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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
Big Ugly Creek is a tributary of the Guyandotte River, running from its Boone County headwaters to its mouth near Harts. Apart from its uppermost reaches, Big Ugly Creek is located entirely within Lincoln County.
The tributaries of Big Ugly include Pigeonroost, Bobby, Laurel, Sulphur, and Lefthand creeks, and Broad Branch. The community of Leet is located on Big Ugly Creek, at the mouth of Laurel, and County Route 7 parallels the lower section of the creek. The Big Ugly Wildlife Management Area consists of 6,421 acres on tributaries north of the creek itself. The land is leased from private owners and managed by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. In addition to hunting, the wildlife management area offers rustic camping and a shooting range.
Big Ugly occupies the southeastern corner of Lincoln County, once a long journey from the county seat. Although the mouth of the creek was settled as early as 1801, the Big Ugly community in early times remained remote from more populous areas and developed its own independent ways. Its name, whose origin is uncertain, has been a source of humor over the years.