We are curious people, and the New River Gorge is full of curiosities. In a previous post we listed our 10 favorites, but this post contains an additional 10, and we think these are even MORE curious! You be the judge.
Edmond Post Office
At the intersection of Lansing Emond Road and Buckhorn Road, about four miles past the Fern Creek Trailhead, sits the most adorable US Post Office we’ve ever seen. It’s equally lovely for its bucolic setting, with horses roaming through the green pastures that surround the public facility.
Chessie Floor Tile Mural
A sleepy little cat cuddled up in a blankie can be found in the terrazzo tile floor of the Prince, WV Depot. This cat, known as Chessie, was the symbol of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad who built and operated the station in 1946. The company claimed riders would “sleep like a kitten” on their newly air-conditioned sleeping cars. Amtrak now runs through Prince, and the depot is open on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Babcock’s Swinging Bridges
Babcock State Park has not one but two swinging bridges. One is located near cabins 6 and 7. The other is about 1.9 miles into the Narrow Gauge Trail. These are not the rickety old rope bridges you are probably picturing. They are beautiful stone and wood suspension footbridges originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s when the park was being created.
Bus Rock in Gauley Bridge
As children we were both fascinated by the bus sitting on the big rock in the middle of the New River in Gauley Bridge, WV . . . who wasn’t? Thanks to WCHS news, we recently learned the true story of how it got there. Walter “Bruiser” Cole Jr. bought the old Greyhound bus for $1 in 1934 and ferried it from Swiss, WV with four out-board motors. He and his friends used hand cables and come-alongs to winch it up on the rock. It’s been a sweet lil ‘fishing camp ever since.
The Fayetteville Centaur
For many years, Gatewood Road leading out of Fayetteville was full of fascinating concrete creatures. Our personal favorite display was a circle of aliens in the middle of a lovingly cared for garden. Apparently, the aliens returned to the mother ship because the display is no longer there, but we did notice that one old concrete creature, the centaur, has relocated to the Great Googly Moogly near Secret Sandwich Society in Fayetteville.
Ansted Skating Rink
When you pass through the small town of Ansted, WV headed east on the Midland Trail (Rt. 60), you’ll see a red, white and blue sign for a roller skating rink, but you won’t see the rink. To get to the open-air pavilion, you’ll need to go down a long set of stairs that leads to a red roofed building. This skating rink opened in 1947 and has been providing a great place to skate most summers ever since. It is currently open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Pipestem Moonshine Stills
When Pipestem State Park was being developed in the 1960s two active moonshine stills were found within the park boundaries. One still is on display in the Nature Center. A re-creation of the other one used to be on display under a rock overhang 1,100 feet down the Bluestone Gorge. You could only see it by looking backward while riding the tramway down the mountain. We’re hoping it’s still there when the new tramway is finished later this year.
Grandview Deer Exclosure
A section of forest along the Woodland Loop Trail in the Grandview area of New River Gorge National Park is currently fenced off and being used by NPS biologists to study the effect of whitetail deer. The forest inside the deer exclosure is obviously different, there are more young bushes and trees, but the effectiveness of the fence is questionable. In the photo above, we were outside the exclosure looking in . . . at the little doe.
The Cemetery Fence
The fence that once defined the grounds of the Fayette County Courthouse when it was first completed in 1895, can now be seen at Fayetteville’s Huse Memorial Park and Mausoleum. The old wrought iron fence runs along Park Drive. While the fence itself is in pretty bad shape, you can find a lovely painting that depicts the fence in a scene of yesteryear hanging in Fayette National Bank in downtown Fayetteville.
Mini Ramps
If you are obsessed with Google maps like us, you’ve probably noticed a curious label along Fayette Station Road. It reads, “Mini Ramps.” We could tell from the photos and reviews that it was a popular skateboarding spot, but it wasn’t until we hopped out of our car to explore that we understood. Apparently, while the New River Gorge Bridge was being constructed, three concrete cradles were poured to hold a large tank of something (fuel, perhaps). The cradles remain and are now used as mini half-pipe ramps by skaters.
Who are we? Amy & Shawn, New River Gorge hikers, WV Master Naturalists, and owners of Lafayette Flats Boutique Vacation Rentals in downtown Fayetteville, WV – the heart of New River Gorge National Park. We have more great info for you:
