Thurmond, West Virginia
Recorded October 16, 2019
Thurmond is a town in Fayette County, West Virginia on the New River. The population was five at the 2010 census. During the heyday of coal mining in the New River Gorge, Thurmond was a prosperous town with a number of businesses and facilities for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. Today, much of Thurmond is owned by the National Park Service for the New River Gorge National River. The C&O passenger railway depot in town now functions as a Park Service visitor center. The entire town is a designated historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. Thurmond is the least-populated municipality in West Virginia.
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Thurmond, West Virginia # 1 - An (Almost) Ghost Town in Fayette County
Thurmond, WV is almost a ghost town these days in what was once a thriving railroad community in the 20th century. Once home to hundreds, Thurmond is now home to fewer than 10 people. At one time, Thurmond had upwards of 20 passenger trains made a stop in their depot per day (not counting the coal trains that passed by). It is still in use as a train station for Amtrak but is their second lowest-used stop (just ahead of Sanderson, Texas). This video shows the drive into town down the lonesome backroads of West Virginia up until I got stopped by a coal train.
4k Drone - Thurmond, WV
Drone footage from Thurmond, WV
Forgotten River Ghost Town: Abandoned America
We have released an updated history video regarding Thurmond, West Virginia. Please click the following link to view it,
In today's Abandoned America, we explore the forgotten town of Thurmond, West Virginia. Laying within the New River Gorge, Thurmond was once a rich and thriving Boom town. After coal began to move away from the gorge, so did the residents. What's left of the town are a few buildings and railroad tracks.
Explore lost America with Pexped. Walk into abandoned settlements, schools, hospitals, towns and more while learning about the history of each location. View everything from the twisted medical practices of a sanatorium or the strict rules of a boarding school, Pexped will take you back in time and show you the America that was left behind. Have questions about each location? Be sure to contact us at Contactus@pexped.com
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Plantation by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (
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Echos Of Time by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (
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Thurmond, West Virginia History | Abandoned America
Today Thurmond remains a place of history. Though the town seems abandoned, a few residents remain. Most residents are living to supports the preservation of the Town. The railway depot is now a museum to share and spread light on the town that once was. In 2003, The National Park Service began to stabilize buildings to restore the town to it’s beginning. New River Gorge visitors can still travel to the town today to view in amazement the history and hard work that went into Thurmond, West Virginia.
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Explore lost America with Pexped. Walk into abandoned settlements, schools, hospitals, towns and more while learning about the history of each location. View everything from the twisted medical practices of a sanatorium or the strict rules of a boarding school, Pexped will take you back in time and show you the America that was left behind.
Populated Ghost Town - Thurmond, WV
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History of Thurmond West Virginia by Shirley Love!
The founding, colorful history, and demise of a West Virginia railroad and coal town named Thurmond as told by Senator Shirley Love! I remember my dad telling me that when he was 14, he saw two men throw another man off the Thurmond bridge into the river. Also, one of my relatives was in Capt. Thurmond's Rangers during the Civil War.
Thurmond WV Enginge facitily
A view of the Thurmond WV locomotive servicing facility as C&O #1651 passes by with a coal drag on Bob Hess's 'O' Scale C&O Railroad
Thurmond, West Virginia # 2 - The Downtown Area of the Ghost Town
This video shows the downtown section that was used for the Matewan movie.
Thurmond WV | GHOST TOWN
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Drive to Thurmond, WV (2014) - Part 1
On Wednesday, October 1, 2014, I made a return trip to Thurmond, West Virginia, hoping to see the fall colors and do some railfanning. Unfortunately, the trees hadn't changed like they had where I live in Ohio, but it was still an awesome trip. Even though I'd already recorded video of most of the trip through West Virginia last year, I recorded the entire trip from southern Ohio to Thurmond since I was in my new 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo.
This video of the trip is from southern Ohio on US 35 and then exiting onto West Virginia 34 to get gas in Hurricane, WV.
Trip to Thurmond WV
Myself and mrs. Sammy slaughter go to Thurmond
New River at Thurmond, WV
New River on a warm January afternoon at Thurmond.
Ghost Town: Thurmond, WV
June 9, 2016, Thurmond, Fayette County, West Virginia, along the New River
U.S. Sen. Rod Grams Washington Report: Guests U.S. Sen. Stom Thurmond and Sen. Robert Byrd
U.S. Senator Rod Grams Washington Report: Guest U.S. Senators Strom Thurmond (R-South Carolina) and Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia) on National Security.
Thurmond WV. Thurmond/Rend Trail
Rend Trail in the New River Gorge area of West Virginia. This video is one that my wife and I shot while we were enjoying a day on one of our favorite trails in the state. Sorry for the shaky video and Overlook us goofing off! Haha!
Road trip to Thurmond, WV
Thurmond, WV was a mining town in the New River gorge. Now it is almost a ghost town. This video is the drive along Thurmond Road from WV route 16 to the old Thurmond railroad station.
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A Walk Around the Ghost Town of Thurmond, West Virginia.
Once a thriving banking and business center, today the town of Thurmond is just a hollow shell and a National Park site. Very interesting to see. Life is fleeting.
Lucky 13 Ride to Thurmond WV
6-24-13 Ride: Thurmond is a town in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States, on the New River. The population was five at the 2010 census. During the heyday of coal mining in the New River Gorge, Thurmond was a prosperous town with a number of businesses and facilities for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. The town was the filming location for John Sayles' 1987 movie Matewan since it still possesses many of the characteristics of a 1920s Appalachian coal town.
Today, much of Thurmond is owned by the National Park Service for the New River Gorge National River. The C&O passenger railway depot in town was renovated in 1995 and now functions as a Park Service visitor center. The entire town is a designated historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.
Exploring Historic Thurmond West Virginia
Riding around the town of Thurmond in WV.