Thurmond, West Virginia
New River Gorge National River
— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —
Ribbons of steel were, and still are, the main street of Thurmond. For over 80 years, trains were the primary method of travel, linking over 50 New River communities to each other and connecting the gorge to the rest of the US. Thurmond was a primary entrance to the New River coal fields. In 1910, its busiest year, 76,000 passengers got on or off the train here. The Great Depression, the railroad's switch from steam engine to diesel, and America's growing love of the automobile, however, all negatively impacted Thurmond's economy. By the 1950s, its prominence along the railroad and in the region had declined.
Freight trains still pass daily through Thurmond and the town serves as a flag stop for Amtrak. The downtown commercial area, depot, and many hillside structures are preserved as a historic district by the National Park Service, with exhibits and a self-guided walking tour.
1873 C & O Railway completed •
1888 Post Office established in Thurmond •
1889 Thurmond Bridge completed •
1891 Original depot built •
1903 Thurmond incorporated, original depot burns •
1904 Current depot built •
1921 Road from Glen Jean completed •
1931 National Bank of Thurmond failed •
1958 Last steam locomotive operating in gorge retired •
1968 First commercial rafting •
1995 Post Office closes and restored depot
this page online
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1910.
Location. 37° 57.438′ N, 81° 4.742′ W. Marker is in Thurmond, West Virginia, in Fayette County. Marker is on Thurmond Road (County Road 25/2) 0.1 miles south of Beury Mountain Road (County Road 25/2), on the right when traveling north. The marker is near the Thurmond Depot Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Thurmond WV 25936, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. New River Gorge National River (here, next to this marker); A Railroad Town (within shouting distance of this marker); Where It All Starts (within shouting distance of this marker); Over the River (within shouting distance of this marker); 1869 (within shouting distance of this marker); 1873 (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named 1873 (within shouting distance of this marker); Post Office is Established in Thurmond (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Thurmond.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 22, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 21, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 197 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 21, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
