“USA 🇺🇸 Leaf-Peeking Road Trip Part 3 of 5 ~The New River Gorge National Park and Surrounding Area in West Virginia” October 2024
LEAF-PEEKING ROAD TRIP
~Mid October
Part 3 of 5
Day 4
Rested and Refreshed, we checked out of the Comfort Inn New River, which was conveniently close to the New River Gorge National Park.
Daryl and I already visited this National Park and the famous bridge, a few years ago, when we camped at the New River Campground in Tiny the trailer. BUT, at the time, New River National Park had just become our last Park, inducted into the system; making it our 63rd National Park.
There were no official Park signs, showing it was actually a National Park, yet. Also at that time, the New River Gorge Bridge ranked higher in the longest bridge category.
I knew we would go back to get those sign pictures, at some point, and today was that day! At the end of this blog, I will post a link to our first visit here, and explored the bridge level, area.
Because we had already checked the National Park borders out, above the gorge, which was really cool, this time we drove down into the gorge, and explored the Kanawha River Valley.
We had hoped to get a picture of the New River Gorge Bridge from below, looking up, without being on the water, but once we got close, after struggling to find the road that would get us there, we ran in to closed signs, and only some hiking was allowed from that point. Oh well.
Here is the picture or something like it, we were hoping to get, but I suspect the recent Hurricanes Helene caused flooding for the gorge, just a short time ago, and though the water was back to normal levels, it was not possible to get to the New River this way, till things cleared up even further.
What we did enjoy, besides getting the sign pictures, was driving at the river level through many old coal towns. These towns have been around a long time and were completely supported by the coal industry, back in the day, also in the area.
Going back even further, there is some Civil War history down there, too.
NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL PARK
On 27 December 2020, the river became the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve; the United States’ newest national park; #63.
The New River is recognized as the “second oldest river in the world” and is estimated to be between 10 and 360 million years old. Its headwaters begin near Blowing Rock, North Carolina and is one of the few rivers in North America that flows northerly.
Adena People
The Early Woodland Indians who lived in the Kanawha Valley were called the Adena People or the Mound Builders. They lived here from 2,500 to 2,000 years ago and during this time they constructed hundreds of earth and stone mounds in the Valley.
The New River begins high in the mountains of western North Carolina, crosses Virginia, and enters West Virginia near its southernmost tip. It then heads north to join the Gauley River, and form the Kanawha River.
Name Origin: There Are a Couple of Theories.
Kanawha is a Native-American word for “white rocks.” Native American tribes identified the New River and the Kanawha River as being one river.
Kanawha is a Shawnee word meaning “new water,” while another claims it is a Catawba word; meaning “friendly brother.”
Coal Production
The New River Gorge was a major supplier of coal, which was used to power factories, ships, and railroads, and heat homes and buildings.
Coal Towns
Quinnimont was a major coal shipping town with a population of over 500 at its peak. The town had a railroad station, general store, post office, hotel, baseball field, and more
Coal Mining Disasters
The New River Gorge experienced three major coal mine disasters over its history. Coal mining was dangerous work, and many miners died in accidents, such as roof falls and machinery accidents.
Preservation
The National Park Service has preserved the coal heritage of the area through historical exhibits and preserved sites. Visitors can learn about the area’s coal mining history and see old train depots, mine equipment, and more.
Gauley Bridge has quite a history, along with the town of the same name.
This bridge was built by Ira Hart with the wire being supplied by Bodley and Company of Wheeling. Despite problems with the construction and financing, the bridge was open for traffic in 1857 and served until 1930. The Weston & Gauley Bridge Turnpike was completed in 1858.
Its name is derived from the wooden, covered bridge that carried traffic on the James River & Kanawha Turnpike across the Gauley River.
During the Civil War, the bridge was hotly contested as the Confederate and Union troops tried to gain a hold on the upper Kanawha River Valley.
Gauley Bridge is a town located in Fayette County West Virginia. Gauley Bridge has a 2024 population of 522.
The Glen Ferris Inn
The Glen Ferris Inn has been around for nearly 200 years. The Glen Ferris Inn has served guests since 1839, under the previous names of “Stockton Tavern,” and “Hawkins Hotel.” Regardless of the name used, travelers have enjoyed good food, hospitality and some of the most beautiful scenery in the State of West Virginia.
It may have been built as early as 1815, as there is an 1815 newspaper article that states this but it has been clearly serving customers since 1939 when Aaron Stockton applied for a license to operate an “ordinary” to accommodate travelers on the James and Kanawha Turnpike as the passed through the area.
There are many other towns we drove through: Alloy, Boomer, and more.
Started by the Low Moor Coal Company in the late 1890’s, Kaymoor was one of the largest and most productive coal operations in the gorge.
Coal was first discovered in Virginia’s Chesterfield County as early as 1701 and by 1730 coal was actively mined for commercial use.
“The Little Brick Church”
I am obsessed by this little church, with an amazing history, with ties to Harper’s Ferry Historical Town, we also visited on this trip!
Virginia’s Chapel, “The Little Brick Church” is located in Cedar Grove, Kanawha County, West Virginia. Cedar Grove was the first settlement in the Kanawha Valley.
Salt industrialist William Tompkins came to the Kanawha Valley in 1815. His wife was the former Rachel Grant, daughter of Revolutionary War Captain, Noah Grant. Her brother was Jesse Grant, father of President Ulysses S. Grant.
The Tompkins had 10 children. Virginia’s Chapel was built as a graduation present from William Tompkins to his eldest daughter, Virginia. Virginia married Presbyterian minister John Brown. Some of their descendants still live in the Kanawha Valley.
Constructed of red bricks made on site, the original building was nearly square, with three narrow Gothic windows on each side. A few years later, new construction lengthened the chapel, adding a fourth window on each side and an octagonal cupola atop the entrance.
In its early years, the chapel was nondenominational. During the Civil War, both sides used the building at different times. Union soldiers housed their horses in it, and the Confederates converted it into a hospital. The Glasgow and Cedar Grove Methodist churches shared the chapel until the 1920s.
Over the years, the Tompkins family and community members contributed money for the chapel’s upkeep. In 1975, the chapel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
No longer an active church, Virginia’s Chapel is used for weddings, funerals, a Thanksgiving service, and Easter sunrise service.
Two cemeteries are located on the chapel grounds. Local White residents are buried in one, and Black slaves are buried in the other.
During the Civil War, the Chapel was opened for anybody to visit; both Union and Confederate soldiers, but there was to be no war on the grounds. The Chapel was respected and it survived the war, intact.
In 1912 a bell tower was added to the chapel. In the early 1900s, Forrest Hull painted the mural on the wall behind the pulpit, inside the Chapel.
Members in the Cedar Grove and Glasgow areas used the chapel until the chapel could no longer accommodate its membership size. Each community built their respective churches, with the last built in 1931. The church was used for weddings and funerals over the next two decades and began to deteriorate.
On June 16, 1952, the 100th Birthday Celebration of Virginia’s Chapel was observed. For the occasion, the Reverend Homer Cummings wrote the song “The Old Brick Church by the Side of The Road.”
In 1979 restoration funds were received from the West Virginia Department of Culture and History Preservation Office, other state and county offices, local businesses and private donations. The restoration was completed in 1980. On January 1, 1994, the Virginia Chapel Foundation, Inc. was chartered for the purpose of providing perpetual care to Virginia’s Chapel.
Today, after decades of mechanization, there are only about twenty thousand coal miners in West Virginia, and another sixteen thousand between Kentucky and
At the end of July 2022, the coal industry employed approximately 38,400 miners. US employment in coal mining peaked in 1923, when there were 863,000 coal miners. Since then, mechanization has greatly improved productivity in coal mining, so that employment has declined at the same time coal production increased.
Montgomery
In the early 1910s, Montgomery, West Virginia was the shipping center for 26 different coal operations and was the largest town in Fayette County at the time. From 1895 until its 2017 move to Beckley, Montgomery was the home of West Virginia University Institute of Technology, popularly called WVU Tech.
Kawawha Falls
Kanawha Falls was first reached on September 17, 1671, by Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam, who, with Thomas Woods, had set out with an expedition to take possession of the Mississippi River valley, in the name of the King of England.
The falls were a popular stopping place on the James River & Kanawha Turnpike. Aaron Stockton settled there about 1812, and by the 1830’s, had opened an inn to accommodate this trade. His inn, now called Glen Ferris Inn and still open for business, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Camp Reynolds
Camp Reynolds was a Union Atmy Camp, located on the Kanawha River, in Kanawha Falls, West Virginia, during the Civil War.
The camp was located on the south side of the Kanawha River, below Gauley Bridge, and in sight of the falls. The camp served as the winter headquarters for the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry and had 56 cabins, plus a parade grounds.
The camp was commanded by Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes and Lieutenant William McKinley, both future U.S. presidents
As you can see, current day, the camp is gone and grown-over with trees.
Driving by the New River Campground, where we camped a few years ago.
Ugh, we were so close, but we had run out of time at this point, and needed to move on up the road, to Ohio, after one more quick stop.
Babcock State Park
Babcock State Park has 4,127 acres of stunning scenery. Located 20 miles southeast of the New River Gorge Bridge, the park is most known for the Glade Creek Grist Mill; a fully functional replica of the original Cooper’s Mill, which once stood on the grounds.
If you are interested, and I hope you are, here is the link to my Blog for our first visit to New River Gorge, when it still had just signage for the recreation area.
We explored the amazing New River Gorge Bridge:
Day 4
After our early morning visit to New River Gorge National Park, plus our time in the gorge, we drove to Macedonia/Cleveland, Ohio and got a motel, so we would be ready to explore our next National Park
4.5 hours
282 miles
I was driving, so there are only a few pictures……
West Virginia State Capitol Building
Still, Day 4
La Quinta
Cleveland, Ohio
One Night
Good Night, Y’all!
Here is a link to click for the next blog; Part 4
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Hello and Welcome to our Travel Blog Website, We enjoy writing about our experiences and taking photos of our adventuring along the way. Our names are: Daryl and Pen, but Daryl calls me “Bunny.” We met, quite randomly, whilst both… Read More