Kingwood dates to 1811, and 23% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 92% of U.S. towns · #13 of 61 in West Virginia. What drives it
2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 103 buildings. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1907 on, and the census since 1880.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Kingwood is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #13 of 61 in West Virginia. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its age lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Kingwood’s overall grade.
West Virginia towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical West Virginia town has 29.6 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Kingwood’s 357 sits above most of its state (81% of West Virginia towns have fewer) while its 106 historic buildings outnumber those of 90% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±8.5 points). Two sources give 1811.
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Kingwood’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The site of Kingwood was once a forest owned partly by John Miller and Hugh Morgan. The Northwestern Turnpike leading from Winchester to Morgantown passed through the area. Kingwood was settled sporadically in the 1790s and 1800s until it was formally established by the Virginia General Assembly on January 23, 1811. It was named for a grove of tall, stately trees. The town was made the county seat of the new Preston County in 1818, and chartered in 1853.
The James Clark McGrew House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993; the Kingwood Historic District was added in 1994.
Passages that mention Kingwood, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Preston County (West Virginia)1882 · page 60Read the page →
Read the text
tees. A separate poll for elections was established to be hereafter kept at the house of Harrison Hagans, in the said town of Brandonville. Preston now had two voting places, Kingwood' and Brandonville; and two post-offices, Kingwood and German Settlement — the latter kept near the present site of Aurora. Kingwood, according to the Post-office Guide of 1822, was 185 miles from Washington City, and 295 from Richmond; and German Settlement, 170 miles
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Preston County (West Virginia)1882 · page 50Read the page →
Read the text
Kingwood Founded . — Conrad Sheets, Jacob Funk, and a man by the name of Steele, in 1807, built houses upon the site of Kingwood, and named the place Kingwood, from the grove of large and stately trees which stood round an emigrant camping-place, where the Court-house now stands.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A History of Preston County, West Virginia1914 · page 688Read the page →
Read the text
538 Peeston County, West Virginia where he spent four years in school and learning the trade of a cabinet maker. When seventeen years of age, he taught school one term, having just come from the old Academy of Kingwood in 1865, and in 1868, he left the Academy of Kingwood in 1865 and in 1868 he left the Academy at Smithfield, Pa., well qualified for the work of a teacher.
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.
By decade
Kingwood, decade by decade
One decade in the archive so far: the 1930s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
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.
In 1811, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1880 counted 365 people here.
How does Kingwood rank for history?
Kingwood is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #13 of 61 in West Virginia. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Kingwood?
Two places: the James Clark McGrew House (listed 1993) and the Kingwood Historic District (1994).
How old are the homes in Kingwood?
23% of Kingwood’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.5 points), against a typical 13% for a West Virginia town; the median home was built in 1966.
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).
From Wikimedia Commons (12), the Library of Congress (6), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), 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.
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