Chapter XIX

Fayette As Seen On A Tour

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There are two ways to see Fayette county, both of which must be followed if the tourist would see all that is interesting and worth while.

One trip is over her many miles of railroad which brings one in direct contact with her industrial activities, the mining of coal and the manufacture of lumber.

The other way is over her many miles of improved turnpike and other country roads, which brings one into the farming sections of the county, situated on the table lands.

More people see Fayette county from the trains of the C. & O. railway than any other way, and seeing the county in this manner, noting only the river gorge through which the railroad runs, their impression is not the best, much to the county's detriment.  The automobile, however, will cure this defect for in the future where one person sees the gorge then will see the county from automobile, and the grandeur of its scenery will attract tourists from far and near.

Let us briefly tour the county, first by rail.  Coming from the west, one enters the county at Montgomery.  It is noted that the wide valley of the Kanawha is gradually closing in and the mountains are higher, as if nature spared at one place to be more prodigal at another.  The first view of Fayette is a pleasant one, Montgomery's handsome residences, fine business blocks, paved streets, and general business property noted.  The train pulls out and the mountain comes right down to the river's edge. We are rapidly approaching the head of navigation on the Great Kanawha river.  At Crescent and Eagle we are reminded of the old coal works that, in their day, helped make Coal Valley live up to its name.  The old slate dump that smouldered and burned for thirty years is now extinct, having burned out through the lapse of years and the lack of additional fuel.  Across the river, on the K. & M. railway side are to be seen the towns of Smithers, Oakland, Longacre, Harewood and Boomer, set in a valley with hills some distance from the river.  When times are prosperous and the coke ovens in full blast

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these towns present "a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day," leading men to great achievements in the industrial world.

      At the town of Mount Carbon, four miles above Montgomery, a branch line of the C. & O. runs up Armstrong creek, forking some five or six miles up, the prong on the right running to Elkridge and the one on the left to Powellton, both coal mining towns.

Next above Mount Carbon comes the town of Deepwater, so named because of the fact that steamboats can proceed up the river this far.  Deepwater lies at the mouth of Lower Loop creek.  Its importance has been augmented during the past few years by the completion of the Virginian railway, making this point the junction between it and the C. & O. railway.

Above Deepwater about three miles, we come to Kanawha Falls, one of the oldest towns in the valley and at one time a place of importance to the tourist.  The falls of the Kanawha here are a great source of attraction, but as one begins to admire the view, the train enters a cut and when it emerges the falls are directly on the left and too close to be appreciated for long.  A dam built just above the falls shoots much of the water to the far side of the river where

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turbine wheels furnish the motive power for the large metallurgical planet, located there where certain steel is made by a secret process.  Ruins of a famous old hostelry, destroyed years ago by fire, can be seen at the falls.  Many famous names were inscribed upon its register in the years gone by.

Just above Kanawha Falls some two miles, Gauley and New river coming together form the Great Kanawha.  At the junction of these two rivers is located the town of Gauley Bridge, an important place in the life of the county.  It is the terminal of the New York Central, formerly the K. & M. railway, and also the Buffalo and Gauley railway.  The C. & O. Gauley branch, adds to its importance running up past Vanetta, Gamoca, Wyndal, Belva and Jodie, and on into Nicholas county.  The new road, the Gauley and Buffalo, parallels it on the other side of the river, extending into Nicholas.  The once blue waters of the Gauley are now discolored by tannery and pulp mill refuse drained into Cherry river, a tributary.  A trip over this road is well worth while and some of the new sections of country are brought into view.  Over Gauley river at its mouth and just above the railroad bridge will be seen some old rock piers.  Your fellow tourist may possibly tell you that these piers were built in Virginia, and you wonder how that could happen, until it dawns on you that when the piers were erected this state was yet a part of Virginia.  This bridge was burned during the Civil war and never rebuilt.

From this point on we follow New river on our journey east.  We penetrate a narrow gorge just at this point and the mountains come down practically to the river on both sides.  Huge boulders line the river bed.  At some time in the history of the past these boulders rolled down the cliffs which are a thousand feet above.  According to tradition, these rocks came down at the time of the crucifixion when "the rocks were rent and torn asunder."  This extremely narrow gorge continues to Hawks Nest, widening at this place.  Here you will have pointed out to you the famous Hawks Nest Rock and Lover's Leap, famed in song and story, a full account of which is given elsewhere in this volume.  Here another branch of the C. & O. goes up Mill creek to Ansted, a distance of two miles, where more coal is mined.

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   The gorge narrows again and we pass Fayette, Kaymoor, and other places crossing the river at Sewell.  Another railroad branches off at Keeneys creek, below Sewell, going up to Lookout, where coal is mined.  At Sewell, the Manns creek railway, a narrow gauge road, comes down from off the mountain at Cliff Top and Landisburg, bringing lumber and coal.

Along this entire route the water of New river is whipped to foam by the rapids through which it passes, affording an ever changing view of water, now peaceful in tempest pool, and then lashed to fury by a sudden descent through a narrow channel.

At Thurmond another branch of the C. & O. extends up Loop creek to tap the coal fields of that section.  Its terminus is Mount Hope.  A trip up this fine line brings one in contact with a section rich in coal, with numerous business houses and prosperous towns.  A branch of the Virginian railway, connecting near Glen Jean, leads out to the plateau at Oak Hill, extending on to Lochgelly, passing through a section that is reasonably level for a mountainous country and which is well adapted to farming and fruit growing.  This branch of the Virginian makes connections with the main line at Oak Hill Junction, a mile from Oak Hill.  Returning to Glen Jean, we find another railroad, the Kanawha, Glen Jean & Eastern.  It extends from Glen Jean to Kilsythe, Mount Hope and Pax connecting with the main line of the Virginian.  Coal mining and farming are industrial scenes viewed from this line.  Another branch line also extends from Thurmond.  It switches back from the Loop creek branch, a short mile up the creek, and circling the mountain side at a dizzy height, winds its way around to and up Arbuckle creek to Minden.  This is one of the newer mining towns of the county, owned by the New River and Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Co.  Five openings furnish employment to a thousand or more men.  It is probably the largest coal operation on the C. & O.

From Thurmond eastward until Prince is reached, the mountains on the far side of the river present an almost unbroken view of forest.  It is a section yet untapped for coal.  On the railroad side of the river, however, coal towns are numerous.  In its meanderings, New river has no regard for distance for below Prince it makes a big curve.  Builders of the railroad declined to follow it in this respect and tunneling half mile through the mountain, the river

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is again reached as the train approaches Prince.  From this point another branch line, the Piney, crosses the river and extends up into Raleigh county.

Next above Prince we reach Quinnimont, so named because of five big mountains are in full view.  Territory across the river here is in Raleigh county, the river being the boundary line.  From Quinnimont a branch line extends up Laurel creek for some distance reaching Layland.  Coal camps are numerous while some lumber is manufactured.

A few miles farther up the C. & O., the Summers county line is reached and the tourist passes out of Fayette county.  The valleys grow wider, the gorge less distinct, coal tipples are seen no more.  Farming and the production of lumber, tan bark and cross ties are chief occupations of the inhabitants of this section to the east.

This ends our view of Fayette county from a car window of the C. & O. train along its main line and numerous branch roads which run off into the hills to bring coal to the main artery of travel.

Half a mile above the county line, on the east, is the town of Meadow Creek, in Summers county.  From this point the Sewell Valley railway extends for a distance of twenty-five miles up Meadow creek, for several miles in Summers county, then crossing the line just below Meadow Bridge, in Fayette county, it crosses the divide to Springdale and goes down Sewell creek to Meadow river.  Its through Fayette traverses a fine farming country on the upper reaches of the stream, with coal and timber lower down.  A mile or two beyond Sturgeon creek the line is again crossed, and the road runs into Greenbrier county, by Rainelle and Sewell Valley later coming back to the boundary line of Meadow river, following that first in Greenbrier, then in Fayette, as the contour of the country makes it necessary to cross the river, until the lumber town of Nallen is reached.  We are now at the boundary line of another county, for across the blue waters of the Meadow river is the county of Nicholas.  Nallen is a lumber camp.  One of the largest band mills in the county is in operation here cutting thousands of feet of timber daily, and the supply of available logs is enough for twenty years.  Other large mills are situated along this road and at places logs are piled mountain high awaiting transportation either by log train or freshet in Meadow river to carry

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them to the saw that rips them into boards and sends them to the market of trade.  This road is opening up a new section of the country.  Rich coal veins abound, and with mining and timbering, it is destined to become one of the best sections of the county.

      Let us take a trip over the Virginian, coming from the east.  We enter Fayette just below Herberton, on the waters of Paint creek which drains the southern section.  This is a new road and the towns along this route have a new appearance.  Pax presents the finest appearance of any of the new towns.  Substantial business blocks and handsome residences greet the eye.  This is an old farming section and the post office was formerly Paintsville.  Following a northern direction the road runs through a splendid farming country, then leaving Paint creek it crosses a mountain and comes down on the waters of Mossy creek, runs up the creek, crosses another mountain, coming down to Bishop near Oak Hill, the waters of Lower Loop creek and with this creek to its mouth to Deepwater.  Farm lands, coal operation and forest scenes are viewed on this trip.  The road is built on the table lands and the view of rugged mountain scenery is not so splendid as along the C. & O. but sufficient to well pay one for a trip.  One feature of this road is the unusually high trestles.  Running on high lands calls for high trestles over the hollow and probably in no place in West Virginia will higher railroad bridges be found than on the Virginian railway in Fayette county.

Another portion of the county, the extreme south western, can be viewed from the Paint creek branch of the C. & O. which, extending up Paint creek from its mouth in Kanawha county, enters Fayette a short distance below Hickory Camp and reaches the mining camps of Mahan, Krebs, Keeferton, Kingston, and Milburn.  Near the latter place is the Lick Knob lookout station which is located on the mountain at an elevation of 2750 feet.  Mountain scenery in abundance can be viewed along this Paint creek branch of the C. & O.

But another railroad remains, that of the New York Central, formerly known as the Kanawha & Michigan, which enters the county on the opposite side of the river from Montgomery, and paralleling the C. & O. on the opposite of the river, goes to its terminus at Gauley Bridge, connecting with the C. & O. at Gauley

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Junction. Its scenery is similar to that described on the C. & O. side, therefore repetition would be unnecessary.  There are but two branch lines.  One goes out from Smithers, running northeast to Marting, where coal works are located.  The other, at Boomer, leads up Boomer branch for a short distance and gathers coal from five operations.

Much of the county can be seen from the window of a railway passenger coach - a kaleidoscope panorama of mountains and valleys, forests and streams - that once seen will always be appreciated and never forgotten.

We will now take a view of the county from a drive over many miles of country road.

Two trunk line county roads pass through Fayette county, both of which are historic, being at one time chief arteries of communication between the east and west.  One of these roads, the Giles, Fayette and Kanawha turnpike, enters Fayette county from Raleigh, two miles above Mount Hope.  A trip over the road takes one through the most popular parts of the county, contained in the two magisterial districts south of the river, Fayetteville and Kanawha.

Coming over the road from Raleigh, the county is entered on a down hill run.  To the right can be seen the prosperous mining town of Kilsythe.  Another turn to the left and the city of Mount Hope, spread over the valleys of Loop creek and Sugar creek, greets the eye.  Either by night of by day the view is an entrancing one.  If by day, the traveler is impressed by the happy homes, the prosperous business blocks, and the general air of prosperity that here abounds.  If by night, myriad electric lights blaze out to dispel the gloom - a welcome sight after the long ten-mile drive from Beckley, much of which is through a sparsely settled section. This road is now paved almost its entire length through the county and its entire completion is only a matter of time.  In this respect the tourist of today has the advantage of those of the long ago.

The Giles, Fayette and Kanawha turnpike is "Main Street" for many of the towns through which it passes, probably serving Mount Hope for a greater distance.  The road leads down Loop creek valley which has already been seen on our railway trip.  At Glen Jean it turns to the left and climbs Shamrock Hill to Hill Top.  Road

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engineers found a better route to Oak Hill, by way of Scarbro, and not many people follow the old road, but those who do are rewarded for at Hill Top, looking off to the right, one sees the lower valleys of Loop creek, and further away across New river, is seen Big Sewell mountain hazy in the distance.  On the left is White Oak valley, dotted with houses.  On either side the land slopes away to the valleys.  The land in this section was once given over to tobacco raising, but this has been abandoned.  High barns, known as tobacco barns where the weed was dried after cutting, may yet be seen along this route.

A short distance further, a turn in the road brings Oak Hill to view.  It is truly a "city set upon a hill."  The road here passes through the C. T. Jones estate, and to the left one beholds the finest residence in Fayette county, built in Colonial style and imposing in its beauty.  It was built by the late C. T. Jones, but before its completion he was called "to mansions in the skies."  The view across the river valley from this place is superb with Big Sewell mountain rearing its head to the skyline in the far distance and smaller mountains intervening.

Crossing Arbuckle creek, which makes the valley a mile below where the prosperous mining town of Minden is located, "Main Street" once more becomes the old turnpike running north seven miles until Fayetteville is reached.  Here for a distance it loses its identity in Maple avenue and Court street, but turning northwest it leads toward Cotton Hill, traversing another fine farming section to that point.  The old road across Cotton Hill mountain has been abandoned for a new and better grade, following which, the traveler by easy descent, goes down to Kanawha Falls.  Here again familiar scenes are encountered which were seen on our trip by rail, and as old Giles, Fayette and Kanawha turnpike reaches its destination here, we bid it adieu, having enjoyed the twenty-eight miles journey through Fayette and the wealth of natural scenery it affords.

The other and perhaps the oldest road in the county is the James river and Kanawha turnpike, running east and west through the northern part of the county, entering at Maywood on the east and emerging at Cannelton on the west.  Its route lies wholly through an agricultural section, settled largely when the

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famous stage coach, of the "before the war" days, was the chief means of travel.  From Maywood this road passes through Ravens Eye to Cliff Top and Lookout, the two last named being mining towns as well as agricultural centers.  From Lookout to Hico, by Victor and then into Ansted. Along this route there is much to be

seen that is interesting and which the tourist will appreciate.  At Ansted, in Westlake cemetery, sleeps the mother of "Stonewall" Jackson, her grave marked by a slab erected by one of the General's old brigade.  Other friends of the "Lost Cause" have recently inclosed the grave with a stone wall surmounted by an iron fence, preparing it for the visits of the thousands that will pass this way.

The grandeur of the mountain scenery along this route is unsurpassed.  The purple of spring, the green of summer, the brown of fall, and the black and white of winter all combine to paint a picture upon the never-ending line of the field and forest that no artist can equal.

From Ansted the road winds around above Lover's Leap, and the Hawks Nest rock, and far down in the valley, the New river and the C. & O. railway over which we traveled, can be occasionally glimpsed.  By easy stages the road comes down off the mountain at

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Gauley Junction - down to the head of the Great Kanawha river, and follows it on the north side through the territory, already described, until we leave it at the county line.

Travelers on this road, in the winter time, may find ten inches of snow at Maywood and rain at Cannelton.  Or if the tour be taken in summer, and two nights spent in route, one may suffer with heat one night along the Kanawha river valley, and rest comfortably under blankets the next night on top of Big Sewell mountain at Maywood, so great is the altitude which this road finds in crossing the county.

Our tour of Fayette county is ended, but no penciled description can do it justice.  It calls to you insistently, "Come and See."  You will never regret having accepted the invitation.

The foregoing text was taken directly, verbatim, from The History Of Fayette County, West Virginia as it was originally written.  This book was written by J. T. Peters and H. B. Carden.  It was published in 1926 by the Fayette County Historical Society, Inc., Fayetteville, West Virginia, and printed by Jarrett Printing Company, Charleston, West Virginia.  All rights reserved.

[Table Of Contents]
[ Dedication | Foreword ]
[ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 ]
[ 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 ]
[ 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 ]