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== History == The area surrounding the forks of the [[Cherry River (West Virginia)|Cherry River]] has been populated since the late 1700s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-03 |title=Map of Richwood city, West Virginia |url=https://diaocthongthai.com/en/map-of-wv-richwood/ |access-date=2023-09-16 |website=diaocthongthai.com |language=en-US}}</ref> During the 19th century, the area was a sparsely settled semi-[[wilderness]] of homesteads and [[Subsistence farming|subsistence farms]]. This changed in 1898 when a [[railroad]] was extended into the area, then known as '''Cherry Tree Bottoms'''. In 1901, the town was incorporated with its present name referencing the abundant hardwood forests in the area. Soon, the area possessed a large [[sawmill]] and the world's largest [[clothespin]] factory.<ref name="eWV Richwood">{{cite web|title=Richwood|url=https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/79|website=West Virginia Encyclopedia|publisher=West Virginia Humanities Council|access-date=June 8, 2017}}</ref> The town was once home to several large businesses and industries. In addition to the sawmill and the clothespin factory, there were other factories that produced wood-based products such as axe-handles and paper. [[Coal]] also came into the industry picture during Richwood's boom-era during pre-Depression years. Banking was a white-collar industry that succeeded in the city with the large companies investing into the city's financial corporations. Once the large factories closed or relocated, many of the people followed. The final hit was when the coal industry took a downward turn and most of the local coal mines ceased operation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=e-WV {{!}} Richwood |url=https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/79#:~:text=The%20area%20originally%20was%20known,clothespin%20factory%20in%20the%20world. |access-date=2023-09-16 |website=www.wvencyclopedia.org}}</ref> Richwood now seeks to be reborn as both an [[artisan]] community and a [[technology]] center. The [[Downtown Richwood Historic District]] was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2001.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref> Richwood is the headquarters of the Cherry River Navy community organization.<ref name="Cherry River Navy">{{cite web|last=Corbett|first=Maxine|title=The World's Most Unusual Navy: A Brief History|url=http://www.cherryrivernavy.org/history.htm|publisher=Cherry River Navy|access-date=May 20, 2014}}</ref> It was founded by John Teets, A.B. Campbell, and Lee Reese to promote the construction of a since-built missing link in [[West Virginia Route 39]] between Richwood and [[Marlinton, West Virginia|Marlinton]]. On June 23, 2016, a [[2016 West Virginia flood|historically severe flood]] impacted portions of West Virginia. Richwood was among the towns most heavily affected. Flood damage resulted in significant damage to area infrastructure and condemnation of the Richwood High School and Richwood Middle School buildings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/06/25/us/west-virginia-flooding-deaths/index.html|title=West Virginia flooding: At least 24 dead|first1=Joe|last1=Sterling|first2=Ralph|last2=Ellis|first3=Farida|last3=Fawzy|first4=Jareen|last4=Imam|website=CNN|date=25 June 2016 |access-date=Dec 10, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.register-herald.com/gallery/gallery-flooding-in-rainelle-richwood-white-sulphur-springs-and-surrounding-areas/collection_9c800ca2-3a44-11e6-a194-83c51cca719c.html|title=GALLERY: Flooding in Rainelle, Richwood, White Sulphur Springs and surrounding areas|website=Beckley Register-Herald|access-date=Dec 10, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abc7chicago.com/1399863/|title=10 images and video showing devastation from historic flooding in West Virginia|date=Jun 25, 2016|website=ABC7 Chicago|access-date=Dec 10, 2020}}</ref> In 2021 former Richwood mayor Bob Henry Baber was sentenced to 1β10 years in jail and to pay restitution for defrauding the city after the major flood in 2016. He had pressured a city clerk to write him out a check for volunteer work done after the flood.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/legal_affairs/former-richwood-mayor-sentenced-to-1-10-years-in-jail-for-defrauding-city-after-flood/article_3877b016-67a7-5e6d-91b8-c6ba66d9c33c.html|title=Former Richwood Mayor sentenced to 1-10 years in jail for defrauding city after flood|date=Oct 12, 2021|website=Charleston Gazette-Mail|access-date=Feb 10, 2022}}</ref>
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