Community Paparazzi

Community Paparazzi I’m Gwen Clayton, a journalist for more than 30 years. This page will feature my advice to nonprofit organizations and small businesses.

I have always worked under tight budgets, so I know how to tell a story with photos using just an iPhone as a camera.

More celebration of Fort Gay's heritage. Today, Eddie and I went to the ruins where the old grist mill were.
09/01/2025

More celebration of Fort Gay's heritage. Today, Eddie and I went to the ruins where the old grist mill were.

Highlights from the vendors at Mountain Heritage Day Festival - Fort Gay, West Virginia
08/30/2025

Highlights from the vendors at Mountain Heritage Day Festival - Fort Gay, West Virginia

People at the Mountain Heritage Day Festival - Fort Gay, West Virginia
08/30/2025

People at the Mountain Heritage Day Festival - Fort Gay, West Virginia

The car show at Mountain Heritage Day Festival - Fort Gay, West Virginia
08/30/2025

The car show at Mountain Heritage Day Festival - Fort Gay, West Virginia

Photos from the parade at Mountain Heritage Day Festival - Fort Gay, West Virginia
08/30/2025

Photos from the parade at Mountain Heritage Day Festival - Fort Gay, West Virginia

The good people of Fort Gay, West Virginia celebrated the town’s sesquicentennial (150th) birthday during the 2025 Mount...
08/30/2025

The good people of Fort Gay, West Virginia celebrated the town’s sesquicentennial (150th) birthday during the 2025 Mountain Heritage Day Festival - Fort Gay, West Virginia Aug. 30.

The festival has been a tradition in the community since 1972. This year’s event included a parade, car show, carnival, and vendor booths.

Fort Gay’s heritage dates back before the 17th Century when the Cherokee were the predominate tribe in the area. In 1770, the land was surveyed by John Frye as part of the Virginia land survey with George Washington. Nineteen years later, ten settlers who were working with Charles Vancouver received a land grant for 15,000 acres around the confluence of the Tug and Levisa forks of the Big Sandy River. Those families farmed in the area that would become known as the Vancouver Settlement.

By the 1830s, the area was known as Cassville and would become a popular stop for steamboat traffic traveling from the Ohio River to the Big Sandy and its Tug and Levisa forks. Unfortunately, frequent dry spells would mean insufficient water levels for the boats to run.

On September 18, 1855 the post office of Fort Gay in Cassville was established, with William Ferguson as the first postmaster. This was the first recorded use of the name “Fort Gay” to represent the town.

The town was chartered in 1875, as Cassville. Note: There is also a Cassville in Monongalia County, West Virginia.

A system of locks and dams were built to accommodate the riverboats, but competition from the railroad spelled the end of riverboat traffic. The system of locks and dams was finally abandoned in 1925.

The town’s name was officially changed to Fort Gay in 1932.

The origins of the name are a mystery. Legends say it was related to the Civil War, but the town was using the moniker several years before the war started.

Today, the Town of Fort Gay has a population of 675, which is governed by Mayor Bob Sword, Recorder Wade Cyrus, and Town Council Members Bobby Daniels, Greg Cavins, Wilts Salmons, Payton Rowe, and James Frasher.

The Mountain Heritage Day festival is sponsored by the Mountain Heritage Day committee. The event is normally held on the front lawn of the old high school, but due to the historic building’s renovation, the event was moved to the Youth League Basketball Gym and the adjacent lawn area located between the bank and the library. The parade route began at the intersection of Tolsia Highway and went past the former Fort Gay Middle/High School.

Coalfield Development Corporation is currently renovating the old Fort Gay High School into a mixed-use building, providing affordable senior housing on the upper floors and commercial space for offices and community events on the lower floors. This community-focused project also serves as a workforce training program, allowing individuals to gain construction skills and experience by working on the renovation.

Sources:
-Beth Perry, Clio: Your Guide to History, "Town of Fort Gay Historical Marker”
-Robert Michael Thompson, Historic Wayne County, WV
-Mark Hilton, Historical Marker Database
-U.S. Census Bureau

Nothing like tempting me with a $10 coupon to get me in your restaurant. Tonight, we splurged on Mexican food fromEl Col...
08/29/2025

Nothing like tempting me with a $10 coupon to get me in your restaurant. Tonight, we splurged on Mexican food from
El Colonial Mexican Restaurant in Russell (Ashland), Kentucky.

Eddie got a burrito and I indulged on a veggie quesadillas. We shared a piña colada pineapple cake for dessert. So good!

The $10 coupon is a promotional campaign they’re running on Facebook for a limited time. Offer good on purchases of $40 or more. I dont know when the offer ends. See their page for details.

El Colonial is located at 366 Diederich Blvd, Ashland, KY 41101.

Celebrate the Town of Fort Gay’s 150th Birthday during Mountain Heritage Day!Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025Festivities will be...
08/29/2025

Celebrate the Town of Fort Gay’s 150th Birthday during Mountain Heritage Day!

Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025

Festivities will be held at the Youth League Basketball Gym and the adjacent lawn area located between the bank and the library. Note: The alley will be closed to through traffic for vendor set up. If you need an address to plug into Google Maps, use the library’s: 80 Rear Broadway St, Fort Gay, WV 25514

* Opening ceremonies at 10 am.
* Parade starts at 10:30 am.
* Car show 9 am to 2 pm behind Fort Gay Community Trust Bank
* Vendors all day (food, crafts, cute things to spend money on, church groups, etc).
* Bounce houses
* Petting zoo

See the Mountain Heritage Day Festival - Fort Gay, West Virginia page for more information.

Eddie and I (Gwen) will be there at some point. If you see us there, be sure to introduce yourself.

Cheap, midweek date night with the hubster. Made some purple popcorn from Cousin Willie's Popcorn on the stove, and a pa...
08/28/2025

Cheap, midweek date night with the hubster. Made some purple popcorn from Cousin Willie's Popcorn on the stove, and a pawpaw Ale-8-One (both can be found at the South Ashland Foodfair Supermarkets). Rented “From the Cowboy’s Boot Heel” on Amazon Prime Video. The film has been screened at both the Appalachian Film Festival and The Big Sandy Film Festival but we missed it each time, so we’re renting it tonight. The film is a documentary about Eastern Kentucky musician Rob McNurlin and his Beatnik Cowboys.

Lesson 9: Donuts for an important business meetingWhenever you are tasked with buying donuts for a business meeting, the...
08/26/2025

Lesson 9: Donuts for an important business meeting

Whenever you are tasked with buying donuts for a business meeting, the most important thing to keep in mind is DO NOT GET POWDERED DONUTS!

I cannot emphasize this enough. Not only is the powder messy in general, but white powder is not something business professionals should have smudged all over their faces.

Go ahead and laugh, but seriously, avoid the powder.

The next most important thing is get the good donuts. Donuts should be fresh and substantive. Not too sweet but enough to scratch that itch.

I personally am not a fan of Krispy Kreme or Dunkin. Jolly Pirate is very good. Tim Horton’s is ok, but the best donuts in Huntington, West Virginia is Camden Corner. If you really want to impress your guests, this is where you’ll go.

Today we’re having some dignitaries at the day job. Since Camden Corner is on my way to work, I volunteered to pick up a couple dozen.

They also sell coffee from local business, Old Village Roaster and Mothman potato chips from Mister Bee.

Stop #4 on the Huntington Area Hot Dog Trail was Frostop Drive-In Huntington.
08/25/2025

Stop #4 on the Huntington Area Hot Dog Trail was Frostop Drive-In Huntington.

This weekend, I got to play Paranormal Paparazzi.
08/25/2025

This weekend, I got to play Paranormal Paparazzi.

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