THURMOND, WV (WVNS) — Thurmond was once home to several hundred residents, two hotels, two banks, and a thriving railway business. Many of the houses of those former residents still stand proudly overlooking the rushing New River and the train tracks down below.

Unfortunately, time has a way of wearing things down, and many of the houses are in need of repair. Most are owned by the National Park Service, who are hosting a public meeting regarding the fate of these houses in January.

Chad McCune, Thurmond resident and town recorder and treasurer, says they want to keep the town strong and proud. “Just, you know, we kind of work to try to keep things together to try to keep the town going. We’re the smallest incorporated town in West Virginia. We’re proud to have that charter, we’re down to four residents, but we wanna try to hang onto the charter and not lose that because that’s kind of special. When we tell people we’re from Thurmond, people from around the state usually can recognize that. They know where Thurmond is or they’ve heard of it.”

Of the 35 structures to be discussed at the meeting, 12 are within Thurmond city limits, 2 are adjacent to the town, and four sit at the Dun Glen Day Use area across the river.

McCune says there are still options available to save the town. “We want to preserve the town and these structures, and to not basically, you know, look at demolishing them; to create another option to where they could concession out these buildings to…to folks that are interested in rehabing’em and using those as a place to come to and to be part of town. To help grow town and…and make it… to kind of breathe some life back into town a little more.”

My time in Thurmond was eye-opening. An entire town reduced to just four people, four people who are so selflessly and painstakingly preserving the buildings they can and hoping that the others can be saved as well.

The public meeting will be held Thursday, January 11^th at the Bank of Glen Jean in Glen Jean across from the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve Headquarters. The meeting begins at 3:30 in the afternoon.