By Jack Houvouras
HQ 113 | SPRING 2021
This year marks a milestone as the city founded by railroad tycoon Collis P. Huntington celebrates its 150th anniversary. As such, our staff decided it would be fitting to publish a list of “150 Reasons to Love Huntington.” It was a particularly enjoyable project.
This year also marks my 56th anniversary as a proudly born and bred Huntingtonian. Reflecting on my years in Huntington, I decided to share some of the things I have loved most about my hometown.
Determination. One of my earliest memories came on Nov. 15, 1970. I was 5 years old when my father sat me on his lap in our living room and showed me the newspaper with all the photos of the Marshall University football players who died in the plane crash. While this is far from a fond recollection, that tragedy would ultimately define our community and demonstrate its strength and determination. Following that horrible November day, it would have been easy to simply end the football program. Instead, the city and school chose to honor the 75 souls lost in the crash by rising from the ashes.
Safe Haven. When I was growing up, Huntington was much more innocent than it is today. In kindergarten, I would walk the three blocks from my home to the Enslow Park bridge where I would meet my teacher who lived on the corner. From there we would walk the final two blocks to school together. Years later, I remember walking home from St. Joe. My trek always took me down 10th Street which was lined with so many charming homes and colorful gardens. I never once felt unsafe in my hometown.
Natural Beauty. One of the things I cherish most about Huntington is its natural beauty. Situated on the banks of the Ohio River, it is surrounded by rolling hills and an abundance of woods to roam. It possesses four distinct seasons that offer spectacular springs, sultry summers, fall foliage and, every now and then, a winter wonderland. Some of my fondest memories were gliding my sled down the hills at Ritter Park with my friends. And unlike most people in Huntington, my favorite season has always been spring, when the landscape comes alive with color in the form of redbuds, forsythia and a dazzling display of pink and white dogwoods.
Marshall. I can’t imagine where Huntington or I would be without Marshall University. The school has been the catalyst for most of the region’s growth in the last 50 years, and it was also where I found myself. It was at Marshall that I first read Walden by Henry David Thoreau, a book that profoundly impacted my thinking. That American literature class led me to major in journalism; I began writing, and eventually I became editor of the school newspaper. And that, in turn, led to my decision to start a magazine for Huntington in 1989.
People. I’ve been fortunate to travel around the world but have yet to meet any group of people who are as friendly, honest, loyal and proud as those in my hometown. When I started this magazine, nine of the 10 businesses I called on purchased an advertisement in the premier issue. I surmise they did so because of their pride in Huntington, and their desire to see one of their own succeed. The magazine is now in its 31st year, due in large measure to people who value this community as much as I do.
Home. Like many young people, I left Huntington when I went away to college. But two years later, I returned after realizing how much I missed the warmth and tranquility of my hometown. And while not everyone feels this way, those were the qualities that brought me back. In the end, Huntington was — and will always be — home.
