HURRICANE, W.Va. -- Nestled along Interstate 64 between Huntington and Charleston, Putnam County is often referred to as a "bedroom" community for folks who commute to work in the larger cities.
But don't let the term fool you. Residents do much more than just lay their heads on their pillows at night.
In fact, the past couple of years have brought a mini-Renaissance, with citizens and county leaders working to maintain and improve the quality of life.
One of those efforts involved rallying to save the county's only hospital, previously called Putnam General. The hospital announced a series of lawsuits would force it to close its doors, leaving the county without an acute care facility. A citizens group, led by former State Sen. Oshel Craigo, sprang into action.
The end result was that, in October 2006, Charleston Area Medical Center purchased the hospital, renaming it CAMC Teays Valley Hospital. Last month, the hospital announced it is expanding child birth programming, and it recently announced it will hire an additional 30 employees in various positions in the coming year.
In other efforts, a citizens group, led by Jeffrey Barnes of J. Barnes & Associates, is campaigning to raise money for a new, larger animal shelter. The Putnam Animal Relief Fund aims to help the county's furry residents.
Residents also have rallied around the Museum in the Community, which closed its doors for a short spell because of lack of funding. Folks have turned out in force for a variety of fundraising events, hoping to keep the county's only art museum in operation.
Such community involvement might explain why Putnam County is one of only two in the state of West Virginia that is charting a strong growth trend, while others lose population.
Census Bureau figures show that the unincorporated Putnam County community of Teays Valley grew from 8,436 people in 1990 to 12,704 people in 2000 -- an increase of 50.6 percent in a decade. Teays Valley helped give Putnam County the second-largest population increase in the 1990s for West Virginia, next to Berkeley County in the Eastern Panhandle. Putnam grew from 42,835 in 1990 to 51,589 in 2000, an increase of 20.4 percent.
The growth just continues. The county will soon welcome its first Wal-Mart. The 184,000-square-foot, big-box retailer will open a short distance from I-64, off Old Orchard Road. It already has spawned other development, including the new Hurricane Gateway Center that is home to Little Caesars and Michael Kirtley Nationwide Insurance.
"It's very exciting what's going on in Hurricane," City Manager Ben Newhouse said. "We're just pleased to increase the availability of jobs in the area. Of course, it helps with our tax base, as well."
Even with all the growth, the county still clings to what gives it a special small-town feel. Shoppers continue to support the rich tradition of unique shops in downtown Hurricane, the heart of the county. The town's specialty shops include The Root Cellar and Ferguson Tea Room and the Colonial House, which has a Williamsburg reproduction shop on site. Along Main Street, an art studio and several stores sell handmade jewelry, flowers, crafts, pet supplies and bridal wear.
The city also features murals depicting scenes of local history. The old C&O Railroad, Main Street and the Hurricane Fire Department are among the scenes featured.
Hurricane also features two parks with walking trails, playground equipment and ball fields. City Park was the first state park in West Virginia. Valley Park is home to the Waves of Fun wave pool, the Hurricane Valley Community Center and the Museum in the Community.
7-day Archive
