Join us for the eighth annual Hidden History Weekend: September 23-25, 2016
Celebrate the wonders of Appalachian heritage and the rich sites and stories of our region's diverse history! Free programs will take place at New River Gorge National River, the National Coal Heritage Area, Tamarack, the town of Hinton, and Babcock, Carnifex Ferry Battlefield, Pipestem Resort, and Twin Falls Resort State Parks.
Hidden History Weekend 2016 Schedule:
Friday September 23, 2016:
Artists in Action
10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Location: Tamarack, Beckley
Visit jeweler Mary Redmand and bath/body products artist Wild Mountain Soap. See artists master their art forms using traditional materials.
Get Close to History With Photography
4:00 pm –5:30 pm
Location: Thurmond Depot Visitor Center, New River Gorge National River
0.5 mile walk. Take a close up look at this historic site through your camera lens. Learn and practice hot photography tips featuring Thurmond's historic structures and objects. Bring your favorite camera and perhaps a tripod.
Jordan's Chapel Tour
5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Location: Pipestem Resort State Park
Meet in the lobby of McKeever Lodge at Pipestem Resort State Park to car caravan to the site, Pipestem. See this historic Methodist church built in 1852, one of the first frame churches in present-day Summers County.
Campfire Stories: History by the Fire
Presented by David "Bugs" Stover and Cully McCurdy (Lumberjackin' Bluegrassin' Jamboree)
7:00 to 8:30 pm.
Location: Twin Falls Resort State Park's campground campfire circle, Mullens.
Let stories 'round the campfire take you away. Hear tales from the mines, ghost stories, and more.
Haunted History Hike
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Location: Rend Trail, New River Gorge National River
Meet at the Rend Trail parking area on Route 25 near Thurmond. 2 miles. Hear stories and superstitions of Appalachia on this hike into the dark of night. Program not recommended for children under 9 years of age. Bring a flashlight
Saturday September 24, 2016:
Artists in Action
10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Location: Tamarack, Beckley
Visit jeweler Mary Redmand and bath/body products artist Wild Mountain Soap. See artists master their art forms using traditional materials.
Bluestone Walk
10:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Location: Bluestone National Scenic River
Meet at the bottom of the Pipestem Resort State Park's tramway for a two mile walk along the Bluestone River.. See signs of the area's earliest settlers and how they made a life in the Bluestone River gorge. Bring $2 for the return tram ride
Hinton-Downtown Museum Hop
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Hinton, WV
Meet your guide at the Summers County Visitor Center, on the corner of Summers and Second Ave., for this easy walk around Hinton's Downtown Historic District to tour the Campbell-Flannagan-Murrell House and Museum, (Hinton's oldest home), The Hinton Railroad Museum, and the Veterans Memorial Museum. There is no charge to visit these unique local museums that are often open to the public by appointment only.
Lumberjackin' Bluegrassin' Jamboree
10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Twin Falls Resort State Park, Mullens.
Explore a history through a variety of traditions, including:lumberjack events, art/crafts exhibits, blueglass band, cloggers, chain saw artist, food, and hayrides. www.twinfallsresort.com.
John Henry History Tours
11:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Location: John Henry Historical Park, WV Route 12, Talcott (near Hinton).
Tour this historic site and learn the story behind the legend of John Henry, the railroad steel driver who competed in a race against a steam powered drill during the construction of the Big Bend Tunnel in the late 1800s. This legend inspired a popular American folk song.
Historic Thurmond Tour
11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Thurmond;New River Gorge National River
Meet at the Thurmond Depot Visitor Center for a 0.5 mile walk. Tour the historic district of this once bustling railroad town in the New River Gorge.
Photo Walk at Nuttallburg
11:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Location: Nuttallburg; New River Gorge National River
Meet at Nuttallburg parking area at the end of Keeney Creek Road, 6 miles from Winona. *NOTE: Keeney Creek Road is a single lane, curvy road. Use caution while driving and be prepared to cooperate with other drivers, even backing up. 1 mile. Take a guided walk through the ghost town of Nuttallburg, a once-booming coal community. Bring a camera to capture stunning shots of this historic site.
Kaymoor Bottom Hike
1:00 pm -4:00 pm
Location: Kaymoor Miners Trail, New River Gorge National River
Meet at Kaymoor Miners Trail trailhead parking at Kaymoor Top on Kaymoor No. 1 Rd., Fayetteville. 2 miles, including over 800 steps. Explore the historic coal mine of Kaymoor. See remains of the haulage line, mine site, explosives buildings, coke ovens, and more on this steep hike from the top of the gorge to the bottom and back.
Richest Little Railroad in the World
12:00 to 2:00 pm.
Location:Princeton Railroad Museum, 99 Mercer St., Princeton.
Learn the history of the Virginia Railroad, known as the Richest Little Railroad in the World.
Sunday September 25, 2016:
Artists in Action
10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Location: Tamarack, Beckley
Visit jeweler Mary Redmand and bath/body products artist Wild Mountain Soap. See artists master their art forms using traditional materials.
Hike Through History 100 Mile Challenge Hike
9:00 am –5:00 pm
Location: Rend and Southside Trails, New River Gorge National River
Meet at Rend Trail parking area on Route 25 near Thurmond. 9 mile hike with free shuttle bus back to starting point. Spend the day exploring old town sites of South Boyd, Wee Win, Red Ash, Brooklyn, and more. Old building foundations, a church, coke ovens, and cemeteries reveal stories of the past. Be prepared for some steep terrain. Bring a lunch and plenty of water. RSVP required: 304-894-2129 or getactiveinthepark@gmail.com
Country Roads Walk
10:00 am to 11:30 am.
Location: Pipestem Resort State Park
Meet at the Pipestem Resort State Park's park headquarters for a 1.5 mile walk. Explore Pipestem's pre-park history, including a former school and residential sites.
Historic Thurmond Tour
11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Thurmond;New River Gorge National River
Meet at the Thurmond Depot Visitor Center for a 0.5 mile walk. Tour the historic district of this once bustling railroad town in the New River Gorge.
Lumberjackin' Bluegrassin' Jamboree
11:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Location:Twin Falls Resort State Park, Mullens.
Explore a history through a variety of traditions, including art/crafts exhibits, food, and hayrides. www.twinfallsresort.com.
Trek to Carnifex Ferry Hike
2:00 pm –5:00 pm
Location: Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park
Meet at Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park picnic parking area near Summersville. 3 miles. Hike a rugged section of the old Cross Lanes-Carnifex Ferry Road, an important travel route between two turnpikes since the early 1850s. Explore the historic ferry site at the confluence of the Gauley and Meadow Rivers. Be prepared for some steep terrain.
Park Museums that feature area history during this event:
- Babcock State Park: Glade Creek Grist Mill, Clifftop. Open Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am - 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm - 5:45 pm
- Campbell-Flannagan-Murrell House Museum, Hinton. Open Saturday 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
- Coal Heritage Museum, Madison. Open Friday 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
- Coal Heritage Interpretive Center at the Depot, Bramwell. Open Friday and Saturday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Sunday 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
- Hinton Railroad Museum, Hinton. Open Saturday 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
- New River Gorge National River: Canyon Rim Visitor Center, Lansing. Open daily 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
- New River Gorge National River: Sandstone Visitor Center, Sandstone. Open daily 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
- New River Gorge National River: Thurmond Depot Visitor Center, Thurmond. Open weekends 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Pipestem Resort State Park: Nature Center (historic buildings on site), Pipestem. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm
- Princeton Railroad Museum, Princeton. Open Friday and Saturday 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Sunday 2:00 - 5:00 pm
- Veterans Memorial Museum, Hinton. Open Friday and Saturday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Hidden History Photo Contest Exhibit
September 23 - October 31
art exhibit at Tamarack in two of the center courtyard vestibules, Beckley. See heritage images taken by WV photographers. Tamarack open daily 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
Early Event Bonus:
Carnifex Ferry Civic War Battle Reenactment
September 10-11, 2016
Location: Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park
Living History Carnifex Ferry Civil War Battle Reenactment. For more info go to www.carnifexferrybattle fieldstatepark.com
