[5] What is now Logan was initially called "Islands of the Guyandot" by explorers who identified the site in the 1780s.

The city was initially known as "Lawsonsville" after Anthony Lawson, an early merchant, but was shortened to "Lawnsville."

In the early 1850s, Thomas Dunn English, a poet and future congressman, led efforts to reorganize the town.

[7] When the town incorporated in 1853, it was renamed "Aracoma" after the Shawnee chief Cornstalk's daughter,[7] who had been killed by settlers in the area in 1780.

[6] Logan grew continuously during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a hub of the regional coal industry.

At its height in 1940, the city had a population of over 5,000, and was home to numerous businesses, including furniture stores, hotels, banks, and car dealerships.

Logan began to decline following World War II, due in large part to the increased mechanization of the coal industry.

[6] The Chafin House, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.

Logan is located at the confluence of the Guyandotte River and Island Creek.