Piedmont, West Virginia
Historical Overview
Credits & Sources
Piedmont’s history is preserved through the efforts of local residents, community groups, historians, and regional archives. The following sources provided the photographs, documents, and historical information used throughout this website.
Historical Archives & Research Collections
West Virginia & Regional History Center (WVU Libraries)
Primary source for authentic historic photographs of Piedmont, Mineral County, and the surrounding rail corridor.
West Virginia & Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries.
West Virginia History OnView Collection
https://wvhistoryonview.org
West Virginia Memory Project (WV Archives & History)
State‑maintained archive containing historic photographs, documents, and regional records.
West Virginia Archives & History.
https://archive.wvculture.org/history/wvmemory/photo.aspx
Documents Relating to the Boundaries of the Northern Neck (1920)
Used for historical context on early land boundaries, Fairfax ownership, and colonial surveying.
Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. “Documents Relating to the Boundaries of the Northern Neck.” Vol. 28, No. 4 (October 1920): 297–318.
Published by the Virginia Historical Society.
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4243784
Historic Context and Resource Survey for the West Virginia Central & Pittsburg Railroad Corridor (2023)
Used for historical context on Piedmont, the B&O Railroad, the WVC&P, and early 20th‑century development.
Aurora Research Associates, LLC. Historic Context and Resource Survey for the West Virginia Central & Pittsburg Railroad Corridor.
Prepared for Friends of Blackwater with support from the West Virginia Humanities Council. May 2023.
Community‑Shared Photographs
Facebook Community Group – “You Know You’re From Piedmont When…”
Several historic photographs were generously shared by members of this community group.
Image(s) courtesy of the Facebook community group “You Know You’re From Piedmont When…”.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/158983350846928/
Historical Articles & Written Accounts
WV News – HistoryBits Series
Used for confirmation of Piedmont’s incorporation and early industrial development.
WV News. “HistoryBits: Piedmont was a town before W.Va. was a state.”
Wikipedia – General Historical Reference
Used for municipal data, population figures, and broad historical context.
“Piedmont, West Virginia.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piedmont,_West_Virginia
Railroad & Industrial History
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Historical Information
Used for timeline context, rail expansion dates, and Piedmont’s role as a regional hub.
Historical summaries from regional rail history archives and publicly available B&O documentation.
Acknowledgments
This project would not be possible without the contributions of Piedmont residents, historians, and community members who continue to preserve the town’s stories, photographs, and memories. Their dedication ensures that Piedmont’s heritage remains alive for future generations.