PARKERSBURG  — Bernie Allen, a former history professor at West Virginia University at Parkersburg who has written local histories, died on July 20 at his residence in Conway, S.C.

Allen, 83, is a native of Harrison County, W.Va., and graduated with a doctorate in philosophy at West Virginia University in 1971. He taught at West Virginia University at Parkersburg, Horry Georgetown Technical College and Coastal Carolina University.

Among his books were “Parkersburg: A Bicentennial History,” “The Wood County Poor Farm Property: A Brief History, 1798-1986,” “Compassion: A History of the Henry Logan Children’s Home” and “Where It All Began: The Story of the People and Places Where the Oil and Gas Industry Began – West Virginia and Southeastern Ohio.” The latter was written with the late David L. McKain.

“Bernie was a true historian,” said Bob Enoch, president of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society.

Allen’s passing is the second well-known historian this year from the region. Phillip Sturm, who taught at Ohio Valley Univerity, died on Feb. 9.

“The area has lost another great historian,” Enoch said.

Allen was the Professor of the Year in West Virginia when he was teaching at WVU-Parkersburg where the school dedicated a classroom in his honor.

Allen is survived by his wife, Forrest Potts Allen, a son, Dr. Benjamin Allen of Sacramento and a daughter, Asheley Hayes, two granddaughters and a sister. Private services will be held in South Carolina.