About Keyser, West Virginia
County seat of Mineral County — where Appalachian heritage meets the North Branch Potomac River.
From Paddy Town to Keyser
Ancient roots: For thousands of years indigenous peoples — including the Adena culture (1000 BC–200 AD) — inhabited the rich valleys along Mineral County's rivers. The area was later traversed by the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) confederation in search of hunting grounds.
Patrick McCarty and "Paddy Town": In the mid-1700s, Irish immigrant Patrick McCarty of County Tyrone established a homestead near the confluence of New Creek and the North Branch Potomac. The settlement became "Paddy Town" — later New Creek.
George Washington on the frontier: As a young surveyor and colonial military officer during the French and Indian War (1750s), George Washington traversed and helped defend the Eastern Panhandle region, ordering stockades built near present-day Mineral County.
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad transforms everything (1842): The arrival of the B&O main line in 1842 was the defining moment in Mineral County's development. New Creek became a critical rail junction — coal, timber, and agricultural products flowed east while settlers and commerce moved west.
Civil War (1861–1865): Located in the Eastern Panhandle, the area saw repeated skirmishes as the town changed hands. New Creek served as a Union Army training camp for troops from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Fort Fuller on Fort Hill was the most significant fortification.
Fort Fuller — Two future legends: The Civil War fort on what is now Potomac State College's campus was commanded at different times by two remarkable figures: future 23rd U.S. President Benjamin Harrison, and Lew Wallace — who later wrote the epic novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1880). The fort was also called Fort Kelly.
Mineral County created (February 1, 1866): Carved from Hampshire County. The county seat was located at New Creek as a compromise between Elk Garden and Piedmont. The town was officially renamed Keyser in honor of William Keyser, Vice President of the B&O Railroad.
Keyser incorporated (1874): The city was formally incorporated, establishing the civic institutions that anchor the community today.
Potomac State College (1901): The Keyser Preparatory School opened on historic Fort Hill, later joining the WVU system as Potomac State College. Today it serves ~1,200–1,800 students in 40+ programs and is a major economic and cultural anchor for Keyser.
The Lincoln connection — Nancy Hanks: Near Doll's Gap just outside Keyser is believed to be the birthplace of Nancy Hanks, mother of President Abraham Lincoln. This extraordinary connection to America's most celebrated president is part of Mineral County's remarkable presidential heritage.
Henry Louis Gates Jr.: The nearby Mineral County community of Piedmont is the hometown of Henry Louis Gates Jr. — the Harvard scholar, author, and host of Finding Your Roots. Gates has written movingly about growing up along the North Branch of the Potomac.
Keyser today: The city continues as a regional hub for education, healthcare, retail, and government services, anchored by WVU Medicine Potomac Valley Hospital, Potomac State College, and a vibrant Main Street. Tourism is growing with the expansion of outdoor recreation on Jennings Randolph Lake and the North Branch Potomac.
Famous Figures of Mineral County
Where the Mountains Meet the River
Keyser lies at the convergence of New Creek and the North Branch of the Potomac River in a valley framed by the rolling ridges of the Appalachian Mountains. From its valley floor at 809 feet, the surrounding terrain rises to the dramatic Allegheny Front — reaching over 3,000 feet elevation — just to the west.
The North Branch Potomac River, which forms the West Virginia-Maryland border, flows northeast through Keyser. This river and its tributaries have shaped the city's history, economy, and character for three centuries — carrying B&O Railroad freight for 150 years and today offering world-class smallmouth bass fishing, kayaking, and birdwatching.
On clear days from Keyser, the 132 wind turbines of the NedPower Mount Storm Wind Farm are visible on the Allegheny Front — one of the largest wind energy installations east of the Mississippi River. The turbines have become part of Keyser's distinctive skyline.
The spectacular Queens Point sandstone cliff — rising ~400 feet above the North Branch in McCoole, Maryland directly across from Keyser — is one of the most dramatic natural features visible from the city and a beloved local landmark and photographer's destination.
Mineral County is part of the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area — over 500 square miles of forested Appalachian landscape where Revolutionary War-era sites, Civil War battlegrounds, and pioneer homesteads dot the landscape alongside natural wonders.