Founded in 1917 by T. E. B. Siler and M. Slush and named for newspaper editor Frank Nellis, Nellis was purchased by ARMCO in 1920 and became noted as a model coal mining town. Homes were built by Minter of Huntington, and the ARMCO Assoc. Building in the center of town housed a store, theater, doctor’s office, barber shop, and other services. The company also built a church and school, supplied utility services, and developed mining infrastructure including a steel tipple, brick power house, water system, homes, community center, and store by 1925. American Rolling Mills Co. acquired Nellis Coal and shipped its first coal on a branch of the C&O on December 31, 1920. The mine worked 500 acres of proved coal by the room and pillar method in a 48 inch seam and had shipped 30,000 tons of coal by 1927. Its worst mine accident came in 1943, when 11 were killed, and the mine closed in 1955. The town was placed on the National Register in March 2000.