Vulcan, West Virginia

{{Other uses|Vulcan (disambiguation)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}

{{Infobox settlement

| official_name = Vulcan, West Virginia

| settlement_type = Unincorporated community

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| image_skyline = Vulcan, West Virginia - June 8, 2024.jpg

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| image_caption = Houses along the railroad in Vulcan

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| pushpin_map = West Virginia#USA

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = United States

| subdivision_type1 = State

| subdivision_name1 = West Virginia

| subdivision_type2 = County

| subdivision_name2 = Mingo

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| timezone = Eastern (EST)

|utc_offset = −5

| timezone_DST = EDT

|utc_offset_DST = −4

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| elevation_ft = 738

| coordinates = {{coord|37|33|08|N|82|07|33|W|region:US-WV|display=inline,title}}

| postal_code_type = ZIP Codes

| postal_code = 25697

| area_code = 304 & 681

| blank_name = GNIS feature ID

| blank_info = 1555899{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=United States Geological Survey|date=October 25, 2007}}

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Vulcan is an unincorporated community in Mingo County, West Virginia, United States. Vulcan is located along the Tug Fork across from the state of Kentucky. The community was named after Vulcan, the god of fire in Roman mythology.{{cite book|last=Kenny|first=Hamill|title=West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015009099824;view=1up;seq=676;size=125|year=1945|publisher=The Place Name Press|location=Piedmont, West Virginia|page=652}} Vulcan received international attention when they requested aid from the Soviet Union to replace a collapsed bridge, the only legal entrance and exit into the community.{{Cite web|last=writer|first=Caity Coyne Staff|title=Plight of Nolan residents stirs memories of 'bridge the Russians almost built'|url=https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/plight-of-nolan-residents-stirs-memories-of-bridge-the-russians-almost-built/article_56195b5b-c866-57b3-b5b2-c5d3131e671b.html|access-date=2021-09-24|website=Charleston Gazette-Mail|date=March 3, 2018 }}

Vulcan was originally settled as a coal-mining community in the early 20th century, but by 1968, the coal supply had been exhausted and the town experienced significant depopulation.{{Cite web|date=February 21, 2020|title=A West Virginia Town Applied For Soviet Foreign Aid, and Other Lesser Known American History Facts|url=https://historycollection.com/a-west-virginia-town-applied-for-soviet-foreign-aid-and-other-lesser-known-american-history-facts/|access-date=2021-09-24|website=HistoryCollection.com}}