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Museums, antiques and parks add a scenic touch to the town past First Street

Left: Owner of Classics Antiques and Interiors, Randy Keaton, left, and Chester Ditty, owner of The Antique Center, take a break from selling in Old Central City.

photo story by MIKE ANDRICK
reporter

Editor's Note: This is the second installment in a four-part photo series on Huntington's surrounding areas. The first story ran Oct. 9 and two more stories will run on the next two Tuesdays.

In Huntington, once you go west past First Street, you enter a whole new community -- West Huntington.

It may not have a different mayor and, in fact, is part of the Huntington city limits, but West Huntington still has a life of its own.

West Huntington stretches from First Street to Westmoreland. Within that area, one can find Heiner's Bakery, which has been in West Huntington since 1905. If you go near the bakery, you can smell the bread baking. Charles Heiner said many people comment about the smell saying it makes them hungry.

Right in the middle of West Huntington is Old Central City, the antique capital of West Virginia. In the four blocks of 14th Street West, there are as many as 14 antique stores along with other shops and restaurants.

"You don't find many areas like this," Maynard Boggs, owner of Classics Antiques and Interiors in Old Central City, said.

Central City Cafe has existed in Old Central City for nine years. Dave Luther, owner of Central City Cafe, says the restaurant, located at 529 14th St. West, fits in perfectly with the community from its photos on the wall to its food and friendly service.

A railroad museum and a radio and technology museum are also located in West Huntington. A fitness trail lined with exercise stations and playgrounds stretches from Ritter Park into West Huntington along Memorial Boulevard West and provides people with recreational activity.

"The people are friendly (in West Huntington)," Betty Parker, resident of West Huntington for 50 years, said.

Heiner said West Huntington is a great place to visit for nostalgic reasons.

"It's also fun to come down to just to relax," Heiner said.

So if one is are looking to relax, look at antiques, eat home-cooked food, tour museums or just meet friendly people, West Huntington may be a good place to visit. And it's just down the road.