National Bank of Thurmond - New River Gorge
by Susan Rissi Tregoning
Title
National Bank of Thurmond - New River Gorge
Artist
Susan Rissi Tregoning
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
The National Bank of Thurmond stands as one of the few remaining structures in the ghost town of Thurmond, West Virginia. Situated in the heart of downtown, where the railroad tracks cut through leaving very little space for a sidewalk.
The building was constructed in 1917 by the Bullock Realty Company, it initially accommodated a jewelry store, clothing store, Western Union Telegraph Company, and apartments. In 1923, the National Bank of Thurmond relocated to this site from its original location within Hotel Thurmond. It has recently served as the Banker's Club Hotel and Restaurant, catering to boaters and other visitors.
A boomtown in the 1900s, Thurmond, West Virginia, was one of the busiest railroad towns along the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. Right in the heart of the coal country, all the coal mined in the area was brought to Thurmond to be shipped out. Over fifteen passenger trains traveled through town daily, and the depot served around 75,000 visitors a year. When the diesel locomotives came along, and coal was not as widely used or mined, the businesses closed down, and residents moved on.
Today, Thurmond is not much more than a ghost town with only seven residents (2005). Located along the New River, what remains of the town is owned by National Park Service and is part of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
Like a time capsule, Thurmond still possesses all the characteristics of a 1920s Appalachian coal town. The town has been designated a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.
Copyright 2023 Susan Rissi Tregoning
Uploaded
August 2nd, 2023
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