Discover Cabell County

Huntington is located on the Ohio River in Cabell County, across from the state of Ohio. The city is also situated where West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky meet. This geographic setting brings together several distinct themes for trip planning: the history of technology, visual arts, and theater, as well as trails and outdoor activities. Huntington offers several cultural attractions and a public park; additional recreational opportunities are noted for Barboursville and Beech Fork State Park in Cabell County.

Culture and History in Huntington

The Museum of Radio & Technology brings together antique radios, military communications equipment, and vintage computers in its collection. It is housed in a repurposed red-brick building that served as an elementary school in the 1920s and covers more than 10,000 square feet. This places technological artifacts alongside a building with its own history of use. Visitors interested in technology will find a different focus here than at the city’s art and theater venues.

The Huntington Museum of Art is a nationally accredited fine arts museum. Its 52-acre grounds combine art and nature trails. The site thus encompasses both art and trails in a green setting. Another historic landmark in the county is the One Room School Museum: the building was a one-room school dating from 1889. This school history provides a specific point of reference in time alongside the other cultural attractions, which range from technology to visual art.

Art, Theater, and Music

The Birke Gallery exhibits work by students and professional artists for the university, the campus, and the wider community. Its program thus brings together different perspectives on art without focusing on just one group of artists. Huntington’s Keith-Albee Theatre adds a striking building to this cultural landscape: it was built in 1928 in the elaborately ornamented Spanish Baroque style. The theater also presents national and local productions as well as film festivals; the selection may change. If you’d like to combine a visit with a performance, check the schedule for your travel dates.

The Huntington Symphony Orchestra also shapes the city’s musical life. It has existed in various forms since the 1930s. Each season, it presents an average of six classical performances at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center; in summer, an average of three pops performances are added at Harris Riverfront Park. The classical series and summer performances differ both in musical style and in the stated venue. As seasons may change, it’s a good idea to check the schedule for the relevant season.

Trails and Outdoor Activities

Ritter Park is a public park in Huntington maintained by the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District. Numerous long hiking trails run along Four Pole Creek. The trails give the park a distinct focus for walks and hikes, setting it apart from attractions centered on museums, exhibitions, or performances.

In Barboursville, Parks & Recreation has a one-mile walking and jogging trail around Lake William. For planning purposes, this specific trail length is easy to distinguish from the numerous long trails in Ritter Park: here, a single loop of a stated length is described, while there, a network of hiking trails runs along a creek. Beech Fork State Park in Cabell County offers additional options, including biking, boating, camping, hiking, and fishing. This selection covers a range of activities; it refers to the state park in the county, not to the trail around Lake William.

Getting Around and Planning

Marshall University offers in-person campus tours Monday through Saturday. If you’d like to make a tour a firm part of your plans, check the current schedule before your visit. The Birke Gallery features work by students and professional artists for the university, campus, and community; campus tours and exhibitions thus offer different points of interest within the university setting.

For information about Huntington and Cabell County, the Huntington Area Convention and Visitors Bureau provides resources for visitors. Together with the clearly distinct cultural and recreational offerings, this gives a varied picture of the destinations: you can focus your plans on art and architecture, music and performances, or trails and outdoor activities.

Discover more destinations: Huntington, Barboursville, Harrison, Raleigh, Lewis County, Wood, Randolph County and Wyoming County.

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