In the heart of West Virginia’s New River Gorge lies the ghost town of Thurmond. Once a booming coal town in the early 1900s, Thurmond began to decline during the Great Depression as steam locomotives fell out of favor. By 1960 the town was almost completely abandoned. Today, time stands still for its empty buildings along the train tracks against timeless views of the West Virginian mountains and New River.
Location
160 Thurmond Rd, Glen Jean, WV 25846
Thurmond is located right in the New River Gorge National Park, north of Beckley, WV.
*Thurmond Road is narrow so don’t take this road if you’re in a 25 foot camper
Cost: Free!
Hours: You can see Thurmond 24/7, barring inclement weather. The Thurmond Depot Visitor Center is open seasonally, every day June – August, and weekends in September – October, 10am – 5pm
History
Captain William D. Thurmond founded the town in the 1880s. Positioned strategically along C&O Railway, Thurmond quickly grew into a wealthy coal town. At its peak, the town boasted a bank, post office, restaurants, stores, a hotel and movie theater. Supposedly the hotel was so close to the tracks that guests could slap or spit on passing trains from the porch!
The Captain was serious about clean living, and banned drinking and gambling in town. This led to a rival hotel, the Dunglen, springing up across the river. The Dunglen became the spot for booze, cards, and all the vices banned in Thurmond. According to Ripley’s Believe It or Not, the Dunglen holds the record for the longest-running poker game, lasting 14 years! Sadly, neither hotel exist today. In 1930, arsonists burned the Dunglen to the ground. Thurmond’s Lafayette Hotel burned down in 1963.
With the railways losing importance and the Great Depression hitting hard, the town’s population dwindled. By the 1950s, Thurmond was well on its way to becoming a ghost town. Though it isn’t technically abandoned, with a handful of residents living in the hills, the National Park Service acquired much of Thurmond to preserve remnants of the main drag’s former glory. Today, trains still pass through, and Amtrak stops three times a week (just be sure to book in advance).
Exploring The Ghost Town
The town itself is tiny and you can easily see what remains of Thurmond’s commercial district along the train tracks. Check out the NPS Walking Tour page.
The Passenger Depot Visitor Center: This fully restored train depot has been a gateway to visitors since 1904. In 1910, it serviced over 70,000 passengers. Now it serves as a visitor center and gift shop, open seasonally June-October. During these months, you can take a ranger-led tour to learn more about the town’s history.
The Abandoned Buildings: Follow the tracks from the depot to the commissary, water tank foundations, and the Mankin-Cox Building, which once housed a medical practice and drug store. The Goodman-Kincaid Building used to have restaurants and offices, and the row ends with the National Bank of Thurmond. You can also see bricks from the Lafayette Hotel which burned down in 1963.
The Coaling Tower: Built by the C&O Railway in 1922, this massive structure once held 500 tons of coal with locomotives running on close tracks to catch the coal that fell down the chutes. The C&O abandoned the tower in 1960 but it’s still owned by the modern day CSX Transportation.
The New River Gorge National Park
As you enter Thurmond, you go right over the New River on a one-lane bridge. Admire the views from the bridge, or set out on one of the park’s trails!
- Thurmond has several miles of hiking and mountain biking trails including the Stone Cliff Trail a rugged 2.7 mile trail following an old road along the banks of the new river. Check out the NPS page for a list of trail descriptions.
- Canyon Rim Visitor Center: About a 30 minute drive from the Thurmond train depot is the most popular entrance to the New River Gorge National Park. Stop for breathtaking views of the gorge from the back deck and the bridge the boardwalk observation decks. It poured when when I was there so I hope to go back for some blue skies.
- Grandview Visitor Center: Head to the highest elevation in the park at Grandview, a little under an hour from Thurmond or Canyon Rim. Grandview has six miles of trails with dramatic views of the gorge – Look nearly 1,400 feet down from the rim to the river. This center is open seasonally, Memorial Day to Labor Day. dramatic views of the gorge hiking.
- Sandstone Falls: Take a scenic riverside drive (an hour 20 minutes from Thurmond or Canyon Rim) to the largest waterfall in the park, stretching 1500′ across the New River.
Thurmond is a West Virginian treasure that lets you step back in time while surrounded by the natural beauty of New River Gorge National Park. It’s a must-see for any visitor to the New River Gorge National Park.
