WEST VIRGINIA: What We Saw In The State's Second Biggest City - HUNTINGTON

We visited Huntington, West Virginia.
Joe's Instagram: / joeysroadtrip
Travel Vlog 288

[@sharhondajohnson.allofever2780]

Love your channel,Makes me feel like I’m visiting these actual places

[@Marr-in-Memphis]

I was born & raised in Huntington, WV & graduated from Marshall University. After I retired, I relocated to Memphis, TN in 2016. It’s interesting to look through your camera lens to see how much has remained the same or changed since I left. Businesses have moved to other locations. A building near Marshall has been demolished. The old WPA brick streets from FDR’s New Deal are still being used. I commend you for a positive piece about the city from a reviewer who had no stake in the pot. Nicely written. PS It’s pronounced “CAB - ell” county.

[@josephhoover4542]

Jeez you went from one dumpy city to the next you couldn’t pay me to live in Memphis or Huntington the crime in both places is outrageous as is the drug use.

[@zyzzuschrist3410]

I love these road trips videos! Such an awesome niche and you’re blessed to get to travel like this to show us the lesser known forgotten towns

[@Cons2911]

Agreed. If I ever get a chance to visit US again, I’ll make sure to travel more. I love small town vibe, we of ten stop, buy some drinks, take a break and just look around and appreciate the place. Peaceful, beautiful

[@LPfreak1976]

I live in Huntington, and thankfully, you didn't go too far down into the west end part. That's where it's not the safest. Also that one brick house you showed with the big porch that was boarded up, was own my my childhood best friend's son's grandfather. He sadly past away from covid and it use to be a massage therapy school. It wasn't in the best shape on the inside but it is huge, and has beautiful stairs. After he passed away, one of his kids took it over and they let it get in that shape to where the city took it over. Alot of the houses are in that shape because of the people who own them sadly and just don't wanna fix them so the city takes control of them. And also the house next to the brick one had a fire inside and it's not safe at all inside, but yet it's still standing. It is a beautiful town, just parts of it aren't in the best shape. I grew up in Barboursville so when I started living in the city in my early 20s I was shocked by some things. Thank you for showing the good parts and having positive thoughts on some of the houses, because they are beautifully built just alot of older one that do need some TLC as you said.

[@billstill1794]

Great comment from a Huntington resident! 👍

[@albieh2563]

Don't feel badly about the "bad" section of your city. All cities have run down sections. Joe chooses to emphasize each city's beautiful parts.

[@Cons2911]

How do cities take over? (I’m not American)

[@sassyhartwv]

I lived in Kenova & Jefferson very bad. I moved 3 years ago. Good bye for Sassy

[@Anne5928]

Right?! I lived there for 53 years. It was a wonderful place to grow up, but it’s drugs everywhere now. High taxes, and crap pay. I moved to Texas a year ago and it’s nothing like that where I am. You can go to Walmart without feeling like ur the only person who isn’t high. Weird. Lol WV is beautiful, and it will always be home, but it’s a failing state. Has been for a long while. It’s very sad. Hard to get ahead there.

[@sharonhague9580]

I don't comment much but Kudos to that hotel being handicapped accessible. Even the pool had a chair lift you do not see that often

[@MorganLuna9292]

My mother in law was Mary's home health nurse in her old age! She talks so lovingly about Mary and all the stories Mary would tell her about her life. So cool to hear someone else actually know her cool history and talk about it!

[@Vondracar]

I love the walk around videos. Don't get me wrong I love the drive around videos too, but walking around feels like we are a bit closer in a way! Fantastic video as always! Regards from Norway

[@aarongiven1829]

Huntington has imroved itself alot while dealing with a horrible opioid problem. Born and raised here still here live in Huntington area. Great place to live. Within the full metro area and Huntington combined its a great p l ace to live , shoppng,malls restraunts everything you need . We have lots of problems but also lots of great people and things seem to b free improving . Wish i could have given yall a tour

[@sallylambert7552]

I was born there. Went to Marshall University. Lived on East Pea Ridge and went to Barboursville High School. Huntington area has the best people, the most friendly.

[@josephhoover4542]

More like the most drug addicted and the most thieves

[@sallylambert7552]

@@josephhoover4542 Not when i was there in the 50s, early 60s.

[@3ZN357]

Thank you for shining a light on our town. It’s a really historic place with a little research

[@kbittorf335]

Take me home, country roads...a song the Germans love to party to at Oktoberfest! Wow, that was a nice motel for the price. Another great video👍

[@reginajohnson9646]

I am a WV native and attended Marshall and fell in love with Huntington. Thank you for presenting us in a positive yet honest light. One reason I love your channel!

[@sharongoodsell9341]

Hi from Australia, meet Dave Baggerly in West palm in 78 !! From Huntington Do you know any Baggerlys he would be 66 approx in age

[@reginajohnson9646]

@sharongoodsell9341 sorry I don't.

[@jeremiahabbott5277]

Barboursville is the best city in the state. It’s historical and it’s modern day architecture blend well. It’s a safe small town and we like to refer it as a village. It’s wonderful and I think someone should do a video just on it.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Sounds interesting. I'll look into it!

[@aarongiven1829]

Barboursville and the area around Huntington is beautiful. Many parts of Huntington fell into decay some have improved but the Barboursville area has really improved amd never decayed

[@blahblah2866]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Barboursville is a suburb of Huntington. Pretty typical American suburb; a couple blocks of a historic downtown surrounded by suburban sprawl and the Huntington Mall.

[@Hamza-xc9kb]

I'm SOOOO GLAD I found this channel. To be honest I learnt a lot. US has a LOT of history. Must visit some day.

[@christianvidal1088]

Cool looking small city , what a small city should look like ,instead of the endless sprawl you see in many parts of the country

[@josephhoover4542]

Yeah it’s clear you don’t know how to do proper research type in Huntington West Virginia opioid epidemic and then come back to me.

[@Madskillsuniversity]

Wow, love your American tours, Joe! I love old theaters, too. Diamond Teeth Mary should be in the HOF and WV should have a statue of her or something. I loved the downtown area and the big homes. What a great hotel room!!! Wow! Thanks J&N!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Totally agree about Mary!

[@lizinwisconsin6728]

Boy, what a nice city. I could live there, easily. Thanks for going there.

[@josephhoover4542]

Yeah you have fun living in a place that has a crime rate 19% above the national average, the highest overdose rate in the nation, an extremely high depression rate, and a 29% poverty rate which is over 17% above the national average.

[@DesertMav]

This was a fun video. I'm thinking about driving to visit family back east and I may very well be driving through WV, so I may honestly make a stop there in Huntington for a night.

[@imabeliever85]

I love West Virginia. I used to go to college in Athens, Ohio, that’s a town that you could fall in love with if you like Huntington. My grandparents came to visit me there, and they loved it so much they moved there!

[@user-rm3xh4eo4h]

I’m from Charleston and went to OU also, 1974 grad.

[@ryanadams8638]

I worked at Meigs Coal Mine apologized if spelled wrong but we always stopped and ate at a little restaurant called Millies.I was just wondering if it was still open we would stop in morning for breakfast and there was a older lady making pies for the day was a awesome place.

[@jeffbangkok]

Lived upriver in Ohio an hour. Fond memories of Camden park in the early 60's. Last there in the 90's mostly to the mall.

[@bakednotfried1184]

I lived in West by God Virginia for about 10 years. Salute

[@Steve7318]

Some nice old homes. Thanks for showing us this part of the country. I am from PA and I have driven through West VA. Living overseas I've been enjoying all of your videos.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Awesome!

[@YoucancallmeMarcie]

You must be old school, friend. You spell West Virginia like it’s still part of west…Virginia. I’ve been all over and have had people tell me about relatives or friends in Richmond 😅

[@surfboy344]

Wow......5 days in Huntington.......didn't know that there was that much to do there.....lol. Awesome area. I lived in West Virginia when i was a kid. Loved the mountains.

[@Sadie-gh5tn]

Born in Huntington and pretty lived in Huntington or Wayne county next to Cabell county. Thank you for doing a positive video of my home. Most videos about Huntington reflects the opioid crisis we have. So thank you for a beautiful video of my beautiful home ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

We really liked it there!

[@Nicksonian]

At the Albee theater, it’s a shame that at some point, perhaps in the 1960s or ‘70s, someone was allowed to brick over the storefront, presumably for a dark bar. It’s a blight on the magnificent building.

[@MizzMac108]

That hotel is double the size of my efficiency apt 😂

[@PTSayoriD]

West Virginia is simultaneously one of the most beautiful, yet somber places in all of the country. It breaks your heart to see once thriving communities now dead as a graveyard. Unfortunately this is the harsh reality of America's coal country. My dad's side of the family is originally from Beckley and we occasionally have a family reunion there.

[@humid-rb7rt]

My mom was born in Hinton. So beautiful and sadly poor.

[@jenniferszendi9519]

Dead as a graveyard? Huntington? Huh. How have I lived here since 1976 and not noticed that? Dang.

[@DirtyrottenscoundrelDJTsucks]

⁠​⁠@@jenniferszendi9519must not be the same Huntington. I know better. I know people there. Lmao

[@DirtyrottenscoundrelDJTsucks]

Long ago Gauley Bridge resident here. Always love WV!

[@Anne5928]

@@jenniferszendi9519I’ve lived there since 1969, and Huntington is drug infested. Lots of people have left the area for better paying jobs or jobs period. Nothing much in high paying jobs. Steel WV, Special medals that’s about it. Median income is like 35 thousand a year. That’s basically poverty. People are taxed to death in a poor state, but everyone keeps electing the same do nothing people to run the state.

[@taylorfamily8176]

I loved that town

[@poowg2657]

What a cute little logging mike (2-8-2 Mikado locomotive). Neat old engine modernized with Baker valve gear. Another great tour, thanks much!

[@mariesheppard3750]

Another great traveling week with Joe & Nic, thanks for taking us along

[@kevinknight470]

Thanx for visiting my home state, God bless. 😃

[@NeedtoSpeak]

I was an out of state graduate student attending Marshall in the early 1970s. It was an absolutely fantastic city. Glass factories, coal money, prosperous downtown….you name it. Your honest presentation is appreciated.

[@onegunny7326]

Attending Marshall in the early 70's was fantastic??? Didnt the whole football team die in the plane crash in 1971? lol

[@NeedtoSpeak]

@@onegunny7326 Yes, unfortunately that did happen in 1971. I started in the fall of 1972. You ask a good question, though. As tragic as the crash was, it also built a community that was “We Are Marshall”. The town and school wee one in their rebuilding from the event.

[@NeedtoSpeak]

@@onegunny7326 Undestood. I thought your comment was a good one!

[@zummo61]

I hope you make it to NJ where I am.

[@Birdrunner13]

Central part and down towards south Jersey is the best. Jersey fresh produce stands, We have one of the top 5 Diners in United States "Lamp Post Diner" Nice Boardwalks and we actually still have 1 Drive-in theater left located in Vineland NJ. Many restuarants and most diners are here in Jersey. Just love it here. Except most Jerseyans are not too friendly, if you speak to them they wont even respond. Well at least when they are at Wawa, 98% of them will actually hold the door for you. Go Jersey.

[@TheSecretSantaa]

Born and raised in huntington thank you this was good and positive. I love my city thank you for showing it in a good light and 1 more thing another famous person lived in huntington the actor that does chucky the killer dolls voice is from huntington WV.

[@bdgies2721]

I did a search on the Keith-Albee theatre. Holy Hannah! The interior (at least in the photos) is magnificent.

[@justinroberts5819]

It's one of the most beautiful buildings in town. Bob Dylan just played there a little over a week ago.

[@lorettahendrix6790]

Thank you so much , Joe & Nicole. I love seeing the states i have not been to. Also the ones I have seen. My husband and I are hoping to head up the eastern side in summer. I've been west but not east.

[@RonzHigh]

A little tidbit of useless information from me, but I played a game called fallout 76 and built a house just outside this city. I used to always go to Huntington to loot up and gather items and scourge the super mutants. The game replicated West Virginia so its nice to see it in real life. Not even close to what it looks like in the game though haha... Thanks again 😊

[@robthehomeowner]

I loved that game!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

That and Fallout 4 are great games.

[@jerrydemain2346]

man I could eat for a week on what you had for dinner!!! LOL it did look good.

[@barbaratardy9788]

Love the sign too, the clown looks friendly and welcoming. Huntington has my vote for livable town of the year.

[@sharoncrawford7192]

Barboursville is better. Some very nice homes there.

[@tomanyprojects]

Thanks for your positive video of our town

[@Cons2911]

As a foreigner, when I hear west Virginia, yes the song comes to mind. And even not being from there, I appreciate the history even if I just know little of it. I try to imagine how it’s like decades ago

[@olinwright7628]

Beautiful town. Norman Oklahoma is similar.

[@jameswesterman9283]

I've been to West Virginia a few times. One of my favorite states, absolutely beautiful.

[@3ZN357]

It’s the prettiest state

[@blahblah2866]

I've lived in Huntington for the better part of a decade and thoroughly enjoyed my time here; Despite the poverty rate, I've never felt unsafe and I find the city and region have more to offer than one might expect for a metro area of its size. The public park systems are surprisingly good, Huntington Museum of Art is an excellent institution and Marshall University has been expanding and working with the city to revitalize parts of the city core; also the city has finally started on a backlog of deferred maintenance to infrastructure after 5 decades. I just wish more could be done in the meantime to save more of the grand old houses boarded up in disrepair owned by absentee landlords.

[@albieh2563]

Joe, you do a great job with these videos !

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you!

[@johnnymidas5879]

WELL THEN, LET'S HIT IT SPODES!! 😃👍

[@MrexcitementBatSamurai]

Took some pictures at Camden Park. Was coming back from delivery. Also went to Point Pleasant.

[@SajjadKhan-jn7cw]

Great video as always thanks for sharing joe and Nic

[@Torontoista]

Really appreciate y’all. Thank you for mentioning the temperature in Celsius.

[@MrMilwaukee]

Thanks again for taking us along Joe. Per Zillow: Many of the homes in Huntington are affordable 100k- 300k

[@marywalker2896]

Great video!!

[@Spucky50]

Thank you for showing us our country. Your tours and historical information are outstanding.

[@juliogonzales5441]

Thanks..stay warm and safe..Joe and nic 😊

[@LesMorrisracing]

Hi great video, Meal time looks good. Nicky's fingernails match the Napkins. The Motel was cool Thank you !

[@timpartch4193]

Thank you, Guys for your videos, I'm so glad you make them. I get to go,🎉. so many places , I otherwise would miss.

[@larrygorst8749]

Enjoyed. Thanks for sharing.

[@davidhibbs6989]

The back roads of west Virginia is absolutely beautiful ❤️ I believe this city gets a Bum rap with the crime rate being high. I've been here and had zero problems!

[@davidmahan4160]

An excellent video,Joe. I love the addition of the fact charts, it helps you get your head around the place. I love the fact I can pulse them and study the information. Love the hotel room/apartment great facilities. Oooh, the presidential suite how lar-de-dar! 😂😉 It's great that Nicol looks after her self health wise Gym & Diet, and Nicols been rocking some fancy nail art. 💅 👍

[@summerz8867]

Cheers, safe travels 🌻

[@billbergendahl2911]

It was in 1976 I attended a concert at the Keith Albee Theatre. The performer was Maynard Ferguson who was a jazz musician.

[@spacewaltz]

Thanks!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you!

[@noellewestfield6849]

Last week I spent 4 days in Lewisburg. It's a darling little town with fun shopping and VERY good restaurants. ❤ 19:16

[@maryflaherty7096]

Thank you!

[@jburnett8152]

All the food looked delicious.

[@LyleFrancisDelp]

Love of trains..you and me both!!! Grew up in the 60s and 70s. Always wanted a huge model train setup, but could never afford it.

[@zxtenn]

I live and work in NC but i have a nice little hideaway/house in Quinwood, about 250 people and quieter than a library! Nice hotel!

[@waynenovak7310]

Watching the West Virginia video and you filmed a Greek Orodox Church and its unique architecture. Take a drive down I55 in Chicago under the post office to Lake Shore Drive going North stay on until arriving to the Great Lakes Naval base. After going anywhere. On the route, it has gorgeous views, and the churches, Greek and some made of glass.

[@michaelleeadkins9611]

Awesome video as always. Brought back some great memories. Born and raised in Logan and moved to Virginia in the latter years to work! Ty again.

[@kevinknight470]

Had a Friend from Logan, His name was Sonny Fisher. He lived in Northern Virginia.(Little Washington DC) Thanx for sharing.😃

[@brandonbarnett592]

Next time you are in South East Ohio, you have to try Jackie O's in Athens. And Happenings Bistro in Wellston.... won't be disappointed.

[@NativeNYer]

Wow great town! Hotel room was awesome! The food looked delicious again and yes more garlic plz!! Ty 4 another wonderful vid! Stay warm!

[@josephhoover4542]

Oh Please Huntington has a terrible rate of crime, poverty, and depression and it has the highest overdose rate in the nation the town is a dump.

[@WhittyPics]

Coal was big on eastern KY too. I bet those old houses are hard to heart in the winter. Those burgers look yummy.

[@Jay-Leigh]

What a beautiful place! The hotel was beautiful I love those apartment suites. I stayed in a beautiful one on the island of Furteventura off the coast of Spain. It was also 38° every day… absolutely amazing experience. I’d happy stay here to. Lovely Town. Thank you for your presentation Joey. Hi to Nicole from the U.K. 😊

[@siphomogale779]

Hello from South Africa 🇿🇦🇿🇦

[@Birdrunner13]

That is an awesome motel. The best one I ever seen, the 5 star kitchen was my favorite. I liked the pool too.

[@randygyulay5114]

That is a super hotel room at the price but avoid the bar.

[@marthakierstead3415]

Great video ! Only been to WV once but would like to visit this town .cool theater too . I’d love to see you and Nic visit Jim Thorpe , PA

[@pattytheseeker8902]

I have 2 nephews who are grown & have families of their own. They live in itty bitty Crown City, Ohio, right across the river.

[@dongillette1777]

I agree with you Joe, potatoe is boring without butter and bacon and cheese!! Hehehe

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Right!

[@billbergendahl2911]

I attended Marshall University in the 1970s. When I was there it was relatively safe.

[@dimiross]

Beautiful homes, beautiful streets

[@davidhayter8516]

Have always wanted to visit the continental US but sadly the Australian dollar has morphed into the Australian Peso and the exchange rate kills the idea. From anecdotal tales from friends the US is a bit cheaper than some of the things here in Oz but following your videos it looks about the same. I was thinking of starting off in Miami and then working my way north but train and them crossing to Chicago and then training down the middle to New Orleans and then back to Oz via Fort Worth. Might be able to afford a short trip to the West Coast, Frisco, LA, Vegas etc. hopefully the Oz dollar might rally against the Greenback…but I doubt it.

[@maryleachmanbeautyconsultant]

Great video! My husband I once lived in Morgantown for about a year while he got his Master's at WVU. We never really visited Huntington, but after watching this video I'd love to visit that state again! But I don't know if we ever will. It's pretty far way for us to drive to and we've got plenty of other places to visit on our bucket list. But I wish we could. Downtown Morgantown also had a old theater when we lived there (I think it's called Warner Theater). We watched a few good movies in it while we lived there. I have good memories of the time we spent in West Virginia.

[@evazavodna7492]

Opravdu velmi cool. Nicol moc dobře střižené vlasy, cool.

[@quil9683]

I have lived in Tokyo for 18 years and then moved to around Huntington, West Virginia, for nearly six years. I like the city and state.

[@delstanley1349]

I wondered if Huntington, WV had a connection with Huntington Beach, CA and the state park in South Carolina, so I checked a minute ago. I found that Collis P (founder of WV version) was the uncle of Henry E (CA version of everything Huntington there) and the father of Archer M (SC version).

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Interesting.

[@erikalfan1027]

Such amazing vlogs forever I really enjoyed it stay connected

[@talldude5841]

Another fine show you two. Been to Huntington quite afew times and always had a good time there. Great food choices also. I am always hungrey when I watch your videos. LOL Hollywood made a great movie about Marshall Univ. about the football team plane crash where all died on board.

[@YoucancallmeMarcie]

Come on up to Parkersburg I’ll show ya around

[@terricoan1260]

Those burgers look so good! The hotel looks awesome!

[@RandyFelts2121]

Maybe the most notable theater is the Texas theater in Oak Cliff a part of Dallas, Texas where Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested, and where I hung out is a teen that's the most notable though. :).

[@georgekelly9797]

Great video as usual Joe. I need to remember the Delta hotel as it looked like a very nice place to stay. I'll wave to you as you pass by me in Verginia. That Jack and coke looked really good. 🙂

[@LauraC.-fd2ef]

Good evening sir & lady Nicole! The Paramount Theater 🎥 is in Bristol, TN 🎉!

[@MichaelO7027]

Ocean View Park’s earliest incarnation opened in 1896. Norfolk Virginia.

[@perry92964]

that room was not a small apartment, it was a pretty nice apartment, about the same as you get where i live in nj. you can say it was kind of cheap being you paid 2/3rd the price for a couple of drinks and 2 dinners

[@janellek21]

Huntington WV may be only the 2nd biggest city in WV, but it's said to be the biggest city in the USA (i.e. highest percentage of obese people). I'm a nutritionist by profession, and before I moved back to the UK I applied for a position with the Huntington school district hoping that I'd get an opportunity to work with the school system to improve the school meal programme and also work directly with the kids to help teach them about making healthy food choices. When I flew out for my interview I saw plenty of obese and unhealthy people about town and wondered whether I could even make any difference at all if I got the job. I think I was a bit too young and inexperienced at the time so I didn't get the job.

[@MadelineRose-ep7fj]

Loved this look of a beautiful city. I would have asked for a redo on the salmon. It should be one of the best entree of your meal! 😊

[@kevinellis3175]

I’m amazed you stayed in a hotel like that for only $170 a night. I stayed in a pig stye motel in Rome, New York for the same price.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

It was a really good price for a room that size. The regular hotel rooms are a lot cheaper!

[@Vladimir-hq1ne]

Hotel booked by Joey. Nic'd play a cheapskate and rent that basement closet maybe? 😁

[@ryanadams8638]

I worked in Huntington first real job I live up by Wheeling WV we went down there to demo glass furnaces out of long closed Miller Beer plant made glass bottles and not sure if they bottled beer. I was there in 1996 or 1997 was pretty close to Ritter Park I think definitely downtown there was a really nice bar across street from plant great food trying to remember name.

[@lorencain8926]

Thanks. I had no idea that any place in W VA is that nice. Sorry W Va but I have been in the state and most of the towns suck. I knew of this town only from the movie about the football team and the tragic air crash.