Chauncey was laid out in 1839, and named after Elihu Chauncey, a partner in a firm that owned several local salt springs. A post office called Chauncey has been in operation since 1838.
The village became an early hub for salt production, but by the late 19th century, its economy shifted toward deep coal mining along Sunday Creek. Chauncey’s population grew alongside the coal industry, drawing workers from across Appalachia.
In 1932, striking miners opposed wage cuts imposed by the New York Coal Company and sabotaged a section of track near Mine #25. The National Guard was deployed. One miner was killed, and several were injured — an incident that became known locally as the “Chauncey War.”
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
