Salt Rock

First white settlers came here from Giles County, Virginia, in pursuit of an Indian raiding party that had taken their horses, and permanent settlement was established by 1800. The McComas and Hatfield families were among the first settlers. Thomas Ward produced salt here as early as 1817, and it soon became a major industry in the area. Legend says the community was named because farmers here used to put salt on the rocks along the river to induce their cattle to come and drink. Petroglyphs, village sites, mounds, and artifacts found nearby indicate the presence of Indians as early as 1000 A.D.

West Virginia · United States