December 25, 1851
B&O track reaches Cheat River
Morton states that Baltimore and Ohio Railroad track was completed to Cheat River on Christmas Day 1851.
Open event and sourcesA Preston County community
Rowlesburg
Rowlesburg’s entries follow a Cheat River community transformed by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. The timeline brings together railroad engineering, lumber, Civil War defense, civic organizations, destructive floods, and preservation.
This overview is drawn from the timeline entries and the source trails on their individual event pages.- Timeline entries
- 34
- Years represented
- 1851–2003
- Historical topics
- 9
Community timeline
Rowlesburg through time
- 1851
- 1851
1851
B&O builds a Fink truss bridge across the Cheat River at Rowlesburg
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad built a Fink truss bridge across the Cheat River at Rowlesburg in 1851, according to the Historic American Engineering Record. HAER identifies it as the first of three successive bridges at this…
Open event and sources - 1851
1851–1852
The original Tray Run Viaduct is constructed near Rowlesburg
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad constructed the original Tray Run Viaduct on the Cheat River Grade near Rowlesburg in 1851–1852. Designed by Albert Fink, the 445-foot structure combined a massive stone base with a cast-iron…
Open event and sources - 1853
March 27, 1853
Fatal B&O passenger-train wreck near Rowlesburg
Wiley reports that an Easter Sunday track spread about half a mile west of Rowlesburg sent two passenger cars roughly sixty feet down an embankment, killing nine people and wounding four. Robert Murray was among the dead.
Open event and sources - 1856
February 26, 1856
Rowlesburg Lumber and Iron Company incorporated
The Virginia General Assembly passed an act which incorporated the Rowlesburg Lumber and Iron Company by the following: Owen D. Downey, Thomas C. Williams, John A. Lloyd, Charles Finley, and Charles M. Bishop. The company's…
Open event and sources - 1858
February 27, 1858
Authorized the Rowlesburg Lumber and Iron Company to purchase property in Preston County
The Virginia General Assembly passed an act authorizing the Rowlesburg Lumber and Iron Company, with its main office in Preston County, to purchase and own 30,000 acres of property in Preston County, Tucker County, and…
Open event and sources - 1858
February 27, 1858
Rowlesburg is incorporated
The Virginia General Assembly passed an act incorporating the town of Rowlesburg, Preston County.
Open event and sources - 1858
March 4, 1858
Airey Lodge No. 131 incorporated
The Virginia General Assembly passed an act which incorporated the Airey Lodge No. 131 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Rowlesburg, Preston County by the following: A. L. Hooton, William Hall, Thomas Owens, and…
Open event and sources - 1858
March 24, 1858
Sons of Temperance in Rowlesburg incorporated
The Virginia General Assembly incorporated a Sons of Temperance organization in Rowlesburg, showing that organized local temperance work had reached Preston County decades before either West Virginia or the nation enacted…
Open event and sources - 1861
June 1861
Rowlesburg volunteers make an expedition to St. George
Morton says a detachment of about 40 men from Rowlesburg went to St. George, met no resistance, and brought back Confederate flags.
Open event and sources - 1863
April 26, 1863
Rowlesburg successfully defended during the Jones-Imboden Raid
Confederate forces under Brig. Gen. William E. "Grumble" Jones attacked Rowlesburg in an effort to destroy the strategically important Baltimore and Ohio Railroad bridges and viaducts. About 250 Union troops under Maj. John H.…
Open event and sources - 1864
May 5, 1864
West Virginia Gas Coal company incorporated
The West Virginia Gas Coal company was incorporated in West Virginia by the following: James Kane, John Standish, Thomas G. McCulloh, Nelson Beall, and Frank A. Mason, all of Frostburg, MD. The company's purpose was to mine…
Open event and sources - 1869
October 27, 1869
Cheat River Lumbering and Manufacturing Company incorporated
The Cheat River Lumbering and Manufacturing Company was incorporated in West Virginia by the following: Albert Lee, Adam H. Bowman, William W. Shoch, Moses Casseday, James A. Gregg, Lewis May, Alexander R. Stewart, Winfield W.…
Open event and sources - 1870
1870
Twin Bollman truss bridges replace the Fink crossing at Rowlesburg
The Rowlesburg B&O crossing entered its Bollman-truss generation in 1870, following the earlier Fink bridge, according to HAER. A Smithsonian archival image dated circa 1870 records two adjacent bridges over the Cheat River,…
Open event and sources - 1881
April 7, 1881
Alleghany Land, Lumber and Boom Company incorporated
The Alleghany Land, Lumber and Boom Company was incorporated in West Virginia by the following: Samuel P. Brown, Charles C. Huntley, Nathaniel Wilson, Chapin Brown of Washington, D. C.; and Adam H. Bowman of Rowlesburg,…
Open event and sources - 1881
April 21, 1881
Rowlesburg Boom and Water Power Company incorporated
The Rowlesburg Boom and Water Power Company was incorporated in West Virginia by the following: John H. Rice, John Lynch, Jr., Joseph Lockey, J. H. Herron of Washington, D. C.; and Paul Stevens of Camden, ME. The company's…
Open event and sources - 1881
May 23, 1881
Rowlesburg lumber mill destroyed by fire
Wiley reports that the Rowlesburg mill formerly associated with the Rowlesburg Lumber & Iron Company, and later with Lynch, Winslow & Company, was destroyed by fire.
Open event and sources - 1883
February 22, 1883
Buffalo Creek Boom and Dam Company incorporated
The Buffalo Creek Boom and Dam Company was incorporated in West Virginia by the following: John P. Jones, Scott T. Jones, William T. White, Burbridge Fraley of Cranberry, Preston County; and William Bell of Rowlesburg, Preston…
Open event and sources - 1883
November 13, 1883
Canaan Boom and Lumber Company incorporated
The Canaan Boom and Lumber Company was incorporated in West Virginia by the following: M. E. Howe, Adam H. Bowman, E. B. Stone of Rowlesburg, Preston County; William L. Boughner of Fairmont, Marion County; and Adam C. Minear…
Open event and sources - 1885
February 6, 1885
Haddix, Shafter's Fork and Black Fork Boom and Lumber Company incorporated
The Haddix, Shafter's Fork and Black Fork Boom and Lumber Company was incorporated in West Virginia by the following: M. E. Howe, E. B. Stone of Rowlesburg, Preston County; J. D. Howe of Howesville, WV; George Hayes of…
Open event and sources - 1888
July 10, 1888
Great Flood Devastates Rowlesburg
After prolonged heavy rain, the Cheat River surged through Rowlesburg. Contemporary reports said 17 houses, a sawmill, a planing mill, and an iron Baltimore & Ohio railroad bridge were washed away; five families lost…
Open event and sources - 1889
September 12, 1889
Horse Shoe Lumber and Boom Company incorporated
The Horse Shoe Lumber and Boom Company was incorporated in West Virginia by the following: S. Hinkle of Weston, Lewis County; J. A. Hostetter, D. N. Shaffer of Rowlesburg, Preston County; J. M. Macomber of Macomber Post…
Open event and sources - 1890
September 8, 1890
Harmon, Parsons and Rowlesburgh Railroad Company incorporated
The Harmon, Parsons and Rowlesburgh Railroad Company was incorporated in West Virginia by the following: Charles H. Barritt, James Goodfellow, Julius B. Price, Jr., William H. Smith of Philadelphia County; and Charles G.…
Open event and sources - 1903
June 1903
Buckhorn Portland Cement Begins Operations at Manheim
The Buckhorn Portland Cement Company began operating its Manheim plant in June 1903. An earlier notice in the Preston County Journal of March 12 sought able-bodied laborers for the cement works near Rowlesburg at 15 cents per…
Open event and sources - 1907
July 1907
The Morgantown & Kingwood Railroad reaches Rowlesburg
Brown reports that the M&K extension to Rowlesburg was completed in July 1907, bringing the railroad to a total of 47.9 miles of standard-gauge track, in addition to its yard and siding tracks.
Open event and sources - 1909
By March 4, 1909
Alpha Portland Cement Acquires the Manheim Plant
By March 4, 1909, Alpha had purchased the Buckhorn Portland Cement Company’s plant at Manheim. That day’s Preston County Journal reported the completed transfer and plans for $250,000 in repairs before operations resumed. It…
Open event and sources - c. 1910
Circa 1910
B&O builds a riveted Warren truss bridge at the Rowlesburg crossing
Around 1910, a riveted Warren truss bridge carried the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad across the Cheat River at Rowlesburg. HAER describes it as the third bridge at this site, following the Fink bridge of 1851 and the Bollman…
Open event and sources - 1949
Early 1949
Harlan Castle Opens Cool Springs Park Along U.S. Route 50
In early 1949, Harlan Castle rented a small log cabin near Rowlesburg and opened the roadside business that became Cool Springs Park. He chose U.S. Route 50 for its east–west traveler traffic and began selling hamburgers, hot…
Open event and sources - 1953
1953
Passenger service ends on the former M&K branch
Passenger service on the former Morgantown & Kingwood Railroad ended in 1953. The route remained in use for freight, carrying coal, limestone, and other industrial traffic under Baltimore & Ohio operation.
Open event and sources - 1981
July 13, 1981
Fire Destroys Much of Cool Springs Park
On July 13, 1981, a fire destroyed much of Cool Springs Park along U.S. Route 50 near Rowlesburg. In Norman Julian’s 1991 Goldenseal account, the fire was attributed to old electrical wiring in the original log cabin. Harlan…
Open event and sources - 1985
November 4–5, 1985
Election Day Flood Devastates the Cheat Valley Across County Lines
After prolonged heavy rain, the Cheat River reached a record crest of 36.9 feet at Rowlesburg. Floodwaters devastated Rowlesburg, Albright, and neighboring Cheat Valley communities, destroying homes, businesses, bridges,…
Open event and sources - 1991
April 9, 1991
Derecho Sweeps Across Preston County
A fast-moving line of severe thunderstorms struck Preston County with destructive straight-line winds. Kingwood recorded a 69-mph gust, more than 100 pine trees fell near Kingwood, and two people were injured near Rowlesburg…
Open event and sources - 1996
January 19–20, 1996
Snowmelt Flood Strikes the Cheat Valley
Warm air rapidly melted a snowpack as deep as 25 inches before rain accelerated the runoff. The Cheat River crested at 24.2 feet at Rowlesburg—8.2 feet above flood stage. Across Preston and Tucker counties, 85 homes sustained…
Open event and sources - 2003
2003
CSX seeks to abandon the final M&K remnant
After the last coal mines served by the eastern portion closed, CSX filed in 2003 to abandon the final 14.3-mile remnant of the former M&K between M&K Junction near Rowlesburg and Albright. The track was subsequently removed,…
Open event and sources
Threads through time
Stories that shape this community
The B&O and railroad engineering
Follow the arrival of the railroad, the Tray Run Viaduct, wrecks, infrastructure, and the transportation network centered on Rowlesburg.
War reaches the Cheat River
Explore Rowlesburg’s Civil War mobilization and the successful defense of the railroad during the Jones–Imboden Raid.
River, industry, and disaster
See how the Cheat River supported lumbering and industry while also bringing repeated floods and community rebuilding.
Historical population
1910–1970 · Census counts for Rowlesburg
People counted within the town boundary at each census. These are town totals; surrounding magisterial districts are separate areas.
| Census year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1910 | 936 |
| 1920 | 1,225 |
| 1930 | 1,573 |
| 1940 | 1,452 |
| 1950 | 1,299 |
| 1960 | 970 |
| 1970 | 829 |
Why Rowlesburg appears under three districts. In the 1930 census, Rowlesburg’s town boundary crossed Portland, Reno, and Union magisterial districts. The portions were 245 people in Portland, 1,314 in Reno, and 14 in Union, totaling 1,573. The chart and table use each whole-town total once. In 1940, Portland’s 265, Reno’s 1,168, and Union’s 19 total 1,452. In 1950, Portland’s 183 and Reno’s 1,116 total 1,299; the Union portion is printed as a dash. In 1960, Portland’s 136 and Reno’s 834 total 970. In 1970, Portland’s 104 and Reno’s 725 total 829. Union is printed as a dash in both years.
Sources & reading the figures
U.S. Census, 1930, Population, Volume I, West Virginia, Table 4, printed page 1170 (PDF page 118). View the census table ↗
1940 counts: 1940 Census, Population, Volume I, West Virginia, Table 4, printed page 1150 (PDF page 133), also checked against the 1940 column in the 1950 report. View the 1940 census table
1950 counts: 1950 Census, Number of Inhabitants, West Virginia, Table 7, printed pages 48-12–48-13 (PDF pages 12–13), checked against Table 6, page 48-11. View the 1950 town totals
1960 counts: 1960 Census, Number of Inhabitants, West Virginia, Table 8, printed pages 50-14–50-15 (PDF pages 14–15), checked against the 1960 column in the 1970 report. View the 1960 town totals
1970 counts: 1970 Census, Number of Inhabitants, West Virginia, Table 6, printed pages 50-11–50-12 (PDF pages 11–12), checked against Table 10, page 50-18. View the 1970 town totals
District portions: 1960 Table 7, page 50-12 and 1970 Table 10, page 50-18.
Town boundaries can change between censuses, so changes in these counts do not necessarily represent growth within a fixed area.
Explore Preston County’s population history →James Brown Collection
Historic photographs
Views of the community preserved in the James Brown Collection. These photographs are undated; identifications follow the collection’s descriptions.
Rowlesburg depot and town scene
Rowlesburg postal history
Postal locations & maps
6 indexed National Archives images documenting postal locations and surroundings, with descriptions and research notes.
Explore all 6 postal recordsAbout these records
Record dates are not necessarily office opening or closing dates. Applications and proposed moves retain their original qualifications.
National Archives · M1126, roll 651 · NARA pages 649, 650, 651, 652, 653, 654. View the original collection.