Clendenin, WV

Clendenin sits along the Elk River in Kanawha County, where Big Sandy Creek meets the river and the hills tighten around the town. The 2020 census counted 850 residents. Timber and coal shaped the older economy, but the river remains the clearest geographic guide. Charleston lies downstream to the south, while Clendenin's streets and homes follow the narrow valley and the routes along the water. The river also defines the town's working history.

The town was established in 1904 after an earlier settlement called Chilton grew at the confluence. The Clendenin Historic District preserves part of the town's older building pattern, and the Elk River Trail now follows a long route toward Gassaway. Clendenin Elementary, Elkview Middle, and Herbert Hoover High serve local K-12 students. Fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and waterfalls give the trail and river a present-day rhythm. Clendenin is a river town where timber and coal left the first marks, and the water and trail keep the valley connected.