Remnants of the Past
It’s not surprising that John Sayles filmed his 1987 film “Matewan” in Thurmond, West Virginia. Sayles, a stickler for authenticity, selected Thurmond because the once-prosperous town still looks like the Appalachian coal-mining town it was a century ago.
The formerly bustling city, which was booming during the heyday of coal mining during the dawn of the 20th century, is now a ghost town. The population is down to seven.
At its peak in 1910, Thurmond, named after Confederate officer W.D. Thurmond, who bought the 73-acre parcel of land in 1844, generated more freight revenue than Cincinnati. But the town started its steady decline in 1930. Even the post office closed in 1995.
However, some storefronts, such as Thurmond National Bank, are still standing, thanks to the National Park Service for the New River Gorge National River. In fact, Thurmond is a bit more active than most ghost towns. The Chesapeake & Ohio passenger railway depot was renovated in 1995 and is utilized as a Park Service visitor center and museum. Amtrak provides service to Thurmond under the Cardinal route as a “flagstop,” and quite a few passengers still use the depot, due to Thurmond’s proximity off the picturesque New River.
There are plenty of biking and hiking trails in the Thurmond area, as well as a number of serene fishing spots near Thurmond — you can fish for trout in Dunloup Creek.
Perhaps best of all, visitors to Thurmond can experience a quiet town that lives in yesteryear.
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