for a well behind a blue house.  First called Poe or Poetown.
  • Bluff (1900-1917, p. o. 1894-1912) – Athens - 37°N 26’06  80°W 52’37. Later known as Lovern.
  • Booth (1896-1935) –
  • Boxley (1917) –
  • Bramwell (1888+, p. o. 1885+) – Rock – 37°N 19’29  81°W 18’42. Also called Simmons. Formerly called Horse Shoe Bend.  Named for an English engineer and coal operator who once lived there. (1945)
  • Brushfork (1904+) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 16’59  81°W 15’01. Named for the stream on which it is. (1945)
  • Burg (1918-1920, p. o. 1914-1918) – 37°N 28’40  81°W 10’18? Northwest of Between Spanishburg at the junction of Routes 5/2 and 19/7.
  • Camp Creek (Campcreek) (1857+, p. o. 1856+) – Rock – 37°N 29’36  81°W 06’09.  Named because of an old Indian trail that crosses the creek.
  • Caru (1920) –
  • Ceres (1935+) – 37°N 18’29  81°W 08’49. South of Princeton.
  • Chestnut (1894, p. o. 1887-1894) – Rock – 37°N 27’51  81°W 11’45. Beeson post office.  It was later called Pinoak.
  • Chestnut Knob – 37°N 24’22  80°W 54’24
  • Clark’s Gap (p. o. 1874-1888)
  • Clarks Gap (1906-1935, p. o. 1904-1915) – Rock – 37°N 27’33  81°W 18’26. South of Herndon. Part in Boone County.
  • Clift (1920) –
  • Clover Bottom (1882) – see Kegley, Lake Shawnee
  • Coaldale (1859+, p. o. 1890-1890) – 37°N 21’50  81°W 20’05. Named by the Mill Creek Coal and Coke Company. (1945)
  • Colored Hill (1967) –
  • Concord Church (1837-1904, p. o. 1837-1896) – Plymouth – 27°N 25’24  81°W 00’56. Now called Athens, it is named for the church all denominations built and used.  Later, it was changed to Athens to differentiate it from other towns by the same name. (1945)
  • Coon (1920-1935) –
  • Coopers (1884+, p. o. 1884-1973) – Rock – 37°N 19’19  81°W 19’49—West of Bramwell. See Mill Creek.  Named in honor of the Cooper family by John Cooper, who found the first coal seam.
  • Crane (p. o. 1900-1901).  Later known as Montcalm.
  • Crane Creek
  • Crescent (1935) –
  • Crumpeck Hill – Route 460 going towards Green Valley.  Named after after former sheriff William Crumpecker.
  • Crump's Bottom was named after William Crump, the largest landowner in the area.  Also known as "Culberston's Bottom."
  • Crusher (1935) –
  • Crystal (1911+, p. o. 1910-1970) – Rock – 37°N 22’26  81°W 16’17.  Named for the
  • Crystal Coal and Coke Co., which established a mine there. (1945)
  • Cumberland Heights – 37°N 15’58  81°W 10’55. Part of Bluefield
  • Dayton (1911-1920) –
  • Deep Lick (1857-1859, p. o. 1855-1966) –
  • Deering -
  • Dewey (1907-1920, p. o. 1898-1905) –
    Dott (1906-1938, p. o. 1903-1987) – Rock – 37°N 28’08  81°W 14’46. North of Springton.
  • Dubring (Duhring) (1891+, p. o. 1886-1986) – Rock – 37°N 20’50  81°W 15’49.
  • Dunn’s (Dunns) (1880-1906, p. o. 1881-1971) – Jumping Branch – 37°N 32’37  81°W 03’11. Also, Mountain Creek. Named for a man by that name. (1945)
  • Eads Mills (1909+) – Jumping Branch - 37°N 28’49  81°W 04’09
  • East River (1835-1904, p. o. 1834-1892) – East River – 37°N 18’43 81°W 01’44.  Almost the same place as Hardy.  Later known as McKenzie (1892-1899).
  • Edison (1935+) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 18’14  81°W 09’18
  • Egeria (1933) – Jumping Branch - 37°N 32’29  81°W 12’00. Part in Raleigh County.
  • ElCentro (1935) –
  • Elgood (1891+, p. o. 1885-1986) – East River – 37°N 23’58  80°W 23’58.  Named for Mr. L. Goodwin. (1945)
  • Federal (1976) –
  • Flat Top (1825+) – Jumping Branch – 37°N 35’20  81°W 07’28. Part in Raleigh County
  • Flipping (Junction) (1896+, p. o. 1887-1891) – Rock – 37°N 20’38  81°W 16’04.  Also known as Goodwill.
  • Flipping Creek Junction (1920) –
  • Freeman (Freeman’s) (1884+, p. o. 1887-2008) – Rock – 37°N 19’50  81°W 18’22. Named for John Freeman, who opened the first coal mines there. (1945)
  • Frenchville (1857-1896, p. o. 1856-1892) – East River – 37°N 20’03  80°W 57’46. Now called Oakvale.
  • Gap of the Ridge (1967) –
  • Gardner (1911+, p. o. 1908-1935) – Rock – 37°N 25’29  81°W 04’21
  • Gardner Junction (1913-1933) – East River – 37N 23’37  81W 04’59. North of Princeton, southeast of WV-16.
  • Giatto (1888+, p. o. 1892-1958) – Rock – 37°N 25’12  81°W 15’18.  The first postmaster suggested Giotto (in honor of the Italian painter) but the post office mistook the first “o” for an “a”.  (1945)
  • Gladesville (p. o. 1834-1838).  Formerly in Giles County, Virginia, until 1837.  Now known as Princeton.
  • Glenlyn – First named Montreal, then “Hell’s Gate” by Norfork and Western Railroad employees. (1945)
  • Glenwood (1976+) – 37°N 20’13  81°W 09’03. Formerly Yule? (1911) and Cabell? (1918)
  • Glenwood Park  (1933-1967) – Beaver Pond
  • Godfrey (1895) –)
  • Godfrey (1895+, p. o. 1901-1910) – Rock – 36°N 21’57  81°W 15’45. Named for Mr. A. I. Godfrey, who bought a small plot of land and sold it by lots. (1945
  • Goodwill (1896-1955) – Rock – 37°N 21’16  81°W 17’25.  Also known as Flipping.  It was named for a man named Goodwill, who opened a coal mine there. (1945)
  • Graham's Chapel – Early name of Pettry. (1945)
  • Greasy Ridge – Named after a woman who stole a neighbor’s milk and butter products.  She spilled the dairy products, and police followed the greasy spills to her house.
  • Green Valley (1976+) – 37°N 18’42  81°W 08’21
  • Hales Gap (1920+) – 37°N 21’34  81°W 53’17. On US Route 460 east of Kellysville.
  • Hambone (1904-1920, p. o. 1904-1906) –
  • Hardy (1907+, p. o. 1901-1921) – East River – 37°N 18’39 81°W 01’40. Formerly called
  • McKenzie (1935).  Almost the same place as East River.
  • Hatcher (1900+, p. o. 1900-1926) – East River – 37°N 21’58  80°W 58’44.  East of Princeton.
  • Haymakerstown (1918?) -
  • Hemlock (1911) –
  • Hewitt (1911) –
  • Hiawatha (1904-1933, p. o. 1904+) – Rock – 37°N 26’25  38°W 14’39. All towns in the Pocahontas coal field were given Indian names.  Captain D. H. Barger named this town. (1945)
  • Hillside (1911-1920) –
  • Horse Shoe Bend – Former name of Bramwell.
  • Hunk Hollow (1909+) – 37°N 27’06  81°W 18’45. North of Bramwell.
  • Ingleside (1891+, p. o. 1884-1971) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 18’54  81°W 02’58
  • Johnson (1911) –
  • Johnston Town – 37°N 21’27  81°W 08’30. West of Princeton. Johnson?
  • Jordan’s Chapel (1870-1880, p. o. 1870-1871) – Summers Co.?
  • Jug Neck (1920) –
  • Jumping Branch (p. o. 1853-1871) – Now in Summers County.
  • Kale (1933+, p. o. 1922-1934) – Rock – 37°N 23’04  81°W 11’02. Between Rock and Kegley. Formerly known as King.  Named for a family. (1945)
  • Kegley (1891+, p. o. 1881+) – Rock – 37°N 23’49  81°W 07’56.  Also Clover Bottom (1882) –
  • Kegley Station (1933) – Rock -
  • Kellysville (Kelleyville) (1911+, p. o. 1909+) – East River – 37°N 20’47  80°W 55’21
  • King (1911) – Rock – 37°N 23’04  81°W 11’02. Between Rock and Kegley. Now known as Kale.
  • Knabb (1911-1920) –
  • Lake Shawnee – The Shawnee Indians used it as a campground.
  • Lamar (1929-1939) – Rock – 37°N 27’03  81°W 17’56. Also known as Algonquin.
  • Lashmeet (1891+, p. o. 1884+) – Rock – 37°N 25’13  81°W 11’45
  • Lerona (1900+, p. o. 1894+) – Plymouth – 37°N 29’59  80°W 58’46
  • Light (p. o. 1902-1903)
  • Lilly Grove (1976) – Rock – 37°N 22’18  81°W 04’16.  Named for the Lilly Land Company, which owned and developed it.
  • Littlesburg (Littlesburgh) (1891+, p. o. 1883-1917) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 19’24  81°W 12’55
  • Long Fall (1894) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 17’37  81°W 08’54. Also known as Ada.
  • Lorton Lick (1976+) – 37°N 19’49  81°W 14’34
  • Los Gatos (1935) –
  • Lovern (1948+, p. o. 1935-1967) – Athens - 37°N 26’06  80°W 52’37. Earlier known as Bluff.
  • Lowe (1911-1948, p. o. 1910-1937) – Rock – 37°N 24’51  81°W 18’29. West of Matoaka.
  • Lucerne (1935) –
  • Malcolm (1911-1935) –
  • Mangus (p. o. 1904-1905)
  • Mannering (1907-1933, p. o. 1902-1920) – Rock – 37°N 23’46  81°W 18’25. North of
  • McComas at Red Hollow.
  • Maple Acres (1976+) – 37°N 19’23  81°W 08’16
  • Maple View (1976+) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 17’56  81°W 09’37. Between Mercer Mall and Edison.
  • Matoaka (1903+, p. o. 1904+) – Rock – 37°N 25’08  81°W 14’37. Algonquin 1918-1945? Named by Captain D. H. Barger.  It is named after Pocahontas’s real name,
  • Matoaka. (1945)
  • McChem? (1907) –
  • McComas (1907+, p. o. 1884-1995) – Rock – 37°N 23’25  81°W 17’29. Also known as Mora.
  • McKenzie (p. o. 1892-1899) – Formerly known as East River.
  • McKenzie (1911-1935) – East River – 37°N 18’39 81°W 01’40. Now called Hardy.
  • McKenzies (p. o. 1892-1899)
  • Melrose (1981) – Rock – 37°N 23’11  81°W 03’12.  Northeast of Princeton.
  • Mercer Healing Springs (1920+, p. o. 1915-1918) – Plymouth – 37°N 24’54  81°W 03’10. South of Gardner on Route 7.
  • Mercer Salt Works (p. o. 1851-1868) – Now in Mercer County.
  • Midway (1976+) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 16’01  81°W 15’40. On Route 11 just north of Bluefield.
  • Mill Creek – Coopers 1894
  • Mill Creek Junction (1891-1894) – 37°N 19’25  81°W 19’37. Junction of Mill Creek and Bluestone River.
  • Modoc Junction (1935) –
  • Montcalm (1907+, p. o. 1901+) – Rock – 37°N 21’14  81°W 15’09. Formerly called
  • Riverside and Crane.  Named for General Montcalm.
    Montreal (1780) – Named by John Toney, the first settler. (1945)
  • Mora – Name later changed to McComas. (1945)
  • Mora (1911-1933) – Rock - 37°N 23’25  81°W 17’29. Also known as McComas.
    Mountain Creek (1894) – See Dunn’s
  • Nemours (1903+, p. o. 1904+) – Rock – 37°N 18’08  81°W 18’15. Formerly called Abbs Valley.Named for E. I. DuPont de Nemours Company which produced explosive powder for coal mines.
  • New Hope (1879+, p. o. 1872-1917) – Beaver Pond – 3°N 20’19  81°W 10’02. West of Glenwood on Route 20.
  • Oak Grove (1906+, p. o. 1894-1914) – East River – 37°N 23’14  81°W 03’49. Northeast of Princeton on Route 44/10
  • Oakvale (Oakdale) (1891+, p. o. 1892-1965) – East River – 37°N 20’03  80°W 57’46.  Formerly called Frenchville. Named for the line oak trees.
  • Old Bluff (1897) – 37°N 30’29  81°W 12’50. Southernmost point in Raleigh County in Raleigh and Mercer Counties.
  • Oney Gap (1918+, p. o. 1914-1929) – 37°N 20’42  81°W 04’36. South of Princeton on Route 27.
  • Orkney (1935) –
  • Orran (1920-1935, p. o. 1903-1904) –
  • Osage (1920) –
  • Patterson – See Arista
  • Pettry (1911+, p. o. 1907-1952) – Plymouth – 37°N 26’11  80°W 57’49. East of Athens on Route 18. Named for Mr. C. W. Pettrey (or Petry) .  The Post Office Department dropped the second “e” when approving the name.  Earlier called Grahams Chapel. (1945)
  • Piedmont (1976+) – Rock - 37°N 27’04  81°W 15’50. Previously called Widenmouth.
  • Pinnacle – Rock – 37°N 19’50  81°W 16’54. East of Bramwell.
  • Pinoak (1885+, p. o. 1889-1954) – Rock – 37°N 26’48  81°W 12’33. Formerly called Chestnut.  Named for a schoolhouse that was named from a boundary of pin oak timber. (1945)
  • Pisgah (1819+) – Between Princeton and Athens on Route 20.
  • Poe (Poetown) – Early name of Bluewell.  Perhaps named because of the number of descendants of Hezekiah “Kiah” and Tom Poe families.
  • Possum Holler – Also known as Oakvale.
  • Powder (1920) –
  • Pride(s) (1906-1920, p. o. 1894-1918) – Plymouth – 37°N 27’23  81°W 00’37. Now called Speedway.
  • Primaton (East River)
  • Princeton (1837+, p. o. 1838+) – Rock – 37°N 22’01  81°W 06’02.  Named after Princeton in Mercer County, New Jersey, where Hugh Mercer (for whom the county is named) was wounded. He was from Fredericksburg, Virginia. (1945).  It would be named Banesville, after William Bane, but didn’t make it.
  • Red Oak Ridge (1879-1896, p. o. 1872-1891) –
    Riverside (1894, p. o. 1875-1889) – Rock – 37°N 21’14  81°W 15’09. Now called Montcalm.
  • Rock (1907+, p. o. 1892+) – Rock – 37°N 22’08  81°W 13’19. Also The Rock. Presumably named for a rock which has a crag on the top. (1945)
  • Ruth (1909-1939) – Rock – 37°N 21’32  81°W 19’43. South of Coaldale on Route 52.
  • Sackett (1920) –
  • Sammy (1891, p. o. 1885-1890) – See Abb’s Valley
  • Sand Spring (p. o. 1840-1841) – Changed to Pack’s Ferry (1841-1843). Monroe County?
  • Sandlick (1903+, p. o. 1903-1917) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 20’22  81°W 13’13
  • Seyler (1920) –
  • Sharpes Turn – Gardner – “poor farm area.
  • Siberia (1891-1894, p. o. 1888-1904) – Rock – 37°N 25’12 81°W 16’19.Top of the mountain southwest of Arista.
  • Simmon’s Station (1894+) – Rock – 37°N 19’48  81°W 18’12. Eastern part of Bramwell.
  • Simmons (1911+, p. o. 1856-1858) – Rock – 37°N 19’43  81°W 18’48. Just north of Bramwell.
  • Smithville – East River – 37°N 20’57  80°W 53’11. On East River south of Route 460. Also known as Wills and Willowton.
  • Smokeless (1909+) – Rock – 37°N 25’56  81°W 15’11. Coal town south of Hiawatha. Probably named for the coal company that operated there – Smokeless Coal Company. (1945)
  • South Bluefield (1913-1933) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 15’34  81°W 13’12. Now part of Bluefield.
  • Spanishburg (Spanishburgh) (1853+, p. o. 1853+) – Rock – 37°N 26’50  81°W 06’40. Named for Spanish Brown, who wandered in the area and finally settled at the Miller Farm. (1945)
  • Speedway (1920+, p. o. 1918-1957) – Plymouth – 37°N 27’23  81°W 00’37. Formerly called Pride.  Named for the highway it is on. (1945)
  • Springton (1905+, p. o. 1905-1977) – Rock – 37°N 27’23  81°W 14’41. Formerly called Tigertown.  North of Hiawatha.  Possibly named for the Spring Coal Company
  • Stengel (Stengle) (1911+) – 37°N 19’42  80°W 59’01. Just west of Oakvale.
  • Stony Gap (1933) – Beaver Pond – 37°N 17’39  81°W 09’57  Mercer Mall.
  • Sylvia (1909-1933) – Rock – 37°N 27’04  81°W 15’50. Later called Widenmouth and Piedmont.
  • The Rock (1857-1911, p. o. 1855-1892) – Rock – 37°N 22’08  81°W 13’19. Also called Rock
  • Thornhill  (1935-1967) –
  • Thornton – 5th Street in Princeton – Named after a man who had a clothing store there.
  • It was also called Thornton Town after James Thornton.
  • Tigertown (p. o. 1904-1905) – Now called Springton.
  • Via (1920, p. o. 1911-1914) –
  • Wenonah (Station) (1909-1948) – Rock - 37°N 27’52  81°W 14’45. North of McComas..
  • Named for Hiawatha’s squaw by Captain Barger of the Norfork and Western Railroad. (1945)
  • West Fork Junction (1911-1920) –
  • Weyanoke (1911+) – Rock – 37°N 24’57  81°W 16’40. West of Matoaka.
    Widenmouth (Widemouth) (1904-1967, p. o. 1904-1963) – Rock - 37°N 27’04  81°W 15’50. Now called Piedmont. Also called Sylvia.
  • Wild Meadow (p. o. 1855-1856)
  • Willowton (1882+, p. o. 1883-1961) – East River – 37°N 20’57  80°W 53’11. On East River south of Route 460. Also known as Smithville and Wills.
  • Wills (1920-1935) – East River – 37°N 20’57  80°W 53’11. On East River south of Route 460. Also known as Smithville and Willowton.
  • Wills Station (1913) – East River – 37°N 20’57  80°W 53’11. On East River south of Route 460. Also known as Smithville, Willowton, and Wills.
  • Wind Mill Gap (1909+) – Rock – 37°N 24’07  81°W 19’05. Near the McDowell County line.
  • Wolfe (Wolf) (1907+, p. o. 1904-2011) – Rock – 37°N 18’30  81°W 19’41. On the Virginia state line. Named for General James Wolfe, the British victor at the Battle of Quebec.
  • Yards (1894+) – 37°N 17’36  81°W 18’28. On the Virginia state line.
  • Youth (p. o. 1893-1894)
  • Yule (1911-1920, p. o. 1906-1911) – 37°N 20’13  81°W 09’03. Also called Cabell? (1918). Now called Glenwood?