Cecil H. Underwood was born November 5, 1922, at Josephs Mills in Tyler County. After 12 years in the West Virginia House of Delegates, he was elected governor of West Virginia in 1956. He was the youngest governor in the history of the state.
After completing his term, Underwood moved his family to Huntington in 1961 where he served in private industry.
After a six-year stay in the northern panhandle while serving as president of Bethany College, Underwood returned to Huntington in 1978. He served on the boards of directors for Huntington Federal Savings Bank, the Huntington Foundation, Rotary Club of Huntington, Boy Scouts of America, Appalachian Regional HealthCare, Higher Education Loan Program, West Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges and West Virginia Higher Education.
In 1996, he was again elected governor of West Virginia, the oldest governor in the history of the state. He inaugurated the West Virginia Interstate Highway System during his first term and set road-building records during his second term. The West Virginia Legislature designated Interstate 64 from Huntington to Charleston as the Cecil H Underwood Highway.
