The Northwestern Turnpike—U.S. 50—from Parkersburg to the Maryland state line through Grafton was also promoted to potential visitors, as was the Seneca Trail—U.S. 219—which traversed Preston, Tucker, Randolph, Pocahontas, Greenbrier, Monroe, and Mercer counties north to south. A tourist could get a room in many places across the state for less than $4 a day, a little more with a private bath. And for guests arriving by train or bus in one of the state’s larger cities, modern conveniences were available. The state park system got its start in January 1925, when the Game and Fish Commission bought 4,560 acres in Pocahontas County—land that would become Watoga State Park. Recreation in the 1920s wasn’t focused on the state park system yet, but time outdoors was the order of the day with visitors enjoying scenic drives, swimming in the natural waterways, playing golf at courses that included the oldest in the country—Oakhurst Links at The Greenbrier—and fishing and shooting.
In 1921, no two of the larger cities of the state were connected by an improved road. By 1927, all of the larger cities are linked together by hard surfaced roads.
visitors to the Mountain State arrived by train or stagecoach. So at the dawn of the automobile age, when the Model T Ford made car ownership and travel available to the masses in the early 20th century, most of the state’s roads were still dirt. To draw visitors in and to develop the state’s economy, the West Virginia Legislature passed the Good Roads Amendment, calling for investment of tens of millions of dollars in the state’s road system. By 1927, the major cities of the state were linked by paved roads, with at least one in each of the state’s 55 counties. Tourists came mostly from the East Coast, drawn to the state’s natural splendors. They saw their sights from the comfort and safety of a car. A popular route was the Midland Trail—now U.S. 60—which crossed the state from Kenova via Huntington, Charleston, and White Sulphur Springs, culminating at the Virginia state line. The route possessed a wealth of natural scenery, according to the 1929 Official Tourist and Hotel Guide of West Virginia , capable of holding travelers’ interest and keeping them alert. Highlights included the largest glass and bottle plant in the world, the birthplace of Booker T. Washington, an electro-metallurgical plant employing a “secret process,” and the Kanawha Falls—one of the most beautiful falls in the state.
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There is no section of West Virginia more spectacular than that surrounding Welch, and tourists covering the state for scenic attractions should not fail to visit this section.
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We need visitors to come and see us and get acquainted with this favored spot of earth. Then we need thousands of permanent farmers, grazers, coal operators, potato growers and laborers.
90 wvl • summer 2020
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