Lansing in Fayette County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)

An Obstacle and an Avenue

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —

An Obstacle and an Avenue Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, September 12, 2025

1. An Obstacle and an Avenue Marker

Inscription.
The New River has been both an obstacle to travel and an avenue for transportation.

Declared “too wild” for commercial navigation by early explorers, New River Gorge later became a major corridor for east/west travel after completion of the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad in 1873. Communities sprang up along the rail line, economies energized by coal production. In 1889, the first bridge across this part of the gorge was completed, the trip from rim to rim takin 45 minutes. When the New River Gorge Bridge was completed in 1977, the trip was reduced to seconds.

Today the river remains an avenue for rafters, anglers, and seekers of solitude. CSX, descendant of the historic “C&O”, owns the rail line. Travelers can still take a passenger train through the gorge.

[Captions:]
The historic two-way Fayette Station Road linked towns, enhanced trade, and sometimes challenged driving skills.

The road, visible below, remains open as a mostly one-way scenic drive that offers unique views of the river and a taste of early travel routes. A map and auto tour are available at the visitor center.

Erected by National Park

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Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Roads & Vehicles • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1873.

Location. 38° 4.252′ N, 81° 4.684′ W. Marker is in Lansing, West Virginia, in Fayette County. It is on Canyon Rim Boardwalk west of Visitor Center Road, in the median. Marker is located near the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 52 Route 19, Lansing WV 25862, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the New River Gorge

and in Greater Charleston Area.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Bridge (about 300 feet away, measured

Photographed by Tom Bosse, September 12, 2025

2. An Obstacle and an Avenue Marker

in a direct line); a different marker also named The Bridge (about 300 feet away); Spanning the Gorge (about 400 feet away); Layers of History (about 400 feet away); Find Your Connection (about 400 feet away); New River Gorge Bridge (about 400 feet away); Growth of an Era (about 400 feet away); From Coal Mining to Rock Climbing (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lansing.

New River Gorge image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, September 12, 2025

3. New River Gorge

New River Gorge Bridge image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, September 12, 2025

4. New River Gorge Bridge

Credits. This page was last revised on November 15, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 2, 2025, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 51 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 2, 2025, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.