The City of Hurricane will host a media unveiling on Friday, November 14 at 11:00am for a newly-installed Civil War Trails marker that tells the story of the Battle of Hurricane Bridge. The marker, installed last week by Civil War Trails, Inc., is located at 1165 Midland Trail on the property of ShotFire Fitness across the road from Hurricane Bridge Park.

The small, but strategically significant battle happened in Hurricane during the Civil War and was a victory for the Union which enabled the Federals to maintain control over the James River and Kanawha Turnpike which was a crucial supply route that ran from Richmond Virginia, to the Ohio River in Cabell County. Union Captain James W. Johnson is quoted as saying, “…the enemy appeared in force and opened a furious fire upon us simultaneously on three sides from as many different hills, owing to the high elevation of which and the unfinished condition of our works, exposed our men to a most galling crossfire, which they withstood and returned with the firmness of veterans.”

Civil War Trails is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization that works with communities and individuals to bring history to life – one remarkable stop at a time. The sites along the trails connect visitors to powerful stories and landmarks and invite them to map out adventures as they learn about the history of the United States. The program guides visitors across a network of more than 1,500 sites across six states. Hurricane, West Virginia, is now one of those sites.

City administration will host the unveiling with local author and Civil War expert Philip Hatfield who will be available to answer questions about the Battle of Hurricane Bridge.