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History · Big Chimney

Big Chimney’s post office opened in 1905, and 21% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1909 on, and old-book passages.

1905first post office
0on the National Register
21%homes built before 1940
6old photos & papers
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Big Chimney’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Big Chimney began

When was Big Chimney founded?

1905

The Big Chimney post office opened in 1905, the earliest record of the town by name.

2020 census: 629121 years
Founding year: the first Big Chimney post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).

What stands out about Big Chimney’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

On the map since 19094 editions of the USGS map, 1909 to 1971. Watch Big Chimney change.Old housesHalf of Big Chimney’s homes were built before 1959.
★ What stands out · On the map

Big Chimney on the map, 1909 to 1971

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Big Chimney. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Big Chimney on the 1909 USGS mapBig Chimney on the 1931 USGS mapBig Chimney on the 1958 USGS mapBig Chimney on the 1971 USGS map1909Charleston sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Big Chimney.

The story so far

Big Chimney, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Big Chimney yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Big Chimney is a census-designated place (CDP) located on U.S. Route 119 in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 629 (slightly up from 627 at the 2010 census). It is accessible by West Virginia Route 114 or exit 5 from I-79. The town is named after the tall chimney of the local salt works, which was a prominent landmark.

Its first post office opened in 1905. Its population held steady between the last two censuses: 627 in 2010, 629 in 2020.

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Big Chimney in 1911

Passages that mention Big Chimney, cut from the printed page as they were published.

Thomas J. Mason was educated in private schools and as a young man located in Elk district, purchasing a farm at what is familiarly known as Big Chimney, residing thereon until 1896, in which year he came to Charleston. Here he entered the coal business, which he had started some years before at Bi…
History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia1911 · page 823Read the page →
Read the text

Thomas J. Mason was educated in private schools and as a young man located in Elk district, purchasing a farm at what is familiarly known as Big Chimney, residing thereon until 1896, in which year he came to Charleston. Here he entered the coal business, which he had started some years before at Big Chimney, and he carried on the business until his retire-

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Timeline

Big Chimney, 1905 to 1962

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 20th century
  2. 1905Post officeThe Big Chimney post office opens
  3. 1909On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  4. 1921In the archiveA little log cabin, - relic of the old days, - now occupied by a small family (F.T. Castl…
  5. 1962Post officeThe Big Chimney post office closes
By decade

Big Chimney, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1920s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1920s6 items
A little log cabin, - relic of the old days, - now occupied by a small family (F.T. Castle) who are gradually giving up…1921A little log cabin, - relic of the old days, - now oc…The Big Chimney School at Big Chimney, W. Va. near Charleston. A good building and plenty of land but the main-traveled…1921The Big Chimney School at Big Chimney, W. Va. near Ch…W.A. Copen's old home at Big Chimney, W. Va. Windows out on upper floor and generally run down. Location: Big Chimney, …1921W.A. Copen's old home at Big Chimney, W. Va. Windows …A little log cabin, - relic of the old days, - now occupied by a small family (F.T. Castle) who are gradually giving up…1921A little log cabin, - relic of the old days, - now oc…A little log cabin, - relic of the old days, - now occupied by a small family (F.T. Castle) who are gradually giving up…1921A little log cabin, - relic of the old days, - now oc…A little log cabin, - relic of the old days, - now occupied by a small family (F.T. Castle) who are gradually giving up…1921A little log cabin, - relic of the old days, - now oc…
1930s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today1 recent
Elkriverbigchimney2025Elkriverbigchimney
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

A little log cabin, - relic of the old days, - now occupied by a small family (F.T. Castle) who are gradually giving up…
Retake this viewA little log cabin, - relic of the old days, - now occupied by a small family (F.T. Castle) who are gradually giving up…, 1921

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Big Chimney’s page.

Retake this view · +15
Famous people

Famous people close to Big Chimney

Nobody well known was born in Big Chimney itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Jerry WestAmerican basketball player and executive · b. 1938
G
George Armitage MillerAmerican psychologist · b. 1920
Jim JusticeAmerican politician and entrepreneur · b. 1951
George CrumbAmerican composer · b. 1929
Randy BarnesAmerican shot putter · b. 1966
Randy MossAmerican football player and sports analyst · b. 1977
Places that used to be

Lost post offices

Big Chimney had its own post office from 1905 to 1962.

Big Chimney
1905–1962
19001960today

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Finish Big Chimney’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewA little log cabin, - relic of the old …: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

Questions about Big Chimney’s history

What year was Big Chimney founded?

The Big Chimney post office opened in 1905, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 Wikimedia Commons (3), the Library of Congress (4), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.