Born in 1941, James Casto was educated in Huntington area schools and graduated from Marshall University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's degree in English. While still an undergraduate at Marshall University, he joined the staff of The Herald-Dispatch, where he would be a reporter and editor for more than 40 years. During his distinguished career, he wrote literally thousands of editorials voicing the newspaper's opinion on the issues of the day. Jim also wrote a weekly personal column that became a popular feature with many readers.
Over the years, he has used his time and talent to assist a long list of civic organizations, especially the Cabell County Public Library, the Facing Hunger Foodbank and Marshall University. As a freelance writer, he has written six books on local history and hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. Costumed as Collis P. Huntington, Jim has appeared at countless schools and civic groups in a program that offers a glimpse of the famed rail tycoon's life and times.
At the time of his retirement from The Herald-Dispatch in 2004, Jim was presented the John Marshall Medal of Civic Responsibility, one of the Marshall University's highest honors.
