Huntington WV

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Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, located at the confluence of theGuyandotte River and the Ohio River. With the perfect combination of small town charm and big city feel, this vibrant city boasts an impressive, historic downtown with endless opportunities for shopping, dining and entertainment. As of the 2010 census, the metropolitan area is the largest in West Virginia. It spans 7 counties across 3 states, with a population of 364,101. Huntington is the largest city in the MSA and the second largest city in West Virginia, with a population of 49,138 at the 2010 census. The Huntington–Charleston TV market is the 64th-largest in the nation.

History

The City of Huntington was founded as the western terminus of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway in 1871 upon agricultural homesteads, and is eponymously named for the railroad’s founder Collis Potter Huntington. The first permanent settlement in modern-day Huntington was founded in 1775 as “Holderby’s Landing.” Huntington was the second American city to feature electric street cars in the early years (after San Francisco), until they were gradually replaced with gasoline-powered buses. Some of the old trolley tracks can still be seen. Huntington has seen a major revival since the opening of the Pullman Square Town Center on the vacant lot formerly known as the “Superblock” in 2005, the filming of the Warner Bros. motion picture We Are Marshall in 2006, and the filming of ABC’sFood Revolution in 2010.

Economy

The growth of Huntington and its economy was originally based on steel processing, shipping, manufacturing, and transportation through the 1970s, then the city experienced de-industrialization which cost residents tens of thousands of low-skill, high-wage jobs.  The primary industries have shifted to high technology, such as, the film and television industries, health care, biomedical technology, finance, tourism, and the service sector. The Amazon Customer Service Center in Huntington employs approximately 500–700 people. Huntington has grown its economic base in recent years to include technology, retail, finance, education, and medical care (which constitutes the largest proportion of the city’s employment). The largest employers are Marshall University, Cabell Huntington Hospital, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Amazon, DirecTV, and the City of Huntington.

Culture

Huntington is influenced by Appalachian Culture, Southern culture,Midwestern culture, and Mid-Atlantic culture. It is sometimes referred to as one of the northernmost cities in the South or one of the southernmost cities in the North. The 2006 Warner Bros. motion picture We Are Marshall and the 2010 ABC series Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution were filmed in Huntington.

Sports

Huntington’s sports scene is dominated by Marshall University athletics and Huntington Prep basketball. Marshall’s sports teams are known as the Thundering Herd. Huntington Prep is currently ranked as one of the top ten basketball teams in the nation[67] and have the top high school player in the class of 2013, Andrew Wiggins.