History of the James River and Kanawha Turnpike

The History of the James River and Kanawha Turnpike

Midland Trail (U.S. Route 60)

By Gary M. Wilcox

This essay is on the history of The James River and Kanawha Turnpike (Midland Trail) from pre-history until 1900. The Midland Trail was very important to opening Western Virginia up to settlements, trade, and industrial development and to the western United States.

From 1791 to the late 1800’s, hundreds of settlers trekked across Sewell Mountain, Gauley Mountain, through Gauley Bridge, up to Kanawha County. They endured hostile Indian attacks, bad weather, The French & Indian War and the Civil War. The early pioneers founded over 30 communities and towns which are still thriving today.

The Early History of Midland Trail

Midland Trail began as a vast virgin timber forest with a path, worn down by the buffalo, deer, bear, and elk that roamed the mountains for eons. The buffalo is extinct from the Midland Trail today. The last buffalo was killed in this area by white settlers in 1815.

Delaware and Shawnee American Indian tribes followed the trail for hunting excursions into this wilderness. Game was very plentiful. Elk, whitetail deer, bear, turkeys and buffalo were found in abundance on the Midland Trail.

The Native Americans discovered salt in what is now Kanawha County and began using the salt to preserve their meat. They learned how to broil the salt brine, using a wood fire and hot rocks. This caused the water to evaporate, and the salt to remain.

Although there is very little evidence of native Americans found on the trail, Indian burial mounds were found in present day Dunbar and South Charleston, WV.

Archeologists found that the Dunbar, WV mound was built during the Adena period, by the Shawnee Indian tribes, around 1000 B.C. eleven complete skeletons and artifacts were found at the site.

Another archeological site was found near present day Hawks Nest Lodge, Hawks Nest State Park, Ansted, WV. It is an arrowhead quarry, used by the Native Americans to make arrowheads, according to the National Parks Service Naturalist.

In South Charleston, another burial mound was found in 1833 by a team from the Smithsonian Institute. They excavated the mound and found 13 complete skeletons and artifacts. This mound was similar to the Dunbar mound. It too was built around the Adena Period, around 1000 B.C.

At Mt. Carbon, Montgomery, WV, an ancient wall was unearthed, a mile in width, built by early Native Americans. It was dated by archaeologist from around the 15th century. The wall has since been destroyed by strip mining.

In St. Albans, WV, Indian artifacts were found that was over 6,000 years old, making the site the oldest Native