In the 17 July 1889 issue of the Cumberland Daily Times the writer of an article about Elkins, West Virginia, refers to it as The magic city of the wilderness . That phrase accurately describes the sentiments of many people during the summer of 1889 as the City of Elkins began to emerge like a bright star rising on the horizon. The livelihoods of thousands of laborers employed in building the railroads and running the industries that would fuel the development of the new city also depended on its success. And hundreds of families from throughout the region were headed for Elkins to stake their claims and establish their homes in a city which they believed had an exciting future. This book hopes to capture that moment by bringing together a large amount of information that relates to Elkins, West Virginia, during the summer of 1889.