Howesville, West Virginia

Howesville is an unincorporated community and coal town in Preston County, West Virginia, United States. It sits at an altitude of 2,218 feet (676 m).[1] The community once possessed a post office, which has since been closed.[2]

Howesville
Unincorporated community
Howesville
Location within the state of West Virginia
Howesville
Howesville (the United States)
Coordinates: 39°26′21″N 79°45′21″W
CountryUnited States
StateWest Virginia
CountyPreston
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)

Howesville was named for James D. Howe, who opened a store there in the 1860s.[3] The community was originally built up chiefly by Germans.[4]

St. Joseph's Cemetery and Catholic Church are located in Howesville. The original church was built in the 1840s. It was replaced by the current structure. Nicholas Borgman, who was one of the people who helped build the original church, was the first person buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery in January 1847. His gravestone is still standing.[5]

Meteorite Hoax of 1920

A hoax news dispatch in 1920, picked up by major newspapers across the U.S., reported that on November 22, 1920, residents of the area "were thrown into a panic tonight when a large meteor fell at Howesville.. according to reports received here." The news story added that "The meteor struck in the business section of Howesville, near the railroad station. It exploded as it buried itself in the earth. The force of the blast was heard for several miles. An automobile standing near the railroad station was damaged by the explosion and the occupants of the machine were dazed, but escaped injury." The dispatch added "There are no telephones in Howesville and detailed information as to the meteor could not be obtained tonight. [6][7][8]

References
  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Howesville, West Virginia
  2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Howesville Post Office (historical)
  3. Morton, Oren Frederic; Cole, J. R. (1914). A History of Preston County, West Virginia. Journal Publishing Company. p. 277.
  4. Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. p. 315.
  5. Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Meteor at Kingwood Puts Town in Panic— Occupants of Auto Stunned as Astral Body Crashes to Earth", Pittsburgh Gazette-Times, November 23, 1920, p1
  7. "Meteor Falls in Village— Howesville, W. Va., Is Thrown in Panic as it Explodes With Terrific Blast", The New York Times, November 23, 1920, p3
  8. "Meteor Plunges to Town Street in West Virginia", Chicago Tribune, November 23, 1920, p1


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