A promising lead that still requires checking, context, or stronger sourcing.
Preston County History Timeline - Prototype
Purpose, sources & process
About this project
The Preston County History Timeline is a growing public-history project created to help people explore the county’s past across time, place, and subject.
It brings together events from historical books, newspapers, government records, archives, maps, photographs, and other sources so they can be viewed in context with one another.
About the creator
Meet Shirley Radabaugh
My name is Shirley Radabaugh, and I am a genealogist, storyteller, and the creator of Kin & Coal.
My research began with my own Preston County family lines, the Radabaughs and the Cales, but the deeper I looked, the more I wanted to understand the communities surrounding them—the roads they traveled, the industries and businesses that shaped their lives, and the local, national, and world events unfolding around them.
I approach this work as a genealogist and local-history researcher, with an emphasis on careful sourcing, transparency, and respect for the people whose lives appear in the historical record. I also use modern digital tools, including AI, to help organize and present the material while keeping the research, verification, corrections, and editorial judgment human-led.
What began as family-history research has grown into a public project intended to help others see their Preston County ancestors—and Preston County itself—in a wider historical context.
Why this timelineWhy does this timeline exist?
This project grew from a genealogist’s question: What was happening in Preston County while our ancestors were living their ordinary lives?
A birth, marriage, death, deed, census entry, or military record gives us a date. But that date opens another door. What was happening in the person’s community? Were new roads or railroads being built? Had a mine opened nearby? Was the county recovering from war, experiencing an economic crisis, or adapting to a changing industry?
I wanted a way to see those events together.
The timeline helps place individual lives within the larger history of Preston County. It also makes it possible to explore what was happening in a particular year, decade, town, or subject area—not only the county’s most famous events, but also the developments that shaped everyday life.
Made to be exploredWho is this timeline for?
The timeline is intended for anyone interested in Preston County history, including:
- Genealogists trying to understand the world their ancestors lived in
- Local historians and community researchers
- Teachers and students
- Current and former Preston County residents
- Descendants of Preston County families
- Researchers studying Appalachian, West Virginia, industrial, transportation, military, or social history
- Anyone who has ever wondered, “What else was happening here at that time?”
No historical background is required. The timeline is meant to be explored.
Following the evidenceWhere does the information come from?
Information is drawn from a variety of historical and modern resources, including:
- County and state government records
- Historical newspapers
- Published county and community histories
- Archival collections
- Maps and property records
- Military records
- Historic-site documentation
- National Register of Historic Places records
- Libraries, museums, universities, and historical organizations
- Photographs and ephemera
- Reputable modern research and government resources
- Information contributed by knowledgeable community members
Whenever possible, an entry includes a link to the original source or to the organization that holds the material. Some sources are available online, while others may be found only in books, archives, courthouses, libraries, private collections, or historical society holdings.
From possibility to evidenceHow is the information verified?
Research decisions and verification are human-led.
Information is checked against the cited source and, when appropriate, compared with additional records. Exact dates are used when the available evidence supports them. When only a year, approximate period, or range can be established, the entry should reflect that limitation.
Historical records sometimes disagree. Newspapers may contain mistakes. Dates may be repeated incorrectly in later publications, and place names and boundaries can change over time. When evidence conflicts or remains uncertain, the wording should acknowledge that uncertainty rather than present an unsupported conclusion as fact.
Checked against the named source and accurately reflects what that source reports. It has not necessarily been independently confirmed.
Independently reviewed using original records and/or corroborating reliable sources.
The timeline will continue to be corrected and refined as better information becomes available.
A useful source trailDoes every entry have a source?
The goal is for every historical entry to have a useful source trail.
Many entries link directly to digitized records, books, newspaper pages, archival descriptions, government documents, or other supporting material. Some entries rely on sources that are not available online, and some entries may still need additional citation work.
Source links are provided for research and educational purposes. The linked websites, records, photographs, and publications remain the property of their respective institutions, creators, or rights holders.
Research transparencyHow was the timeline made?
The research, source selection, verification, corrections, and editorial decisions are made by a person.
AI tools assist with research organization and presentation. They may help analyze, organize, compare, format, and present historical information. They also help turn structured timeline data into an interactive website that can be searched and filtered.
AI does not determine what is historically true. Information suggested or organized with AI assistance must still be evaluated against reliable historical evidence before it is treated as verified.
A growing projectIs the timeline complete?
No—and it may never be truly complete.
Preston County’s history is far larger than any single timeline can contain. Many communities, families, organizations, industries, schools, churches, businesses, and everyday experiences remain underrepresented or have not yet been added.
The current balance of subjects also reflects what has been researched so far. A topic appearing less often does not mean it was less important. It may simply mean that more research is needed.
The world around Preston CountyWhy are broader state, national, and world events included?
Preston County did not exist in isolation.
Wars, economic crises, political changes, epidemics, industrial developments, social movements, and major transportation changes affected people living in the county. Selected West Virginia, United States, and world events are included when they help explain the historical setting surrounding local events.
These broader entries are intended to provide context, not to create a complete national or world history timeline.
Names across timeWhy do place names sometimes vary?
Place names, post-office designations, community boundaries, and spelling conventions can change over time.
The timeline generally uses a consistent modern public-facing place name so that related entries can be found together. Original names or spellings may be preserved when they appear in a historical quotation, source title, official record, or when the historic name is important to understanding the event.
Active researchHow often is the timeline updated?
The timeline is updated as new research is completed, sources are located, and corrections are made. The Last updated date on the homepage shows when the public version was most recently revised. Because this is an active project, that date may change frequently.
Community knowledgeCan I suggest an event, source, photograph, or correction?
Yes. Suggestions are welcome, especially when they include a source, photograph, newspaper clipping, record citation, or information about where supporting documentation may be found.
Submitting information does not guarantee that it will be added immediately. Material must be reviewed, placed in context, and supported by appropriate evidence before publication.
Photographs from private collections may also be considered with the permission of the person who owns or controls the image. Permission to display a photograph does not transfer ownership or copyright, and credit and source information should accompany it whenever possible.
Using the timeline
Yes. You are welcome to share a link to the timeline or to an individual entry for educational, genealogical, or research purposes.
Linked photographs, documents, books, and archival materials may have their own copyright or usage restrictions. Follow the requirements of the institution or rights holder when downloading, reproducing, or republishing source material.
A note about historical interpretation
The goal is not to deliver the final word.
A timeline can organize evidence, but it cannot capture every perspective or explain every part of the past. Historical understanding changes as records are discovered, digitized, corrected, and reconsidered.
This project aims to distinguish documented information from interpretation, acknowledge uncertainty when it exists, and make the underlying sources visible so visitors can examine the evidence themselves.
The goal is to open more doors.
Corrections and contributions
Historical research is never truly finished.
If you identify an error, have a stronger source, or can add local context, your help is welcome.