Crum on the Tug Fork: River and Local History

Crum lies on the Tug Fork, which flows past the community in Wayne County; Crum is downstream from Kermit on the same river. This gives you two distinct starting points for planning your trip: a specific riverside location and a local history shaped by a political visit, regional craftsmanship, literature, and sports. If you’re looking for a hotel in Crum, these topics can help you decide which side of the town interests you most.

The Tug Fork as a Point of Reference

In the wider region, the Tug Fork was historically used during floods to transport rafts and logs to Kenova. This history extends beyond Crum: the river flows past the community, while the transport to Kenova describes its use across the broader region. Crum’s location on the Tug Fork and the history of transportation thus stand side by side—two different perspectives on the same river.

A Campaign Visit to Crum High School

In May 1960, John F. Kennedy’s motorcade pulled into the gravel parking lot of Crum High School during his campaign trip ahead of the West Virginia primary. On the entrance steps, Kennedy gave a brief speech to the few residents and school staff members in attendance. An eyewitness account passed down through the years says that afterward he walked down the steps and shook hands with members of the Crum High Band. The sequence makes the visit a vivid scene in the town’s history: the arrival, the speech, and the personal encounter all centered on the school and its local audience.

Josiah Marcum: Landownership and Craftsmanship

For many years, Josiah Marcum owned extensive lands on both sides of the Tug River: in Kentucky’s Lawrence County and on the Virginia side, which later became Wayne County. His craft also earned him a name in the region. He was such a skilled blacksmith and gunsmith that he became known there as “The Vulcan of the Big Sandy Valley.” The river’s two sides and his nickname give his story a regional reach: Marcum’s biography connects local history with a well-regarded career in craftsmanship.

Religious and Literary Connections

The Silver Creek United Baptist Church in Crum was founded in 1823. On March 25, 2006, a historic highway marker honoring Josiah Marcum was unveiled and dedicated at Silver Creek Baptist Church in Crum. The two dates reflect different historical connections: 1823 marks the founding of the United Baptist Church, while 2006 marks the dedication of a marker at the Baptist Church. The town’s history thus encompasses both the founding of a church and a later tribute to Marcum at a church.

Lee Maynard’s semi-autobiographical novel “Crum” offers a literary perspective. It is set in Crum, the small, poor town in West Virginia where Maynard grew up. The novel’s setting and the author’s personal background are thus directly connected. For travelers interested in literature, this biographical connection adds another perspective on the town to the stories of Kennedy and Marcum.

Sports History, Too

Crum won the Class A state football title after defeating Masontown Valley 20–18 in Elkins. The opponent, location, and score give the sporting achievement a clear profile. While Kennedy’s visit is recounted as a brief encounter at the school, here the focus is a competition with a specific score. These different stories reveal various facets of local history without reducing Crum to a single topic.

Discover more destinations: Kenova.

Go to the main travel overview: Wayne County.