In the 1770s, George Washington surveyed the land comprising Mason County as part of a grant from the king of England to veterans of the French and Indian War. As a former officer in that war, Washington laid claim to part of Mason County and began a settlement there in 1775. The decades that followed brought other important historical figures to the county. Daniel Boone started a trading post near the banks of the Kanawha River. Samuel B. Clemens, the grandfather of Mark Twain, lived in Mason County. Entering the 20th century, Mason County thrived on industries utilizing its natural resources. River towns dotted the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers; coal mines flourished along the northern River Bend area; salt works and power plants added to the unique characteristics of the townships. Mason County is a land hewn by history, culture, nature, and time, all of which etches a unique portrait of a vibrant community.