Abraham, West Virginia, 25955, is a serene community waiting to be discovered, often by those who explore the winding back roads in search of hidden gems.
Abraham, West Virginia, 25955, is a serene community waiting to be discovered, often by those who explore the winding back roads in search of hidden gems. Nestled atop Sandstone Mountain, Abraham is situated along a quiet route that roughly parallels Interstate 64. The Smith family settled here in 1850 and established a large farm.
The community’s name comes from Armistead Abraham Lilly, who served as the prosecuting attorney for Raleigh County from 1904 to 1908. 1 3 A post office was established on November 30, 1907, with George Washington Smith Jr. as the first postmaster, holding the position until his death in April 1940. 2 His daughter, K. Golda Fox, succeeded him and continued until her retirement.
Initially, mail was delivered by carriers on horseback from Meadow Creek, passing through Pear, Bragg, and New post offices. 2 The first post office operated from a log cabin, which was replaced in 1946 by a one-room building that Fox funded herself. 3 The Postal Service paid her $13 a month for rent and utilities.
The Abraham community once boasted more amenities, including a large general store run by George and his brothers, Ervin and Marion Smith. 2 Residents would either ford the New River or take a ferry and then walk three miles up the mountain from Meadow Creek. The family also operated a grist mill and a sawmill, and there was a one-room schoolhouse nearby.
At one time, there were seven post offices in the Richmond District, but by 1976, Abraham was the only one remaining, located at the end of a long dead-end road. That year, the post office generated $569.30 in income but cost $5,600 to operate. 3 By 1977, only six families were served by the post office, with 14 post office boxes in use. It was closed by 1979.
Sources
- Kenny, Hamill. West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press, 1945. p. 72.
- Haga, Pauline. “Abraham Post Office Once Site of Booming Business.” Beckley Post-Herald, 9 Aug. 1974, p. 13.
- Kay, Joe. “One Post Office, Six Families, 14 Post Boxes.” Beckley Post-Herald, 28 Aug. 1977, p. 1.
