Saturday, August 2, 2025
63.6 F
Beckley
More

    Fort Scammon, an ideal spot for an afternoon outing

    I finally made it to , a Civil War-era earthwork atop what's now Fort Hill in Charleston, West Virginia, No one died at the fort, or because of it, and historians can't affirm that any artillery was ever even fired from its now-grassy battlements. By the time Union soldiers finished building the fort, the war in the Kanawha Valley was practically over. But the site is pleasant, especially if you enjoy mountaintop vistas, and should serve as an interesting enough place to inspire children to discover history.

    Advertisement
    Ruins of Fort Scammon on Fort Hill

    Visitors today will find a series of grassy slopes and mounds, from the tops of which glimpses of the Kanawha Valley may still be gained over the roofs of surrounding homes. Soon after the war, the property fell into neglect and was never developed, despite the incredible views it affords. In 1977, the City of Charleston acquired the property, undertook an archaeological survey, and established a small day-use park.

    Visitors who wander into the center of the fort will likely have little trouble spotting a concrete pedestal that rises from a rounded mound, the former foundation for fort's powder house. Atop the pedestal is anchored a round brass marker, a geological survey marker, with an arrow that points towards a second brass marker, a "bench mark," on the high point of the south wall of the fort.  The marker is inscribed with an equallateral triangle and the words "Fort" and "1944." These benchmarks often surmount such high points and have long served mappers and surveyors trying to determine location and elevation. A second marker, here on the pedestal, usually accompanies the first and points to its location as a redundancy. In this case the marker designates the highest point on Fort Hill at 1,944 feet above sea level.


    Sign up to receive a FREE copy of West Virginia Explorer Magazine in your email weekly. Sign me up!
    David Sibray
    David Sibray
    Historian, real estate agent, and proponent of inventive economic development in West Virginia, David Sibray is the founder and publisher of West Virginia Explorer Magazine. For more information, he may be reached at 304-575-7390.

    LEAVE A REPLY

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here

    Hot this week

    Unique northern panhandle of West Virginia created by historic dispute

    WEIRTON, W.Va — West Virginia's remarkable shape is partly...

    August in West Virginia: When mountain customs come home

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — August in West Virginia is a...

    Wild and Wonderful: A journey through West Virginia’s most beautiful places

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There's a reason West Virginia is...

    Historic West Virginia heat waves and how the state can recover its coolness

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — While known for its forests and...

    West Virginia to host first-ever Spartan Trifecta World Championship in the U.S.

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia will make history in...

    Topics

    Related Articles

    Popular Categories