Exhibit 99(a)

NEWS RELEASE
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                                                           For Immediate Release
                                                               November 27, 2001


For Further Information Contact:
Craig G. Stilwell, Executive Vice President
(304) 769-1101

City Holding Company Announces Agreement with Ferris, Baker Watts to Provide
Investment Services

         CHARLESTON,  West  Virginia,  November  26 /PR  Newswire/-City  Holding
Company  (NASDAQ:  CHCO), a $2.5 billion bank holding company  headquartered  in
Charleston,  West Virginia,  today announced they have entered into an agreement
with Ferris, Baker Watts to provide investment services,  including mutual funds
and brokerage services to its customers. Ferris, Baker Watts will acquire all of
the broker dealer accounts of City Financial  Corp, the investment  services arm
of City Holding, under a revenue sharing arrangement.  Ferris, Baker Watts plans
to retain the investment representatives of City Financial, who will continue to
service their existing clients.

         According to City Holding  Company CEO Jerry  Francis,  "We are excited
with this new  partnership  that brings  enhanced  broker dealer services to our
customers.  This action reflects our strategic initiatives to remove the Company
from  non-core  businesses  and  fully  focus  on  our  core  community  banking
operations".

         Ferris,   Baker  Watts,   a   full-service   investment-banking   firm,
headquartered   in  Washington,   D.C.,   has  served  clients   throughout  the
mid-Atlantic  region for more than 100 years.  They  currently  have branches in
Charleston, Clarksburg and Huntington.

         Ferris, Baker Watts CEO Lou Akers said, "This new partnership with City
Holding Company is a great addition to our existing West Virginia  network.  The
synergies  between the two companies should allow each of us to provide a higher
level of service to our  clients."  Ferris,  Baker Watts also  maintains  branch
locations  in  Washington  DC,  Maryland,   Michigan,   North  Carolina,   Ohio,
Pennsylvania and Virginia.

         This transaction is expected to close by the end of the year.

         City Holding  Company is the parent  company of City  National  Bank of
West  Virginia.  City  National  Bank,  in addition  to its  banking  divisions,
operates CityInsurance Professionals,  an insurance agency offering a full range
of insurance products and services.

         Information  contained  in this news release  includes  forward-looking
statements  relating to City  Holding's  proposed  divestiture of City Financial
Services,  Inc. that are included  pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the
Private  Securities   Litigation  Reform  Act  of  1995.  Such   forward-looking
statements  involve  certain  risks and  uncertainties,  including  a variety of
factors that may cause City Holding's  actual results to differ  materially from
the anticipated results or other expectations  expressed in such forward-looking
statements.  Factors  that might cause such a  difference  include,  but are not
limited  to,  the fact that the  proposed  transaction  is  subject  to  certain
conditions and may not be completed,  or if completed,  may not have the effects
anticipated.  City Holding Company  disclaims any intent or obligation to update
this forward-looking information.