The town was known simultaneously as Trout's Hill and Wayne Courthouse for many years.

Abraham Trout began operating a mill where the town now stands in 1828 at a waterfall on Twelve Pole Creek.

Initially, a group of men from the Big Sandy River attempted to get a county created in 1840 with the county seat at the forks of the Big Sandy River where present Fort Gay is now located but it failed.

They were successful, and the new county was established on January 18, 1842, and named after General Anthony Wayne.

The county seat was located on the farm of Abraham Trout, who donated land for the town square and government buildings.

The town was known as Trout's Hill and Wayne Courthouse once a post office was established.

In about 1860, a military unit called the Fairview Rifles was formed at Trout's Hill and became part of the 8th Virginia Cavalry during the war.

In late August 1861, a three-day skirmish raged in the streets of Trout's Hill as Union troops from Ceredo tried to obtain the county records.

The Union men camped in the courthouse, and local Rebels tried to force them out.

After the war, Trout's Hill was at the entrance to the vast timberlands and coal fields of southern Wayne County.

The towns of Ceredo, Kenova and even Westmoreland wanted the county seat moved to their locations.

Much of the town, including the Wayne County Bank, was destroyed in 1905 when fire erupted during one of the most heated fights for the courthouse.

[7] According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.72 square miles (1.86 km2), all land.

[12] The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.