Huntington (Then and Now)

Product Description

Named in 1870 after railroad tycoon Collis P. Huntington, the city of Huntington is nestled on the southern bank of the majestic Ohio River and the rolling hills of northwestern West Virginia.

Review

Title: Barboursville author tells history of Huntington

Author: Justin Waybright

Publisher: Cabell Standard

Date: 3/16/2010

Have you ever wanted to step back in time and see what Huntington looked like 100 years ago?

Local author and photographer Terry Baldridge has made this possible with the release of his new book, titled “Huntington.”

This virtual history book compares photographs taken in the early 1900s with ones taken in recent years by Baldridge.

The Barboursville resident included more than 6,000 photographs of various buildings and locations in the city.

“You can take this book along with you as you walk through the city,” Baldridge said. “Then compare from before to today.”

“I wanted to tell a story with photographs,” Baldridge continued. “I wanted to do something new and write a book that’s not out there, and I never saw anything with old pictures alongside new ones to return to yesteryear.”

Before his grandfather died, Baldridge promised him he would write a book. Ten months later he completed his first, about the Eastern Kentucky Railway. Baldridge later finished another about Ashland, Kentucky.

“Huntington” is his third book.

“I began it last April and finished in August,” Baldridge said. “When you have a goal, it gets in your blood. This was my form of creative expression.”

Baldridge said Chapter 1 is his favorite. It’s titled, “Huntington From Above,” and features photographs taken high over the city.

Many of the photographs Baldridge took, are taken using the same angle and location as the older ones taken decades ago. He tried his best to mimic these old film pictures with new digital photography.

“I wanted to marry the old with the new,” Baldridge said. “The captions I included add a little flavor to the story [I’m] telling with photographs.”

“This was a fun project,” he concluded.

“Huntington” is available through Arcadia Publishing for $21.99. Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com. “Huntington” can also be found in local bookstores.

About the Author

Author and photographer Terry L. Baldridge has lived in the Huntington area for nearly 20 years and has collected photographs from Marshall University, libraries, and business and private archives. He invites readers to revisit images of Huntington’s past and compare them with photographs captured through the lens of his camera.