More photos and pictures from the historic new river gorge community of thurmond, west virginia wv. Glen jean school oak hill, west virginia atlas obscura. The town of thurmond grew as the coal and timber industries expanded in the gorge. Thurmond, a storied town located along the new river in fayette county, west virginia, has a population of five. Having many coal barons among its patrons, thurmonds banks were the richest in the state. This was about 33% of all the recorded thurmond s in the usa. Built in 1901, the dunglen was a towering 4story, 100room wooden structure with a wraparound deck. The nearest accommodation to the new river gorge bridge, our economy lodging facility offers comfortable four bunk rooms, large living rooms, private showers, and a full kitchen and accommodate 10 to 12 guests.
Apr 02, 2012 riding around the town of thurmond in wv. Fayette county history sources west virginia department. During the heyday of coal mining in the new river gorge, thurmond was a prosperous town with a number of businesses and facilities for the chesapeake and ohio railway. Recorded october 16, 2019 thurmond is a town in fayette county, west virginia on the new river. The dunglen was known for the many parties it hosted, where huge dances were held in the elegant ballroom and symphonies would play through the night. It is on the east side of the new river, 12 air miles northeast of beckley. Thurmond hosted the guiness book of world records longest poker game. Follow the signs to thurmond, seven miles down wv route 25 route 25 is a narrow. Thurmond ghost town 2020 all you need to know before you go.
Unfortunately, no one has found the grave of mamie thurman it would be interesting to see what modern forensics could tell us about this case now. In 1840 there were 12 thurmond families living in virginia. During the heyday of coal mining in the new river gorge. From glen jean, take state highway sh 25 east, down to the bottom of the new river gorge. Once a bustling town of brothels, gambling, mining and railroads, thurmond is now a part of west virginias rich history. Oct 22, 2014 tucked into the wv hills is the nearly abandoned, but once booming, rail town of thurmond. The train line is actively used, and the national parks maintain a museum in the old train depot.
Once hosting a po pulation of several hundred, thurmond, wv is now home to only seven residents. While they once thrived with people and business and even contributed to the general economy, they were deserted due to various reasons. For more information on the city and the region, see our guide to the new river region. The best things to do in thurmond for travel after. Its legend tells of 1800s lovers who leapt off the cliff. Photo book to feature history of gauley bridge, charleston gazette, 8281991. The new river national park invites visitors to experience the impact of the industrial revolution, and the mission of the nationalparkservices to preserve our nations heritage. Thurmond white pages phone books in west virginia wv. Thurmond, west virginia is the 19,482nd largest city in the united states as of 2018.
And in its heyday, this tiny town was home to an infamous hotel a shortterm stop for the wealthy, and the mischievous. Box246 glen jean, wv 25846 3044650508 submitted by. Thurmond, located in the middle of the steep new river gorge, was long accessible only by rail. Great book on the history of the thurmond area of fayette county wv and the. Thurmond ghost town 2020 all you need to know before you. Virginia had the highest population of thurmond families in 1840. The rail yard was expanded to meet the railroads needs. Thurmond, west virginia thurmond, west virginia atlas obscura. May 26, 2017 in todays abandoned america, we explore the forgotten town of thurmond, west virginia. During the heyday of coal mining in the new river gorge, thurmond, west virginia was a prosperous town with a number of businesses and. The west virginia archives and history web site offers detailed information on the states history, outlines the documents available in the state archives, and provides assistance in conducting genealogical research. The lafayette burned down in 1930, marking the beginning of a decline that made thurmond a virtual ghost town by the 1950s.
Thurmond is a town in fayette county, west virginia, united states, on the new river. The commercial district, while lacking a street for much of its history, boasted two hotels, two. National park servicenew river gorge national river p. Thurmond received 73 acres of land as payment for his services as a surveyor. Philip acquired land through the revolutionary war service of his father, william thurmond. Witschey and his daughters are the tenth and eleventh generations of richard thurmond of new kent county, virginia. The beginner triathlon will take place in thurmond and is open to anyone 7 years of age and older. Coal mining ghost town about 20 buildings remain in the former coal town of thurmond, where less than 10 residents still live in the hills. He was a pioneer new river coal operator and founded one of the most notorious boom towns in west virginias industrial history. Strom thurmond high school is located in his hometown of edgefield, south carolina. Run tenant background checks, credit checks, eviction history, and more.
Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. The author ends the book by discussing mamies impact on logan, wv, recounting the local legends including a couple of ghost stories surrounding the mamie thurman mystery. Some say the pair were native americans, others say they were pioneers. Amtrak train station thurmond, wv has a platform with shelter, without wifi, with parking, and no wheelchair available. A collection of the best books by west virginia writers or about west virginia. Thurmond, west virginia thurmond, west virginia atlas. Home ap world history ap european history honors world history world history standards units of study. During the heyday of coal mining in the new river gorge, thurmond, west virginia was a prosperous town with a number of businesses and facilities for the chesapeake and ohio railway. Thurmond, west virginia, in the new river gorge, was once a thriving train town. There are reports that it had been used as an elementary school and a high school. Today, the town of thurmond remains suprisingly untouched by modern development. The best things to do in thurmond for travel after quarantine. Corman railroad, llc is the new operator of the branch line that was once a main source of prosperity for thurmond, which currently has a population of 7 yes, seven and is more or less. Speck located in the heart of west virginia s new river gorge, thurmond is an easytofind, not be missed ghost town.
The history of the abandoned glen jean school is unclear, at best. Thurmond august 6, 2015 august 6, 2015 ginminsky after carefully making our precarious 5 mile exit from nutallburg, the next stop on our west virginia ghost town tour was thurmond aka the place that seemed like the easiest to find out of the multitude of dubiously mapped options. An abandoned 1920s school with a mysterious history. Thurmond, west virginia, in the new river gorge, was once a.
Political trends in fayette county, fayette tribune, 9261963. One of the deserted places that is now considered a ghost town is the town of thurmond in west virginia. The droop mountain battlefield was the site of an 1863 battle. Thurmond businessman william dabney thurmond november 11, 1820may 14, 1910 was born in amherst county, virginia, and migrated to fayette county about 1845 as a young man with his fathers family. Units of study use the links on this page to find readings and class materials for each unit of study. Whitepages is the largest and most trusted online phone book and directory. Floating down the lower new river with rivermen, one may observe a riverside town that looks as if time has stood still there for decades. Eglon, west virginia see all even during thurmonds most prosperous days as a coal depot in the early 20th century, the towns only connection to the outside world was a single rail line. It is a link to our past, and a town with many stories to tell. Thurmond, west virginia, the heart of the new river gorge, was established by. But in 2006 coal trains began rolling down loup creek into thurmond for the first time in years when a new loadout was constructed near pax, wv. Laying within the new river gorge, thurmond was once a rich and thriving boom town. See more ideas about west virginia, coal mining and country roads.
He died in 1871 and was buried at minden, west virginia. Tucked into the wv hills is the nearly abandoned, but once booming, rail town of thurmond. From new kanawha river and the mine war of west virginia by kyle mccormick. Pictures out of fayette county past, fayette tribune, 1201975. The famous dunglen hotel of thurmond built on the south side of new river in 1901. The road we followed wv road 25 along rainswollen dunlop creek and the rail line, was what one would expect from a road in. Get instant criminal history, financial history, addresses and contact info. This work on the thurmond family is the latest in a series of diverse projects that witschey has undertaken. According to ripleys believe it or not and the guinness book of world records, the dunglen housed the longestrunning poker game, which. You may also be interested in single family homes and condostownhomes in the area or 3bedroom homes. Two views of the town of thurmond, west virginia one by eugene scott, the other by walter r. Thurmond was the heart of the new river gorge, carrying shipments of coal from the surrounding coal fields. Click on or use the drop down menu above to navigate to your course.
They moved to fayette county, virginia now west virginia in 1844. From there contestants will run a two mile loop around the historic town of thurmond. West virginia 174 books meet your next favorite book. December 5, 1902 june 26, 2003 was an american military officer and politician who served for 48 years as a united states senator from south carolina. Thurmond is a link to our past, and a town with many stories to tell. World history standards units of study use the links on this page to find readings and class materials for each unit of study. Thurmond, west virginia population history 1990 2018. Businesses crowded the town to provide services for the chesapeake and ohio railway, which ran right through thurmond. Air force has a c17 globemaster named the spirit of strom thurmond. Phillipi railroad richard richmond rippetoe ruth underwood sallie sc aiken sheridan shirley donnelly thur thurmond family town of thurmond w. Search our online phone book to find phone numbers, addresses, and more.
Having many coal barons among its patrons, thurmond s banks were the richest in the state. Home ap world history ap european history honors world history world history standards welcome. A post office at thencalled arbuckle 4 opened in 1888 and was incorporated in 1900 as. In todays abandoned america, we explore the forgotten town of thurmond, west virginia. During the first two decades of the 1900s, thurmond was a classic boomtown. Businessman william dabney thurmond november 11, 1820may 14, 1910 was born in amherst county, virginia, and migrated to fayette county about 1845 as a young man with his fathers family. The town was named for william dabney thurmond, who received the 73acre site in 1873 as payment for a surveying job, and settled there. The thurmond family name was found in the usa, the uk, canada, and scotland between 1840 and 1920. In his clear, eminently readable style, williams organizes the tangled strands of west virginias past around a few dramatic eventsthe battle of point pleasant, john browns insurrection in harpers ferry, the paint creek labor movement, the hawks nest and buffalo. Individuals or teams of three will bike from the historic thurmond depot 2 miles to stonecliff where they will then paddle 1.
This was about 33% of all the recorded thurmonds in the usa. Because thurmond was once one of the busiest rail stops in the country, the dunglen hotel was thriving. Thurmond west virginia wife william dabney thurmond. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you selected. History the town of thurmond was no more than a mans dream in april of 1873 when captain william d. Folks have reported soldiers apparitions, some headless, in the fog that comes rolling over the mountain. The most thurmond families were found in the usa in 1880. Laying within the new river gorge, thurmond was once a.
He ran for president in 1948 as the dixiecrat candidate on a states rights platform supporting racial segregation. The site of the famouse cliff lovers leap, this park has a long history of being haunted. This includes chapter readings, handouts, and lecture presentations. The town was the filming location for john sayles 1987 movie matewan since it still possesses many. Other lodging accommodations near thurmond, wv, cabins. A history is widely considered one of the finest books ever written about our state. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Fayetteville, and hoped to foster appreciation of the areas rich railroading history. After encountering thurmond for years in the railfan press, i stumbled into this gem while looking for the rj corman rr west virginia division. And in its heyday, this tiny town was home to an infamous hotel a shortterm stop for the wealthy, and the mischievous because thurmond was once one of the busiest rail stops in the country, the dunglen hotel was thriving. The thurmonds of virginia hardcover january 1, 1978. National park service, new river gorge national river, official site thurmond station great american stations historic american engineering record haer no. Although the town has seen better days, thurmond still has many characteristics of a 1920s appalachian coal mining town and is now a national historic landmark.
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