Pratt's recorded history dates to 1792 when John Jones, a Revolutionary War veteran, took out a patent for acreage that included the site of the present town. Many Indian relics have been unearthed in and around the town indicating that in an earlier age Indians roamed the land bordering Paint Creek and the south bank of the Great Kanawha River.
In the 1840s, Dickinson Morris, grandson of Kanawha Valley pioneer william Morris, purchased the land from Jones. Morris later divided his property into lots and streets so a town could be established. He designated one lot to be used as a public square as long as it benefitted the townspeople. The property continues to be used for town activities which are held in Pratt's historic Old Town Hall, built on the town square in 1875.
Originally called Clifton, then Dego, the town adopted the surname of Charles K. Pratt at the turn of the century. Pratt's New York company owned timber and mineral rights in the area and maintained offices in the town. On june 4, 1905, Pratt was incorporated.
Gracious old homes are scattered throughout the town, each contributing significantly to Pratt's rich heritage. The town's only church; Old Kanawha Baptist celebrated the 200th anniversary of its founding in 1993. In the hillside cemetery, weathered stones mark graves that date as far back as 1835. Many of today's residents can trace their ancestry to the town's pre-Civil War settlers.
During the mine war of 1912-13, the little town was thrust into national prominence when Mary Harris Jones ("Mother" Jones), fiery labor organizer, was imprisoned in Pratt. Tents of the state militia sent to enforce martial law dotted the open fields near the boardinghouse where "Mother" Jones was kept. When the plight of the well-known agitator was telegraphed around the country, the United States Congress was forced to take action.
Focusing on the town's role in the history of unionization, the Pratt Old Town Association commissioned a play to be written about "Mother" Jones during her confinement in the town. The play has been presented annually during the Pratt Fall Festival.
Because of its historic importance, a part of the town was designated a historic district in 1984 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Population, 551; volunteer fire department; elections held every two years on the second Tuesday in June; officials take office July first.