OVERVIEW

Seneca Trail Farm on Indian Creek, historic Salt Sulphur Springs, WV. This beautiful 21.67-acre property includes over one-half mile of beloved Indian Creek. A push-down one-story house still exists on the property. This is an amazing location to build your dream log cabin or home. Includes big open meadows on the largest end and overgrown fields in the narrow section. A well is believed to exist at the old house; the condition is unknown. Excellent hunting on this tract of land that adjoins the property of the historic mineral water resort.

INDIAN CREEK

Indian Creek takes its name from a Native American trail that crossed the Appalachians from the Ohio River valley to the Great Valley of Virginia. “It was the interstate of the Indian world.”

Indian Creek is a tributary of the New River. It is one of Monroe County’s main drainage basins. Indian Creek begins its journey near Salt Sulphur Springs and drains tens of thousands of acres on its winding 30-mile-long trip through pastoral farms, steep mountain canyons, wide bottomland forests, wetlands, and marshes before ending its trip close to Crumps Bottom, where it enters New River. From there, the New River flows to the Kanawha, onto the Ohio, then the Mississippi, and terminating in the Gulf of Mexico. It is said that the waters of Indian Creek will arrive in the Gulf of Mexico 3 to 4 days after entering the New River.

SALT SULPHUR SPRINGS

Salt Sulphur Spring near Union is a popular wedding venue and is the scene of select community events.

The area is well known for the healing waters of the numerous “Sulphur Springs.” During the 1800s and early 1900s, several “Sulphur Springs Resorts” flourished in the area. White Sulphur Springs, Warm Springs, and Hot Springs are most notably and still in existence. Others included Sweet Springs, Blue Sulphur Springs, Red Sulphur Springs, Green Sulphur Springs, Pence Springs, and Sweet Chalybeate Springs.

During the height of wealthy families’ summer treks to the Virginia Springs resorts—from roughly 1800 until the Civil War—one popular circuit encompassed “the fountains most strongly impregnated with minerals, heat, fashion, and fame,” according to one chronicler. For those arriving from eastern Virginia and points northeast, the circuit started at Warm Springs northeast of Lewisburg in the Allegheny Mountains. From there, it ran south and west to the Hot, the White Sulphur, the Sweet, the Salt Sulphur, and the Red Sulphur, then back in the opposite direction.

The “Old Salt” was famed for its three springs: sweet, salt sulphur, and iodine, curative especially for “chronic diseases of the brain” such as headaches.

The main hotel building dates to about 1820. Salt Sulphur Springs Historic District holds one of the largest groupings of pre-Civil War native stone buildings in West Virginia.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Located on the waters of beloved Indian Creek
• A nice mix of terrain
• 6 Acres by deed and surveys
• Approximately ½ mile of Indian Creek on or bordering the property
• Approximately ½ mile frontage on US Route 219
• Big sweeping open meadows
• Excellent hunting and wildlife viewing
• Adjoins the property of the historic Salt Sulphur Mineral Spring Resort
• Tremendous opportunity for cabins, dream homes, or commercial buildings
• Easy direct access from US Route 219
• ATV, UTV the entire property
• Historic Union is only a 5-minute drive
• No deed restrictions
• Low property taxes

LOCATION

Google Coordinates: 37.561965°(N), -80.569201°(W)
Address: Seneca Trail South, Union, WV 24983. No 911 address assigned to the property.
Elevation Range: 1800 ft. to 1846 ft. +/-

Towns:
Alderson: 35 minutes
Athens and Concord University: 1 hour
Blacksburg, VA and Virginia Tech: 1 hour 5 minutes
Lewisburg and Osteopathic School of Medicine: 35 minutes
Peterstown: 30 minutes
Princeton: 50 minutes
Union: 5 minutes

Airport:
Greenbrier Valley Airport, Lewisburg: 45 minutes

Recreation:
Bluestone Lake Dam, Hinton: 45 minutes
Bluestone Lake Marina: 50 minutes
Bluestone State Park: 50 minutes
Camp Creek State Park & Forest: 1 hour
Fountain Springs Golf Course: 25 minutes
Mill Creek Nature Park Trails, Narrows, VA: 40 minutes
Pipestem Resort State Park, Pipestem: 55 minutes
State Fair of West Virginia, Fairlea: 30 minutes
Winterplace Ski Resort, Ghent: 1 hour

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES

In the past, the farm has been a working farm; however, today, hay production is the only form of farming conducted. Ample cuttings of round hay bales qualify the farm for “farm tax status.” A local farmer harvests the hay crop on a handshake agreement. Farming operations could be extended to include beef cattle and grazing, chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, and a wide variety of more exotic animals.

WILDLIFE

Years of progressive wildlife management practice in the area have created the ideal wildlife preserve. Early on, management goals promoted overall wildlife health, facilitated the harvest of game, developed wildlife viewing areas, increased carrying capacity, and increased species diversity.

Beloved Indian Creek both fosters aquatic plant life and creates a water-supported community with a wide variety of wildlife. The plant life associated with the creek area includes rushes, sedges, cattails, duckweed, and algae.

Many animals live year-round and at other times in the water and around the edges of the creek, including raccoons, opossums, blue herons, Canadian geese, wood ducks, mallards, minnows, native fish, turtles, salamanders, newts, crayfish, muskrats, bullfrogs, eagles, hawks, and redwing blackbirds.

The microscopic world includes butterflies, dragonflies, pond skaters, beetles, damselflies, tadpoles, and insect larvae.

The diverse tree species and abundant water supply from the pond and nearby streams create the perfect wildlife habitat. The “edge effect” created between farm fields, hollows, and ridges benefits all the resident wildlife. Bald eagles, red-tail hawks, whitetail deer, black bears, wild turkeys, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, foxes, and many species of songbirds, owls, and raptors make up the resident wildlife population.

The local hardwood forests in the area provide an essential nutrient source and produce hard mast, including acorns, hickory nuts, beech nuts, and black walnuts. Soft mast includes stag horn sumac, black cherry, tulip poplar seeds, maple seeds, autumn olive berries, and blackberries.

WATER

Indian Creek, a blue line stream, forms the eastern property boundary for a long length of about 6/10 miles. The stream should have water flow nearly year-round.

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 at the same time when the surface title search is being conducted.

BOUNDARIES AND SURVEY

The eastern boundary of the property is mostly Indian Creek with only 2 small sections of the ownership crossing the creek. The western boundary of the property is US 219. Survey plats for the property are recorded in Deed Book 214 on pages 227 and 230. The property is being sold by the boundary and not by the acre.

UTILITIES

Water: A drilled well is near the old decrepit house; the condition and potability is unknown
Sewer: None. Septic systems are common for the area
Electricity: Runs along US Route 219
Telephone: Frontier Communications landline service is located nearby
Internet: Starlink and possibility cellular might be available
Cellphone Coverage: US Cellular is fair, other carriers might be better

ACCESS/FRONTAGE

The property has ½ mile of frontage on US 219. The vehicle access points for the property connect directly to US 219.

ZONING

There is currently no county zoning in Monroe County. All prospective purchasers are encouraged to contact the Monroe County Health Department for answers regarding installation of septic systems and water wells. Further information on county zoning may be answered by contacting the Monroe County Commission.

PROPERTY TYPE/USE SUMMARY

The property is nearly all fields and the old homestead grounds.

(This summary is an estimation of current property use as determined from aerial photography.  It is made subject to the estimation of property boundaries and any errors in the interpretation of land use type from the aerial photography utilized.)

DEED and TAX INFORMATION

Deed Information: DB 207 Pg. 394, DB 214 Pg. 225, DB 214 Pg. 228
Monroe County, West Virginia
Acreage: 21.673 acres +/-

Real Estate Tax ID/Acreage/Taxes:
Monroe County (32), West Virginia
Union District (7)
Tax Map 19 Parcel 14.2; Class 2

2023 Real Estate Taxes: $537.80

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Monroe County School District

Public Elementary School:
Mountain View Elementary School

Public Middle School:
Mountain View Middle School

Public High School:
James Monroe High School

Higher Education:
Monroe County Vocational Center

THE SURROUNDING AREA

BLUESTONE LAKE

Amidst the beautiful scenery of southern West Virginia lies the long Bluestone Lake. This reservoir, the third largest lake in West Virginia, is popular for its fishing and other recreational activities. Bluestone Lake was formed by a concrete dam built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers across the New River to reduce flooding. Although the dam was started in 1941, its construction was delayed because of World War II, and it was not fully completed until 1952. The lake is nearly eleven miles long, with an area of 2,040 acres during summer pool, though the water level does change frequently. The Lake can grow to over thirty-six miles long at the flood control pool. At higher levels, the lake extends into Giles County, Virginia. The Lake’s Catchment Area is 4,565 square miles. Water levels are drawn down four feet in winter to make room for melting snow and spring rain.

Bluestone Lake, Greenbrier River, and the New River are great places for fishing, and it is said that the New River is the best warm-water fishery in the state. Some of the fish available in the lake and river are bluegill, catfish, crappie, muskellunge, and various types of bass. New River bass has set some West Virginia state records.

In addition to fishing, Bluestone Lake is fantastic for enjoying all sorts of water activities, including boating, canoeing, water skiing, and wakeboarding. The lake has several boat ramps and a commercial marina for the boater’s convenience, and there are no limits to the size of boats or motors on the lake.

Bluestone Lake is part of the Bluestone Wildlife Management Area, which covers an area of 18,019 acres. The Wildlife Management Area is known for having some of the best hunting in the area, and hunters and trappers can catch a variety of game, including whitetail deer, turkey, fox, and other animals.

A great place to enjoy the lake is Bluestone State Park. The Park has ample accommodation for those who want to stay overnight. There are a variety of campsites – or, if you prefer a more comfortable stay, there are twenty-six cabins with TVs, showers, and other modern conveniences. Park visitors can walk on the hiking trails, play in the swimming pool, or rent game equipment to play croquet or horseshoes. The Park also has weekly events with lots of fun activities.

In addition to all the fun activities on the lake, there’s plenty more to do in the surrounding area. There are several other parks nearby to enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities. You can experience some great whitewater on the New River. And the New River Gorge is well-known as an excellent place for rock climbing, with its many hard sandstone cliffs. If you want a break from outdoor activities, the nearby town of Hinton has many attractions. There are a variety of restaurants, shops, and antique stores to browse and museums to visit.

Historical and recreational interest in the Bluestone area includes the outdoor musical drama “Hatfields and McCoys” and other shows performed at Grandview Park, near Beckley. Pipestem Resort, with its myriad recreational facilities, is only nine miles to the south, and the 80,000 acres New River Gorge National River Park, the center of some of the state’s best whitewater rafting and canoeing, plays an integral part in the area. Of particular note are Sandstone Falls and the Visitor Center, just north of Hinton, and Bluestone National Wild and Scenic River, which flows into Bluestone Lake within the park boundaries.

BLUESTONE LAKE MARINA

Bluestone Lake Marina offers guests lake opportunities for water-oriented recreation. It is open from April 15th through October 15th, depending on lake conditions.

At the marina, you can rent fishing boats, pontoon boats, kayaks, canoes, slip rentals, and cabin rentals conveniently located near Bluestone Lake and Bluestone State Park. Fuel, bait, and snacks are available for purchase.

BLUESTONE WMA – 18,109 ACRES

The Farm is a 25-minute drive to West Virginia’s Bluestone Wildlife Management Area. The statewide Wildlife Management Program is designed to conserve and manage high-quality habitats for a variety of wildlife species and to improve public access to these resources. West Virginia provides numerous opportunities to learn and appreciate the abundant wildlife.

Bluestone Wildlife Management Area offers visitors a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities on 18,109 acres. Being adjacent to Bluestone Lake, the state’s third-largest body of water, the area provides guests boating, canoeing, and fishing opportunities. The section of the lake from just upstream of the Bluestone River to Bluestone Dam is in Bluestone State Park; the rest of the lake in the West Virginia basin comprises Bluestone WMA.

Hunting is offered due to the wildlife management area status, and Bluestone has over 330 primitive campsites and picnic sites. Avid fishermen can enjoy float fishing and stocked trout fishing in Indian Creek. Hiking and equestrian trails are also popular.

Bicycles are permitted on main roads, day-use areas, and campground areas. Many roads leading to Wildlife Management area campgrounds are dirt roads that provide an experience similar to off-road bicycling.

BLUESTONE STATE PARK

Bluestone State Park was established in 1950 and is named after the Bluestone National Scenic River, which flows into the New River at the park. Bluestone State Park encompasses over 2,100 acres of rugged, heavily forested, mountainous terrain and provides a variety of water-oriented activities for guests and residents of southern West Virginia. This Park is five miles south of Hinton, WV.

Classic Cabins at Bluestone State Park are available for rent year-round. The campgrounds, although seasonal by nature, are popular campsites with visitors. Hiking and the opportunity to view eagles make Bluestone a neat area.

Bluestone State Park has twenty-six modern, fully furnished cabins with kitchens, showers, linens, towels, cooking utensils, dishes, tableware, and modern appliances. Each cabin has a stone fireplace, grill, picnic table, and campfire ring. Cabins are available for rent year-round and accommodate two to eight people. Select cabins are pet friendly. Guests also have access to nearby Pipestem Resort State Park’s indoor facilities, including an indoor pool and sauna, for rest and relaxation.

Bluestone State Park has four campgrounds with 120 campsites. The Meador Campground has 32 sites open to RVs and tents, with electricity and water available at seven sites, electricity at 15 locations, and a central bathhouse is also on-site. The Tent Area Campground has five rustic sites designed for group camping. Old Mill Campground, open to tents and RVs, has forty-four rustic campsites and a central bathhouse. East Shore Campground has 39 primitive sites accessible by boat only. The campgrounds are open from mid-April through late October. Campground reservations are available from Memorial Day through Labor Day each year. Campgrounds are open on a first-come, first-serve basis through October 31.

An extra plus is that Bluestone Park is adjacent to Bluestone Lake, the state’s third-largest body of water. Due to this sizeable lake, boating and fishing are naturally an essential part of the recreational opportunities at the park. Adding hiking trails, a swimming pool, game courts, and a seasonal nature/recreation program creates a well-rounded array of activities. The proximity of Bluestone to the Winter Place ski area makes the park’s rental cabins affordable for ski groups and winter vacations.

Nearby is “The Year-Round Crown Jewel of West Virginia State Parks,” Pipestem, known for its scenic overlooks and an aerial tram ride into the Bluestone Gorge. Park amenities include an 18-hole, par seventy-two championship golf course with several restaurants and snack bars.

THE NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL PARK and PRESERVE

The 70,000-acre New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is a unit of the United States National Park Service (NPS) designed to protect and maintain the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia in the Appalachian Mountains. Established in 1978 as a national river, the NPS-protected area stretches for fifty-three miles (85 km) from just downstream of Hinton to Hawks Nest State Park near Ansted. The Park was officially named America’s 63rd national park, the U.S. government’s highest form of protection, in December of 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic as part of a relief bill.

West Virginia is home to parts of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, a footpath that stretches more than 2,100 miles between Maine and Georgia; the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, which cuts through sixteen states for 4,900 miles; the Bluestone National Scenic River; and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Over 70,000 acres of land bordering 53 miles of the gorge have earned the government’s protection.

The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is rich in cultural and natural history and offers abundant scenic and recreational opportunities. New River Gorge is home to some of the country’s best whitewater rafting, mainly from the Cunard put-in to the Fayette Station take-out, and is also one of the most popular climbing areas on the East Coast.

Home to the New River, which drops 750 feet over 66 miles, with its Class V rapids, has long drawn adventuresome rafters and kayakers to this whitewater area. The New River, which flows northward through low-cut canyons in the Appalachian Mountains, is actually one of the oldest rivers on the planet.

Rock climbing on the canyon walls, mountain biking, and hiking on trails that flank the river, and wildlife viewing—bald eagles, osprey, kingfishers, great blue herons, beavers, river otters, wild turkeys, brown bats, snakes, and black bears, are all within the park.

Begin your experience with a stop at Canyon Rim Visitor Center, situated on the edge of the gorge, for maps, current information, and chats with a park ranger. You can learn any pertinent safety protocols and visit the bookstore.

The New River Gorge Bridge is a work of structural art. Construction of the bridge began in 1974 and was completed in 1977. The Bridge spans 3,030 feet in length and is the third-highest bridge in the U.S., at 876 ft. During Bridge Day, an annual one-day festival celebrating the construction of the Bridge, BASE jumpers launch off the 876-foot bridge and parachute down to the New River. New River Gorge is the only national park in the U.S. that permits this extreme activity.

President Jimmy Carter signed legislation establishing New River Gorge National River on November 10, 1978. As stated in the legislation, the park was established as a unit of the national park system “to conserve and interpret outstanding natural, scenic, and historical values and objects in and around the New River Gorge and preserving as a free-flowing stream an important segment of the New River in West Virginia for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.” The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve Designation Act was incorporated into the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021, changing the designation to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Less than 10% of the original national river was re-designated as a national park, where hunting is no longer permitted, while the remainder is a national preserve with little change.

NEW RIVER REGION OVERVIEW

The New River is shared by boaters, fishermen, campers, park visitors, and local neighbors. The waters of the New River system contain a mosaic of hydrologic features and aquatic habitats that support a highly productive marine ecosystem that includes distinct populations of native fish, mussels, crayfish, and a broad array of other aquatic life, including rare amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

The 320-mile New River rises in the Blue Ridge region of North Carolina. It flows northeastward through the Appalachian uplands to Radford, Va., where it turns northwestward and passes through a series of narrow valleys and gorges into southern West Virginia. It ends where it joins the Gauley River to form the Kanawha River. In WV, the New River is entrenched in a steep and narrow valley, the narrowest part known as the “New River Gorge.”

In 1998, President Clinton signed into law the New River as one of the very first American Heritage Rivers because of its historical, economic, and cultural importance. Much of the river’s course through West Virginia was designated the New River Gorge National River. In 2021, the area was designated as the United States’ newest National Park.

The New River is recognized as the “second oldest river in the world” and is estimated to be between 10 and 360 million years old. Its headwaters begin near Blowing Rock, NC, one of the few rivers in North America that flows northerly.

Class I, II, III, IV, and V rapids dot the entire 320 miles of New River, making it a great paddling, tubing, and whitewater rafting adventure. Beautiful cliffs, bluffs, and mountain views make it one of the most scenic rivers on the east coast.

New River Gorge National Park includes 53 miles of free-flowing New River, beginning at Bluestone Dam, 00and ending at Hawks Nest Lake. The New River typifies big West Virginia-style whitewater. Within the park, it has two very different characters. The river’s upper (southern) part consists primarily of long pools and relatively easy rapids up to Class III. It is a big mighty river, but very beautiful, always runnable, and provides excellent fishing and camping. There are several different river access points, and trips can run from several hours to several days.

The river’s lower (northern) section is often called “the Lower Gorge.” In a state that is justifiably renowned for colossal rapids, the Lower Gorge has some of the biggest of the big, with rapids ranging in difficulty from Class III to Class V. The rapids are imposing and forceful, many of them obstructed by large boulders necessitate maneuvering in mighty currents, crosscurrents, and hydraulics. Some rapids contain hazardous undercut rocks.

Before the rise of the Appalachian Mountains, the New River cut its bed at a time when the land sloped to the northwest. Amazingly, as the Appalachians gradually rose around the river, the New River wore away the bedrock at the same rate the mountains formed, leaving behind towering cliffs and prominences that hover hundreds of feet about the water level.

Accounts claim that Indians referred to the New River as the “river of death”; however, this origin story is likely legend. Native Americans and early European settlers regarded the New and Kanawha Rivers as being one single waterway. The name “New” may have been derived when European explorers discovered the river upstream as the first “new” river found flowing westward.

Native American Indians used the New River as they traveled west years before the pioneers arrived. In the 1600s, explorers navigating the New River thought they were close to the Pacific Ocean because of its westerly flow.

In 1671 the Batts-Fallam expedition, by way of the New River, came through to the Lurich area and ended there because the Indian guides refused to take them any farther. They carved their initials in a tree and claimed the territory for King Charles II of England. This was the first proclamation of English territory west of the Alleghenies, making the New River the first gateway into the West.

The New River features fast water, big rocks, and lazy/slow stretches. Water sports enthusiasts will find the New River ideal for swimming, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, tubing, snorkeling, paddle boarding, and windsurfing. Great fishing is located in the New River, with bass (largemouth, smallmouth, and rock), flathead catfish, channel catfish, muskie, walleye, and bluegill present in good numbers. It produces more citation fish yearly than any other warm water river in WV.

The New River Gorge was a vast and largely unsettled wilderness until the C&O railroad was built on the eastern side of the river in the 1880s. The railroad opened the rich coalfields and virgin timber stands of the region. Early “mountaineers” settled the area and soon were carving out mountain farms and raising families.

The gorge was practically impassible before the New River Gorge Bridge was completed, near Fayetteville, WV, in 1978. The river within its canyon is one of the most popular whitewater rafting destinations in the eastern U.S. Much of the New between Hinton and the National Park Service manages Gauley Bridge.

Principal tributaries of the New in West Virginia include, from south to north, the East River, the Bluestone River, and the Greenbrier River.
Many former mining communities located on the New River in its gorge have since become ghost towns. These include Sewell, Nuttalburg, Kaymoor, Fayette, South Fayette, Hawks Nest, Cotton Hill, Gauley, Beury, and Claremont.

GREENBRIER RIVER AND RIVER TRAIL

The Farm is a 25-minute drive to the lazy Greenbrier River near Forest Hill. The Greenbrier River is 173 miles long and is the last free-flowing river east of the Mississippi. It is an excellent river to float or canoe and is well known for its large and small-mouth bass fishing. It is the gateway to water recreation and fun as it is usually lazy and easy to navigate.

The Greenbrier River is formed by the confluence of the East Fork Greenbrier River and the West Fork Greenbrier River in Durbin, West Virginia. From Durbin, the Greenbrier River flows southwesterly through Pocahontas, Greenbrier, Monroe, and Summers Counties. It flows through several communities, including Cass, Marlinton, Hillsboro, Ronceverte, Fort Spring, Alderson, and Hinton. The Greenbrier River joins the New River in Hinton, just 20 minutes away.

The property is a 60-minute ride to the Greenbrier River Trial and is operated by the West Virginia State Parks. The trail is a 77-mile-long former railroad used for hiking, bicycling, ski-touring, horseback riding, and wheelchair use. The trail passes through numerous small towns and traverses thirty-five bridges and two tunnels as it winds along the valley. Most of the trail is adjacent to the free-flowing Greenbrier River and surrounded by the Allegheny Mountains’ peaks.

MONROE COUNTY

Banking, healthcare facilities, drugstore, grocery, hardware, auto parts, and farm supplies are available nearby Union and Peterstown. There are no fast-food restaurants, but local restaurants are great places to meet friends and enjoy a great home-cooked meal.

Some of the friendliest people in West Virginia can be found in Monroe County. Monroe County has a population of about 13,000 residents, does not have a stoplight, and has more cattle and sheep than people. Monroe County is a particular area with interesting folks, both “born and raised” and newer members from many different states. People from all walks of life reside in harmony in this lovely pastoral setting.

UNION

Shortly after Monroe County was created, James Alexander offered twenty-five acres of land, including a lot for a courthouse, which eventually became the town of Union. On January 6, 1800, the Virginia Assembly passed an act creating the town of Union.

The Monroe County Historical Society preserves several historic structures in the town, including the Caperton Law Office, Owen Neel House, Clark-Wisemen House, Ames Clair Hall, and the Old Baptist Church. The Union Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

PETERSTOWN

The Town of Peterstown is a short drive.  Banks, healthcare facilities, drugstores, grocery, hardware, auto parts, and farm supplies are readily available in Peterstown. The town is on the border with Virginia, and Virginia Tech is less than an hour from Peterstown.

Peterstown was chartered in 1803 by the Virginia General Assembly and incorporated in 1892 by the Circuit Court. Peterstown was named for Christian Peters, a Revolutionary War soldier who settled nearby and founded the town shortly after the Revolutionary War. The town is the site of the 1928 discovery of the 34.48 carats (6.896 g) Jones Diamond by Grover C. Jones and his son, William “Punch” Jones.

GREENVILLE (Centerville)

Just a few miles away lies the sleepy village of Greenville. Greenville is the classic old Virginia community with the historic Cook’s Mill still standing on the banks of Indian Creek. The Ziegler Family that currently owns Cook’s Mill has the grounds open for visitors to enjoy picnics and view the massive water wheel and the exterior of the building. Greenville has a country general store complete with gasoline sales. The post office is still open and a community meeting place.

RED SULPHUR SPRINGS/BALLARD

Red Sulphur Springs, located just a few miles away, was once the site of another popular mineral spring resort from the 1820s until World War I. The spring water emerges from the ground at 54 degrees F. and leaves a purplish-red sulfurous deposit which was used to treat skin conditions. The water was believed to be helpful in the treatment of tuberculosis. Modern analysis shows the water to be high in bicarbonate, sulfate, and calcium. Around 1920, the buildings were dismantled, and the resort ceased operation.

INDIAN CREEK COVERED BRIDGE

Owned by the county’s historical society and open to pedestrians, it was part of the White and Salt Sulphur Springs Turnpike.  A Long truss built in 1903 by Ray and Oscar Weikel (ages 16 and 18 years old) and E.P. and A.P. Smith is more than 11.5 feet wide and 49.25 feet long.  There are six covered bridges in West Virginia with this truss engineering — Philippi, Hokes Mill, Sarvis Fork, Statts Mill, Center Point, and Indian Creek.  The completed bridge cost Monroe County only $400 and was used continuously for about 30 years.

The interior of the Indian Creek Bridge contains notes and plaques from previous visitors.  Now only pedestrians use the bridge, which also houses antique vehicles from the 1900s, adding to the history of this unique structure.

In the spring of 2000, the bridge was rehabilitated by Hoke Brothers Construction, Inc. of Union, WV, in 2002 for $334,446.  Renovations included timber roof trusses, a new glue-laminated timber deck, new wooden exterior siding, and a new roof of split shakes.

Indian Creek Bridge is a tribute to the ingenuity and hard work of two young builders who envisioned what transportation could be in Monroe County.

CASCADE FALLS (40-minute drive)

One of the most visited falls in Virginia is only a short drive away. About 150,000 visitors a year visit the Cascades. Without question, Cascade Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Virginia and possibly on the entire East Coast. Little Stony Creek falls over a vertical cliff in several different streams. Several streams cascade a couple of times on the way down while others fall the whole distance of the falls.

The 69 ft. falls crash into a large pool surrounded by two-hundred-foot cliff walls from which large ice formations hang in the winter. The scene is breathtaking and peaceful as the falls combine power and beauty. The falls are also relatively easy to view, with wooden stairs and platforms on one side of the pool, allowing a visitor to get very close to the falls and allowing a photographer many different angles for photographs.

THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL

Say “Appalachian Trail in West Virginia,” and most people think of the Eastern Panhandle. But a portion of the trail weaves in and out of West Virginia for about 20 miles along the Virginia border in Monroe County

SUMMERS COUNTY

HINTON

Hinton is the southern gateway to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The town has a large historic district, a railroad museum, antique shops, and restaurants. After crossing the bridge at Hinton, you will begin driving alongside the New River down River Road. This favorite route has great riverside vistas for a casual drive along the waterfront.  Boaters, motorcyclists, fishermen, and vehicle cruises on the roadway and the river are a common sight. Nestled in the foothills of the Allegheny mountains lies a place where the rivers flow, and the eagles soar. A place where small-town charm is around every corner and outdoor recreation is the norm. A place where porch sitting is earned after days spent hiking, biking, boating, and fishing. It is a place that remembers its past and looks toward the future.

Banking, healthcare facilities, a regional hospital, fast food restaurants, drugstores, grocery stores, hardware, auto parts, and farm supply are readily available in nearby Hinton, the county seat of Summers. Hinton has some local hometown restaurants that are great places to meet friends and enjoy a great home-cooked meal.

Nearby Forest Hill has a medical clinic, a post office, and an Amish baked goods store.

TALCOTT, HILLDALE, LOWELL, AND PENCE SPRINGS

The small communities of Talcott, Lowell, and Pence Springs are a vital part of the community. Talcott is the home of the famous John Henry legend and hosts a yearly festival called John Henry Days. Talcott has John Henry Park, a museum, and a post office. Hilldale has a brand-new Dollar General Store plus a convenience general store with gasoline sales. Lowell is home to the famous Lowell Market, a general store complete with a deli with the best breakfast biscuits for miles around. The store sells food, sporting goods, bait, hardware, lottery tickets, and other goods. Pence Springs is the home of the awesome Pence Springs Flea Market, held on Sundays from April – the end of October. Dozens of vendors set up offering antiques, collectibles, guns, households, and a sundry of goods and tools. Another mainstay in Pence Springs is the Country Road Store, known to locals as the Pence Springs Wallyworld. The stocked inventory includes food, gasoline and fuels, pizza, sporting goods, camping supplies, and hardware. As a former owner, Bird Keatley used to say, “If we don’t have it, do you need it”? Greenbrier Girls Academy, sitting high on a knoll in the Pence, is a private school on the grounds of the former Pence Springs Hotel.

MEDICAL CARE (3.1 mi.)  (6 minutes)

Monroe Health Center has a clinic at Union, WV.  Summers County ARH Hospital is 20.8 miles away and a 30-minute drive.

VETERANS MEDICAL

West Virginia has VA Hospitals in Clarksburg, Martinsburg, Beckley, and Huntington. Nearby Salem, VA, has a Veterans Hospital. Nearby Community-Based Outpatient

The VA Medical Clinic in Lewisburg is about a 30-minute drive. Both Salem, Virginia and Beckley, West Virginia VA Hospitals are about a 90-minute drive.