It was formerly the county seat and is currently the site of the Pruntytown Correctional Center (formerly West Virginia Industrial Home for Boys).

The name "Prunty Town" appears in an 1835 gazetteer, which describes the status of the town at the time:It contains 18 dwelling houses, 1 Methodist and 1 Baptist house of worship, 1 common school, 3 miscellaneous stores, 1 tavern, 1 tanyard, 2 saddlers, 2 boot and shoe factories, 1 hatter, 1 tailor, 2 smith shops, 1 gun smith, and 1 cabinet maker.

The surrounding country is somewhat broken, but the soil is good, and well adapted to the grazing of cattle; and growing every species of small grain.

On May 17, 1839 Elder Joshua Bradley (1773-1855), general agent for the Western Virginia Educational Society (a Baptist association), met with Rev.

In 1891, the West Virginia Industrial Home for Boys — the state juvenile detention center for male offenders — was established at Pruntytown.