This one-room brick building was located in the Wetzel County part of town, just across the highway from what is now the Wesleyan Methodist church.

During this period of expansion the State Department of Education authorized the establishment of the "Junior High School," with special permission being granted to include the tenth grade.

During the years that the Junior High School served the educational needs of the community, parents and students envisioned the time when the change at the eleventh grade level would not have to be made.

In 1949 a concerted effort with a vision of the formation of a four-year high school at Paden City was made.

That effort was led by Ray Berger, Owen McKay, Jess Brown, Guy Nichols, and Dr. R.F.

The measure was approved by the Wetzel County Board of Education only after the Paden City Lions Club volunteered to purchase typewriters and office equipment; and Owen McKay, speaking for the community, told the board of education that the citizens of Paden City would buy an athletic field for the school.

A fence measuring 1,830 feet was installed, the field house was built, and bleachers were put up.

The ceremony featured various guests, including Jack Dulany, superintendent of Wetzel County Schools; Ira Satterfield, the current principal of PCHS; Board Member Tim Miller; Rev.

In a short time trophy cases were installed on the first floor by various parents and the Paden City Boosters Association.

Later in 1986, a bond levy in Wetzel County was passed giving money to re-build the other three county high schools and to add the addition of the Multi-Purpose Building to Paden City High School along with many other upgrades and remodeling projects within the main building.

Football Field- (Ray) Berger Field, First PCHS Principal Gymnasium- Bob Burton Gymnasium, long-time Paden City basketball coach who captured two state championships (1973 and 1987) Multi-Purpose Building- Jess Brown Hall, Former Principal In early spring of 2009, rumors started that Paden City High School would be merged with another high school in the Wetzel County School System.

Every 10 years, West Virginia school districts must submit a Continued Education Facilities Plan (CEFP).

A public hearing was held in March 2010[7] with the Wetzel County Board of Education for purposes of getting an idea of how the community felt about the possible closure of Paden City High.

All 35[8] expressed that they wanted to see Paden City High School remain open and operational.

The Paden City High School Band was also in attendance and played the PCHS Alma Mater and Fight Song before the hearing began.

On April 19, 2010 the Wetzel County Board of Education voted 5-0 in favor of keeping PCHS open and operational,[9] and to have the CEFP re-written to state that Paden City High School would remain open and not consolidate with another high school in the county district.

[10] The Paden City Foundation's "Project Cornerstone" has remained together as a group even after the vote of confidence by the board of education.

It is a school with vibrant and colorful legacy of the past and a window to the future for any who choose to attend.

For Boys and Girls Track, PCHS is a member of the Ohio River Valley Track League and for basketball (boys and girls) PCHS is a member of the Hometown Invitational Tournament which is a group of smaller "hometown" schools in West Virginia that participate in a tournament across the state and crowns champions annually.