OVERVIEW

This 17.8-acre property off Bachman Road near the national park boundary includes two ponds, approximately three acres of field, and more than 13 acres of forest and managed woodland. A potential homesite near the frontage is less than four miles by highway from the US-19 expressway at Fayetteville. Public water and electric power are located at the frontage.

ATTRIBUTES AND HIGHLIGHTS

• Near the national park boundary
• Two ponds and a wetland
• Approximately three acres in field
• Approximately 13 acres of woodland
• Electric, public water at the frontage
• Fewer than four miles from Fayetteville
• Fewer than five miles from New River Gorge Bridge

MORE ABOUT THE PROPERTY

The Bachman Level property has been developed to accommodate one or several homesites and builds on the region’s natural environment. The acreage near the front includes approximately three acres of level and gently sloping fields, two ponds, and wetland habitat. The ponds and wetlands attract a variety of wildlife and total about an acre.

The larger part of the property ascends to a wooded ridge that includes areas of mature forest and younger woodlands. Grassy paths lead through woodlands to the summit and are a favorite environment for deer that browse on low branches of young trees and bed down in the thickets.

The area is known for its relatively level character and, during the Civil War, accommodated a large Confederate encampment. Cannonballs and other relics have been found in the area. Established by General John B. Floyd, the camp guarded Bachman Road, which descends the flank of the New River Gorge from the levels. A ferry leading to Hawks Nest crossed the New River at the bottom of Bachman Road.

The level area has traditionally been in fields and farmland. Though the property has not been evaluated as a commercial source of timber, several large specimens of oak, beech, and hickory are located in the forested sections of the property on the ridge. Other notable tree species include stands of White pine, Virginia pine, and Pitch pine. The property is only 2,000 feet from the boundary of the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve.

LOCATION

Google Coordinates: 38.101272, -81.123635
Address: 97 Tomlin Rd, Fayetteville, WV 25840
Elevation Range: 1,400 to 1,540 feet above sea level

ZONING

The property is zoned “rural residential.” All prospective buyers should consult the Fayette County zoning office and health department for regulations regarding zoning, building codes, and installation of water wells and septic systems.

ACCESS/FRONTAGE

The property fronts on Tomlin Road, a one-lane gravel road that leads off Bachman Road, a single-lane paved road that descends to the New River from W.Va. Route 16, a dual-lane highway. A newly graveled driveway leads from the frontage to a potential homesite on a rise near the ponds.

MINERAL RESOURCES

West Virginia is one of the states in the US that has two ownership titles, those being SURFACE RIGHTS and MINERAL RIGHTS. A title search for mineral rights ownership has not been conducted. All rights the owner has will convey with the property. A mineral title search could be conducted by a title attorney while the surface title search is conducted.

BOUNDARIES AND SURVEY

The property is being sold by the boundary and not by the acre.

UTILITIES

Public water and electric service are available at the front of the property along Tomlin Road. A potential homesite near the frontage has been tested and found accommodating for a septic system.

Water: West Virginia-American Water
Sewer: site tested for septic
Electricity: American Electric Power
Telephone: Frontier, Suddenlink
Internet: Frontier, Suddenlink
Cellphone Coverage: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, U.S. Cellular

PROPERTY TYPE/USE SUMMARY

The property has been used as woodland and farmland since the 1960s.

DEED AND TAX INFORMATION

Deedbook 774, Page 604
Tax Map 32, Parcel 46
County: Fayette County, West Virginia
Tax District: New Haven
Acreage: 17.8 +/-

2022 Real Estate Taxes: $353

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Public school students may attend Fayetteville Grade School, Fayetteville Middle School, and Fayetteville High School. Several private schools operate in the area, and home-schooling programs are supported.

HIGHER EDUCATION

The southern campus of West Virginia University is located 30 miles to the south at Beckley. Satellite campuses of Concord University and New River Community & Technical College are also located at Beckley. Appalachian Bible College is located 25 miles to the south at Bradley.

SURROUNDING AREA

The Bachman Levels area is located in the tablelands south of the New River Gorge, the centerpiece of the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve. The region is renowned as a destination for outdoor recreation and leisure and vacation residency. As a result of the recent dedication of the national park, the region continues to experience marked residential growth.

Town of Fayetteville

The property is located within a thousand feet of the boundary of the Town of Fayetteville and benefits greatly from its proximity. Fayetteville is the seat of justice for Fayette County and the home of the New River Gorge Bridge, which spans the nearby gorge. Fayetteville’s historic district is both charming and among of the most attractive locations for outfitters shops, boutique shops, and specialty restaurants in West Virginia. Its population was estimated at 2,844 in 2021.

The Summit Bechtel Reserve

Home of the National Scout Jamboree and the national leadership center for the Boy Scouts of America, the Summit is one of the organization’s five national high-adventure bases. More than 50,000 visitors attend the jamborees. The Jamboree had been held at Fort A.P. Hill, near Washington, D.C., until the organization chose to relocate the site to the New River Gorge region to accommodate access to outdoor-adventure activities.

City of Oak Hill

Oak Hill is Fayette County’s largest municipality and its economic center. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 7,730. Plateau Medical Center, the largest hospital in the county, is located off the US-19 expressway on Main Street in downtown Oak Hill. The city has recently increased its investment in recreational and quality-of-life improvements and has acquired land for a new outdoor-adventure park approaching the edge of the New River Gorge.

Fayette County

Fayette County is located in southern West Virginia and is central to the state’s burgeoning New River Gorge tourism region. The county is renowned for its dramatic landscapes, small communities, and outdoor recreation amenities. The national parklands of the New and Gauley rivers course across the center of the county, defined by its gorges and broad, wooded tablelands. Fayetteville and Bachman Road are located near the midpoint in the county in an area renowned for its expressway access and great natural beauty.

State Parks: Babcock and Hawks Nest

Two of the most photographed landmarks in West Virginia are located within a half-hour’s drive. Babcock State Park and its world-renowned Glade Creek Gristmill attract photographers year-round, and Hawks Nest and its overlook of the New River Gorge have been attracting sight-seers since long before Europeans arrived in the region. The state also maintains thousands of acres of public recreation land nearby in the Beury Mountain, Cotton Hill, and Plum Orchard Lake wildlife management areas.