OVERVIEW

Cogar Forest @ Sutton Dam is a fully wooded 175 acres located just outside the city limits of historic Sutton, West Virginia and shares a common boundary with 14,000 acres of United States of America federal government property reserved for the creation and preservation of land for Sutton Lake. The property’s heavily wooded acreage provides optimal wildlife habitat for big and small game hunting as well as timberland investment opportunities. In addition to the vast hunting space furnished by the property, excellent fishing at nearby lakes, rivers, and streams are easily accessible.

ATTRIBUTES AND HIGHLIGHTS

• 175+/- acres of multi-use land predominately consisting of mature mountain forest
• Excellent access on a paved state-maintained road easily accessible to 4-lane highway
• Great system of internal forest roads and trails for hiking, horseback riding and ATV riding
• Water sport activities supported by adjoining Sutton Lake and Elk River and nearby Summersville Lake
• Excellent river and lake fishing nearby with a mix of deep holes, rapids and still water
• Amazing wildlife population which includes deer, black bear, squirrel, rabbit, bobcat, raccoon, fox, chipmunk, opossum
• The 175+/- acres can offer ATV riding, hiking, camping, hunting and nature viewing
• Small city amenities in Sutton, Gassaway, and Flatwoods are located within minutes of the property
• Approximate 1-hour easy drive to Charleston’s Yeager Airport
• Cell phone coverage is good with 4G service
• Low taxes, low population density
• An easy drive to higher population areas of Charleston, Clarksburg, Fairmont, Morgantown, and Beckley

LOCATION

Google Coordinates: 38.663661°(N), -80.701943°(W)
Address: Sutton, WV – County Route 19/27 – No 911 address assigned to properties without structures
Elevation Range: 840′ to 1,620′ above sea level

ACCESS/FRONTAGE

The property fronts secondary road WV 19/27. Four-lane Interstate access is nearby.

UTILITIES

Water: Flatwoods Canoe Run PSD along the road. Water well could be drilled too
Sewer: Septic could be installed
Electricity: On the property
Telephone: On the property
Internet: Unknown
Cellphone Coverage: Good

RECREATION AT THE FOREST

Cogar Forest @ Sutton Dam offers many recreational opportunities. The forest offers excellent habitat for wild game, such as white-tail deer, black bear, wild turkey, gray squirrel, grouse, and rabbit for the avid hunter. Easy access to the forest makes feeding that favorite hunting stand less tiring and more enjoyable.

Along the same lines, nature viewing is a great recreational activity. Attentive wildlife management has been geared not to just game animals. Equal consideration has been extended to increasing the numbers and diversity of species including neo-tropical songbirds, butterflies, turtles, frogs, rabbits, chipmunks, dragonflies, owls, hawks.

Water-sports enthusiasts will find adjoining Sutton Lake and Elk River and nearby Summersville Lake ideal for swimming, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, and tubing among other unique activities.

Sutton Lake – Sutton Lake is located in the Mountain Lakes Region of central West Virginia. Sutton Lake is a clear, clean freshwater lake covering 1,440 acres with 44 miles of shoreline. The lake is approximately fourteen miles long. One of the most striking features of Sutton Lake is that it is surrounded by over 10,000 acres of public land. There are no commercial developments or homes on the lake. All a boater sees is pristine water and green mountains. There are literally hundreds of coves where you can spend the day or night in seclusion.

Elk River – The Elk River’s largest tributaries are the Holly River and the Birch River, both of which join it in Braxton County. The upper portion of the river, above Sutton Lake, is a popular cold-water trout stream. Below Sutton Lake, is a high-gradient warm water fishery well known for its muskellunge, walleye and smallmouth bass fishing.

Summersville Lake – Summersville Lake is West Virginia’s largest lake containing over 2,800 acres of water and 60 miles of shoreline. Superb water quality and sheer sandstone cliffs make Summersville Lake a unique place to visit. Boating, water-skiing, swimming, fishing for large and smallmouth bass, walleye, panfish, and catfish, (trout are stocked below the dam in the spring and fall) scuba diving, picnicking, hunting, and mountain biking are the favorite activities enjoyed at this lake and surrounding area. Rock climbing and whitewater rafting are available year-round, with scheduled whitewater releases below the dam on the world class Gauley River in September and October.

Mountain biking, horseback riding and hiking are additional activities that can be enjoyed. “The Elk River Water Trail” runs 72 miles from Sutton Dam all the way to Charleston. The 12-mile long Jeremiah Carpenter Mt. Bike Trail, located on the north side of Sutton Dam, is a challenge even to the expert rider.

HISTORIC SUTTON, WEST VIRGINIA

Sutton was first settled in 1792 by Adam O’Brien, from Bath County, Virginia. Other settlers followed O’Brien. In 1809, John D. Sutton settled at the confluence of Granny’s Creek and the Elk River within the current boundaries of the downtown. His nephew, Felix, also came to the settlement, along with others, including, Gustavius Taylor and Andrew Skidmore. The village of Suttonville, formerly known as Newville, was laid out in 1835 and named for John D. Sutton.

Braxton County was formed in 1836 and named after Carter Braxton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The first court was held in the home of John D. Sutton.

Sutton was situated at the confluence of major transportation routes. The Elk River was navigable at times all the way to Charleston. The Weston to Gauley Bridge Turnpike, chartered in 1848, connected the Staunton to Parkersburg Turnpike in the center of the state to the Kanawha River Valley and the Kanawha James River Road. A wire suspension bridge was constructed across the Elk River on the Turnpike in 1853. Portions of the stone cable anchors still stand in Sutton.

West Virginia was formed out of the conflict of the Civil War. Felix Sutton represented the county in the restored government of Virginia in Wheeling until the state was created. Due to its location along a major north south turnpike through the center of West(ern) Virginia at the outbreak of the Civil War, Sutton was embroiled in the conflict. On September 5, 1861 the town was occupied by 5,000 troops. Later in 1861, General Rosencrans bivouacked 10,000 troops there, including future President William McKinley. On December 29, 1861 Confederate soldiers burned most of the downtown, leaving only six structures intact.

Sutton slowly rebuilt from the Civil War, but remained a small county seat until the timber industry in the region developed and Sutton became a commercial center. Many of the banks, hotels, shops and other historic buildings in Sutton date from this 1890 to 1920 time period. After this, Sutton once again slowed its development in step with the overall economy of the nation during the great depression.

FOREST/TIMBER RESOURCES

The Property’s timber resource is composed of high-quality Appalachian hardwoods. In the future, some of this timber should contain veneer logs for export. This well managed timber resource can provide a great deal of flexibility to the next ownership in terms of potential harvest revenue and can be managed to provide cash flow opportunities to offset holding cost and long-term asset appreciation.

Species composition:
The forest’s predominately well-drained upland terrain has led to a resource dominated by hardwood species. Overall, the species composition is highly desirable and favors Appalachian hardwood types, consisting primarily of:

• Black Cherry
• Sugar Maple
• Poplar/Cucumber/Basswood
• Red Oak Group
• White Oak/Chestnut Oak
• Soft Maple
• Hickory
• As well as a host of other species (birch, beech, sassafras, wahoo, buckeye)

Forest-wide, most stands are fully stocked, providing the next ownership with a great deal of flexibility in shaping their own silvicultural legacy. Portions of this stand have been thinned over the last several decades and as prudent forest management required. Tree diameters are well represented across the commercial spectrum with a notable mature size class, as well as abundant pole size timber and growing stock.

MINERAL RESOURCES

West Virginia is one of the states in the US that has two separate ownership titles; those being SURFACE RIGHTS and MINERAL RIGHTS. All rights the owner has will convey with the property. A mineral title search could be conducted by a title attorney at the same time when the surface title search is being conducted.

BOUNDARIES AND SURVEY

The property does not have a current survey. A metes and bounds description is found in the deed and the location of the property is based on the tax maps obtained through the Braxton County Assessor’s Office and online information. Before purchasing the property, potential buyers should consult a licensed surveyor to determine the actual location of the property and the true number of acres.

ZONING

All prospective buyers should consult the Braxton County Commission and the Health Department for details regarding zoning, building codes and installation of septic systems.

DEED and TAX INFORMATION

Deed Information: Deed Book 548 Page 645
Acreage: 175+/- Acres
Real Estate Tax ID/Acreage/Taxes:
Braxton County, West Virginia
Holly District – Tax Map 9M Parcel 25 – 58.18 Acres – $1,100.04
Holly District – Tax Map 9M Parcel 26 – 0.10 Acres – $6.40
Holly District – Tax Map 9M Parcel 27.4 – 92.21 Acres – $855.58
Sutton Corporation – Tax Map 5 Parcel 50 – 25 Acres – $1,031.18
2020 Real Estate Taxes: $2,993.20 full year

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Braxton County School District
Public Elementary School:
Sutton Elementary School

Public Middle School:
Braxton County Middle School

Public High School:
Braxton County High School