This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
South Hills Emerges From Barrens as City’s Fine Suburb
South Hills, once a barren hillside area across the Kanawha river, grew into an aristocratic Charleston suburb with grand estates, new sections like London Heights, and prominent builders backing upscale development. Pioneered by Col. Fred Paul Grosscup and Harrison B. Smith, the district now boasts modern utilities, wide paved streets, and a growing sense of community with clubs, churches, and strong local representation. Sunrise, the MacCorkle estate, and other mansions anchor a landscape shaped by Col. Carr’s early vision and a bridge-led expansion that transformed land into thriving residence lots.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Charleston
Kanawha River
South Side Bridge
Bestan
Bradford Street
Bob White
South Hills
South Hill
Harrison B. Smith
Fred Paul Grosscup
Ferry Branch
Lick Branch
Bel
London Heights
Edward Gebhart
Percy Meyer
Succoga
Swuden Heights
Kanawha
Morris Streets
James Ferguson
Rus Warne
Covernor
William A. MacCorkle
Nell
Old Nell
South Side
Colonel Carr
Pittsburgh
Ka- Tlawha River
Drake & Stratton
Hale's Hollow
Strate
Drake
Stratton
Checker
Chesapeake & Ohio
Cart
West Virginia Water and Electric Company
W. W. Graham