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Thurmond, West Virginia

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In 1904, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company built a freight station in Thurmond, and soon after, a railroad bridge was completed across the river to connect the local coal mines. Known as the Thurmond Depot, the two-story building had board and batten siding, a bracketed shed roof, and a signal tower. The ground floor served as a waiting area and news center for passengers, but the upper section of the building was reserved for railway operators and their offices. The Depot was the heart of the community as it welcomed railroad workers, coal operators, and tourists into the booming coal town. The National Park Service has almost completely restored Thurmond Depot to how it once looked. The station continues to function as a working stop on Amtrak's Cardinal Line. This route runs from Chicago to New York, right through the heart of the New River Gorge. It requires a reservation for the train to stop in Thurmond, otherwise it travels 13 miles upstream to the station at Prince, West Virginia.

This 1901 picture was taken at the future site of the Thurmond Depot building.

Crew, Pole, Suit, Monochrome

A crowd gathers at the station, 1910.

White, Train, Black, Vehicle

The depot around the middle of the twentieth century.

Sky, Vehicle, Wheel, Mountain

The depot today. The building was restored by the National Park Service.

Sky, Cloud, Window, Building

Harper, R Eugene. Thurmond Historic District, National Register of Historic Places. September 15th 1983. Accessed April 28th 2021. http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/nr/pdf/fayette/84003520.pdf.

National Park Service. “Thurmond Historic Structures Assessment New River Gorge National River West Virginia.” Accessed April 28th 2021. http://www.quid-tum.com/documents/thurmond_assessment_report.pdf.

Thurmond Walking Tour, National Park Service. January 6th 2020. Accessed April 28th 2021. https://www.nps.gov/neri/learn/historyculture/thurmond-walking-tour.htm.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Trevey, William. “Coal Operators on the Southside Train Platform, Thurmond, W. Va.” Ca. 1901. West Virginia & Regional History Center. Accessed April 28th 2021. https://wvhistoryonview.org/catalog/004523.

“Thurmond Depot 1910.” 1910. National Park Service. Accessed April 28th 2021. https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery-item.htm?pg=0&id=3E30A17F-155D-451F-672E8F8D620AD9B9&gid=3D726CBE-155D-451F-67157F056D2286BB.

“Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Depot, Thurmond, W. Va.” West Virginia & Regional History Center. Accessed April 28th 2021. https://wvhistoryonview.org/catalog/026125.