Pluto, West Virginia
| Pluto | |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated community | |
|
Postmark from Pluto, West Virginia | |
  Pluto Location within the state of West Virginia | |
| Coordinates: 37°42′37″N 80°59′32″W / 37.71028°N 80.99222°WCoordinates: 37°42′37″N 80°59′32″W / 37.71028°N 80.99222°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Raleigh |
| Elevation | 846 ft (258 m) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| GNIS ID | 1549878[1] |
Pluto is an unincorporated community located in Raleigh County, West Virginia, located at latitude 37.71 and longitude 80.992. The elevation is 2,589 feet.[2]
According to a 1976 article by local historian Billy Richmond, “The post office at Pluto was established in 1908 by E. Howard Richmond, who retired in 1944. Howard’s son, Hobart, was postmaster until 1963, when the post office was discontinued. The name Pluto was given the community by the former owner of the store which housed the post office.[3] Mr. Rufe Wood, stated that only Pluto could remain postmaster of Pluto and be acceptable to the public.” [4]
A community landmark is the Pluto Missionary Baptist Church,[5] known as the Old Log Church.According to a 1971 column by Shirley Donnelly, the church was established in 1893 on land donated by Jim Meador. The logs from Mr. Meador’s property were sawed and hewn by Jesse Harris. The pulpit in the new church was crafted by Gus Samples, local carpenter and joiner.
Charter members were Major Bailey, Jacob Plumley, Jacob Bennett, Marshall Garten, Nathaniel (Nathan) Richmond, Sam Meadows, Jacob Smith, Floyd Adkins and William Harris. The Rev. Billy Dobbins was the first pastor. Rev. Dobbins rode on horseback to services from his Cove Ridge home.[6]
References
- ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pluto, West Virginia
- ↑ http://westvirginia.hometownlocator.com/wv/raleigh/pluto.cfm Accessed 30 Aug 2009.
- ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pluto WV post office
- ↑ Richmond District Post Offices Dwindle From Seven To One, by Billy Richmond, 15 Aug 1976, Post-Herald/Raleigh Register, Page 38.
- ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pluto Baptist Church
- ↑ Nail From Old Church Preserved, Yesterday and Today column, Shirley Donnelly, Beckley Post-Herald, W.Va., 19 May 1971, Page 4.
