This bed & breakfast opened in 2015 and is located in a historic structure that was built in 1910 to serve as a boarding house for coal miners in. Mother and daughter Thelma and Dawn Smith moved from San Diego to Thomas after selecting this property as the ideal location for a bed and breakfast given this location near the Monongahela National Forest and Blackwater Falls. The Inn is named in honor of
Thomas is a small town of 596 in Tucker County, West Virginia. Incorporated June 16, 1892, it was a typical Appalachian town that thrived on the coal and railroad industries. Today, Thomas is an important tourism stop for nearby ski resorts, the town of Davis, Canaan Valley, State Park, Blackwater Falls State Park and the Monongahela National Forest. The downtown riverfront area became the Thomas Commercial Historic District in 1998 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Cottrill’s Opera House, also known as Sutton Theater, dates back to 1894. The original Opera House was destroyed in a fire seven years after its completion. Saloon owner Hiram Cottrill built this theater in its place and sold the building to the Sutton family in 1915. The family operated the theater until the 1970s. The building has served a variety of purposes in recent decades, and preservationists and community groups in Tucker County are working to restore the building.
The Blackwater Canyon River Rail Trail dates back to 1888 when it was used to haul coal and timber through the canyon. The trail reflects changes in the economy over the past century, as it now serves as one of the leading attractions in a county that now focusses on heritage tourism and outdoor recreation. The trail still contains many of the former coke overns and other remnants of the region's past and connects the community of Thomas with Coketon, Douglas, Hendricks and Parsons. Many of these communities were once robust mining towns and visitors to the region can enjoy this trail for its natural beauty as well as historical markers that share the story of a previous era. The trail begins along the North Fork of the Blackwater River in Thomas and winds past steep-walled strip mines and rows of beehive coke ovens that have been reclaimed by trees and wildflowers for nearly a century. The trail is accessible in Thomas, WV at the juncture of Rt. 32 and 27 or from Hendricks, Rt. 73.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This short walking tour begins at one of the oldest buildings in Thomas, built in 1910 as a boarding house for coal miners. The home now serves as a bed and breakfast, signaling the transition of the economy towards tourism and other industries. The walking tour concludes at the trailhead for the Blackwater Canyon Trail. This trail dates back to the late 19th century when it was used to haul coal and timber.
