ar, West Virginia, is the southern-most incorporated city in the State of West Virginia. It is located in McDowell County, about 15 miles south of Welch, the county seat, on WV State Route 16. It is about 13 miles from the Virginia border.
The city of War currently now has a population of about 1,000 people and is the heart of Big Creek District, one of four magisterial districts in McDowell County. War is the location of Big Creek High School, the district's only secondary school. The city is located in the Appalachian Mountain range and has an elevation of 1,342 feet. It is surrounded by mountains and has very little flat land. Near War are located several small unincorporated towns - Caretta, Yukon, Berwind, Cucumber, - that once included coal mining operations. The town and the surrounding area support several businesses, which include hardware, lumber, grocery, restaurant, barber, beautician, florist, utilities, insurance, auction, medical, drug, gasoline, auto repair, variety, furniture, and appliance stores.
Within two miles south of War is located Berwind Lake Park, a State-owned recreational area that was built during 1958-59. The park offers swimming and fishing.
War's incorporation came in 1920, some 50 years after the presence of the first settlers. Prior to 1904, it was known as Miner's City, primarily because there were several small mines that opened near the town between 1880 and 1900. These mines, which depended on men to hand dig coal and take it away by horse-drawn wagons, were not large and did not employ many men, until after the Norfolk and Western Railroad arrived around 1904.
The Most popular story on the naming of the town indicates that the N & W Railroad, upon coming through the area, did not like the name of Miner's City and decided to name the town War, which came from War Creek, a small stream that runs through the town. War Creek was so named by the Indians about 1788 because of an Indian battle (some say between tribes and some say between the Shawnee and the Harman family) which occurred near the source of the creek. Supposedly, the N & W, upon arriving in Miner's City, erected a small building, which would serve as the railroad station upon which was placed a sign with "War" on it. When the first post office was placed in War in 1906, it was named the War Post Office, and after that the name stuck with the citizens. When incorporation came in 1920, the town's founding fathers chose War as the name for West Virginia's southern-most city.
Among the first settlers of the area was John E. Harman, who owned most of the land that is now inside the town of War and who was the great grandson of Mathias Harman, Sr., who settled in Tazewell County, along with several brothers sometime around 1771. While Mathias' farm was near the head waters of the Dry Fork River in present-day Tazewell County, he owned land, and passed it on to his heirs, in the area that became McDowell County, VA, in 1858, and later McDowell County, WV in 1863. John Harman acquired his land around 1870, farmed, had his home in John's Branch, and left his land to his sons. Eventually, the land was acquired by Alexander Marrs Harman, who was responsible for some of the first large-scale coal mining in the town.
The population of War climbed steadily throughout the early part of the 20th Century, reaching its peak in the late 1950's, the population of War was 2,998. At that time, every store front in town was a thriving business. There were three theaters, several clothing ans shoe stores, two variety stores, a dry cleaners, furniture stores, a state liquor store, beauty and barber shops, and several restaurants. The town was the hub of the district and almost anything which one wanted to purchase could be secured in town.
By the late 1960's, with less demand for the bituminous coal of southern West Virginia, and with mines being closed all over the County, the city began to decline in population. This downward slide continues, even today, In 1995, there are several store buildings that are closed and remain empty. There are many things you cannot buy in town. Some of the basics of life are here, but any unusual items, and many usual ones, must be secured out of town. Today, there is no competition in terms of items being sold. Only one store might carry an item which a person might want to purchase and, if you want it without leaving town, you pay the price. This includes groceries.
The schools in town have remained one of the constants. War Elementary School still operates, as does Big Creek High School. War Elementary School, built in 1923, is now a school for K through 8th grade. Part of the school is located in the building that once was Excelsior High School, which ceased to exist in 1965 when full integration occurred in the schools of McDowell County. Big Creek High School, built in 1931-32, eventually became a school for grades 9-12 and continues with those grades today. The high school has an enrollment of about 475, well below the 800+ students that were there in the 1950's and 1960's in grades 10-12. Principals of War Elementary School have included Miss Molly Clark, Mr. Lovell, J. J. Hundley, Glenn Hatcher, John Wargo, and Dwight Hurley, Principals o the junior high have included T. K. Tandy and Glenn Hatcher. Principals at Big Creek High School have been George Bryson, Homer Swann, Robert Turner, James Lane, and Fred Bailey. Among the principals at Excelsior High School have been Harry B. Brown, Mr. Shelton, John Cortez Cooper, James B. Woody, D. C. Johnson, Fleming Jones, R. Hummcut, David Coleman, Sr., and Willa Simpson. Gertrude Lewis was principal of the elementary portion of the school for several years.
Activity in War is centered around churches and the schools, with sports being the center of school participation for most people. Big Creek High School sponsors a number of pageants, and War Elementary has broad community support.
War is known for its churches, with fifteen being the number found within the city limits. Even with this number of churches, it is estimated that about forty percent of the people of the town do not attend church on a regular basis. War is also known for the wonderful people who live in the town and who are basically honest, decent people, the majority of whom place God and family first and foremost in their lives.
War has a mayoral and council system of government, with officials being elected every two years. Dr. Thomas Hatcher is the current Mayor.