People who know anything about the history of Fairmont know about the contributions of 19th-century pioneers and later leaders such as William Budd, E. Banks Hall, Albert L. Ward, Harry Serle, the doctoring Hunt brothers, Dr. Orville Chubb, Frank A. Day, Ernest Hand Sr. and Frank E. Wade. These people founded the town, helped it grow significantly or shaped its early character. But what happened when the pioneers and other forefathers passed away or stepped aside? Who became the new leaders for the 20th century? Certainly there were many. Far too many to spotlight in these pages alone. However, the Sentinel has done its best to look back over the past 75 years or so to find a group of people who stepped in or stepped up to lead a growing community. These range from business and community leaders to coaches, philanthropists and local historians, to significant figures in media.