Huntington sits on the Ohio River in the western tip of West Virginia, where the state meets both Ohio and Kentucky. It was founded in 1871 as a railroad terminus and named after railroad magnate Collis P. Huntington. The city grew around industry and river trade, and while much of that has declined, the riverfront has been revitalised with parks and a walkway along the Ohio.
The city's identity today is largely defined by Marshall University and its Thundering Herd athletics programme — football in particular draws strong local loyalty. The downtown area is quiet, with most commercial activity having shifted to the eastern suburbs.
Camden Park, a vintage amusement park that has been operating since 1903, is a genuine throwback — wooden roller coasters, bumper cars, and a pace that feels like it belongs to another era. About 20 minutes east in Milton, the Blenko Glass factory produces hand-blown glass using techniques largely unchanged for two centuries; visitors can watch the process and buy from the factory outlet.
Huntington is on I-64, about 80 kilometres west of Charleston. Amtrak's Cardinal line stops here, and the Tri-State Airport has limited commercial flights.