Alum Creek, WV

Alum Creek is a Kanawha-and-Lincoln County census-designated place along the Coal River, where Big Coal and Little Coal meet. The settlement includes Alum Creek, Forks of Coal, and Priestley; its name comes from the nearby stream and its alum deposits. The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway followed the river to move coal, and bridges built at the Forks of Coal in 1922 tied the two sides together. Lions Club Park and the river remain visible landmarks. Alum Creek is a West Virginia place shaped by coal, rail, water, and bridges.