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From Upper Falls to Tornado and Back


No more Tornado victims



Validation

  I.  The United States Geological Survey places the center of the community of Upper Falls on A Street, at the intersection of Coal River Road.
  II.  The United States government issues Social Security cards, United States passports and all other official documents to Upper Falls residents. 
  III.  The National Geodetic Survey maintains a control station here named Upper Falls and references it from additional stations.
  IV.  The State of West Virginia issues driving licenses, motor vehicle registrations and all other official documents to residents of Upper Falls.
  V.  Kanawha County property records, voter registrations and all other official documents use the place name Upper Falls.

The Good

  I.  In 1742, John Peter Salley and his expedition discovered Upper Falls, Virginia during their exploration of the Coal River. 
    A.  Of course, Upper Falls is now in West Virginia, after the state was separated from Virginia in 1863. 
  II.  The earliest settlers who entered the area in the 1700s called our community Upper Falls for the cascading waters of the adjacent Coal River.
    A.  Variations included Upper Falls of Coal, Upper Falls of Coals, Upper Falls Coal River, Upper Falls of Coal River, Upper Falls of the Coal River, Upper Falls on Coal River and Upper Falls Coal River Bridge.
  III.  The Upper Falls of Coal Post Office, the first to serve the area, was established in 1851.
  IV.  When Coal River was used for commercial navigation, the location of Lock Number 3 was formally Upper Falls.
  V.  Before Andrews Heights Elementary School was built, the polling place for Jefferson magisterial district, precinct 1, was named Upper Falls.
  VI.  The Coal River and Western Railway Company station here was designated Upper Falls.

The Bad

  I.  The period following the Civil War was extremely tumultuous for West Virginia.
    A.  There was no love lost between West Virginians and the federal government.
      1.  The succession referendum that made West Virginia a state had been conducted at the ends of the rifle barrels of federal soldiers.
      2.  Many West Virginians languished in federal prison for years after the war ended.
      3.  Roughly half of West Virginians had no right to vote and didn't even have a right to basic protections under the law.
      4.  The federal government bankrupted scores of West Virginians by suing them for back taxes, even though they had already paid their taxes.
      5.  For years after the war, West Virginians were terrorized by bands of roving thugs who were endorsed by the government!
      6.  Many West Virginians had their farms and properties seized by the government without any compensation or due process.
    B.  Most West Virginians would refuse to vote for a Republican candidate for political office for the next century.
    C.  Lincoln County split from Kanawha County in 1867.
    D.  Reconstruction ended in 1877, but the enmity it created lasted for decades.
    E.  West Virginia didn't even have a permanent capital until 1885.
    F.  This was the period of the Hatfield-McCoy feud, as well as many, many other feuds.
    G.  This climate ultimately precipitated the tragic Mine Wars.
    H.  In retribution for the "disloyalty" of residents, federal authorities closed the Upper Falls of Coal Post Office in 1880.
      1.  Residents objected vociferously and were able to muster the political influence to force its reopening.
      2.  Federal officials responded to this "whirlwind of protest" with the slanderously named "Tornado Post Office" in 1881.
      3.  Federal authorities then closed this post office in 1882 and were forced to open it again in 1886, but they kept the name "Tornado."

The Ugly

  I.  The United States Geological Survey places the center of the community of Tornado on Old Falls Creek Lane, off Falls Creek Road.
    A.  The "Tornado" post office is actually located in the community of Upper Falls!
  II.  Labeling our community "Tornado" makes us a laughingstock.
    A.  "Tornado, West Virginia" conjures an extremely derogatory image, as it was meant to.
      1.  It's a tragic reminder of the malice that produced the name.
      2.  Businesses and residents have actually used addresses in nearby towns to avoid ridicule.
    B.  Residents who will be added to the proposed larger Upper Falls census designated place vehemently oppose use of the name "Tornado."
      1.  The only way to expand our census boundaries is to abandon the vindictive name "Tornado."
  III.  Historical accounts from the 1800s predicted that Upper Falls would grow to be larger than Saint Albans.
    A.  The renaming of the post office "Tornado" ended those predictions.
  IV.  Decision makers often find the prospect of doing business in "Tornado" repulsive. 
    A.  Managers do not risk investment capital in places named "Tornado, West Virginia," "Woolly Bugger, West Virginia" or "Cucumber, West Virginia."
    B.  Enterprises that engage in interstate commerce will not locate here.
    C.  Without commercial constituents, the ability to achieve infrastructure improvements is severely restricted.
  V.  By being labeled with "Tornado," grant applications and other liaison with public agencies is not taken seriously.
    A.  Our ability to secure federal funding for community improvements is decimated.
  VI.  Is the continued imposition of the defamous "Tornado" on the residents of Upper Falls a violation of our civil rights under federal law?

Solution

  I.  Restore the name of Upper Falls, West Virginia.
    A.  Create a census designated place named Upper Falls that increases our official population by a magnitude of five.
    B.  Return the name of the Upper Falls Post Office.
    C.  Revise the river monitoring station as Upper Falls.
  II.  Process
    A.  Build on existing administrative validation and historical precedents.
    B.  Achieve goals through the procedures established by the West Virginia Statewide Addressing and Mapping Board.
  II.  Result
    A.  Capture the enticing image "Upper Falls, West Virginia" invokes.
    B.  Correct the slander of Upper Falls being referred to as "Tornado."







Tornado







[This page was authored by Upper Falls Community Association in 2000 and originally appeared at http://upperfalls.us/tornado/. It is permanently archived here for historical reference and is in the public domain.]