Okonoko, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Okonoko is an unincorporated community in Hampshire County
in the U.S. state
of West Virginia
. Okonoko is located north of Levels
on the Potomac River
at Bright's Hollow. The community's placename is the only one of its kind within the United States
.
Originally known as Cacaponville on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad because of its proximity to the mouth of the Little Cacapon River
, the community's name was changed to Okonoko in the 1850s. In 1890, Okonoko had a permanent population of 46 and had both a post office
and an express office in use on the railroad. When the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad lost favor as a mode of transportation of people and goods, Okonoko's residents relocated elsewhere for employment. The town's post office closed in 1958 and its mail was routed through nearby Paw Paw
. Today, Okonoko consists of several residences that date from the turn of the century
which are now used as second vacation homes. Okonoko has become a popular recreational area for hunting, fishing, and boating on the Potomac River.
Okonoko can be reached from Levels by Levels-Okonoko Road (County Route 5/6) or Bright's Hollow Road (County Route 5/5) and from Little Cacapon
by Okonoko-Little Cacapon Road (County Route 2/7).
Hampshire County, West Virginia
Hampshire County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,964. Its county seat is Romney, West Virginia's oldest town . Hampshire County was created by the Virginia General Assembly on December 13, 1753, from parts of Frederick and Augusta counties ...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. Okonoko is located north of Levels
Levels, West Virginia
Levels is an unincorporated community in Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. According to the 2000 census, the Levels community has a population of 147. It is home to John J...
on the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
at Bright's Hollow. The community's placename is the only one of its kind within the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Originally known as Cacaponville on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad because of its proximity to the mouth of the Little Cacapon River
Little Cacapon River
The Little Cacapon River is a free-flowing tributary of the Potomac River in the center of Hampshire County, West Virginia. Via the Potomac River, its waters are part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, leading to the Atlantic Ocean. The Little Cacapon at an elevation of near the community of...
, the community's name was changed to Okonoko in the 1850s. In 1890, Okonoko had a permanent population of 46 and had both a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
and an express office in use on the railroad. When the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad lost favor as a mode of transportation of people and goods, Okonoko's residents relocated elsewhere for employment. The town's post office closed in 1958 and its mail was routed through nearby Paw Paw
Paw Paw, West Virginia
Paw Paw is a town in Morgan County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 524 at the 2000 census. The town is known for the nearby Paw Paw Tunnel. Paw Paw was incorporated by the Circuit Court of Morgan County on April 8, 1891 and named for the pawpaw, a wild fruit which formerly grew in...
. Today, Okonoko consists of several residences that date from the turn of the century
Turn of the century
Turn of the century, in its broadest sense, refers to the transition from one century to another. The term is most often used to indicate a non-specific time period either before or after the beginning of a century....
which are now used as second vacation homes. Okonoko has become a popular recreational area for hunting, fishing, and boating on the Potomac River.
Okonoko can be reached from Levels by Levels-Okonoko Road (County Route 5/6) or Bright's Hollow Road (County Route 5/5) and from Little Cacapon
Little Cacapon, West Virginia
Little Cacapon is an unincorporated community in Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Little Cacapon is located at the mouth of the Little Cacapon River on the Potomac, east of Okonoko. Okonoko-Little Cacapon Road and Spring Gap-Neals Run Road converge south of Little Cacapon...
by Okonoko-Little Cacapon Road (County Route 2/7).