THURMOND, W.Va. — Deep in the New River Gorge, the town of Thurmond is attracting attention worldwide. With four full-time residents, it's technically a ghost town, but filmmaker Jillian Howell insists there’s nothing lifeless about it.
“Every brick in Thurmond tells a story,” she says. “Whether it’s fact or fiction, the history runs deep—more than 120 years deep.” She says her effort isn’t just about preserving the past, but showing why Thurmond still matters.
The National Park Service, in an unprecedented move, has decided to demolish much of the town in an effort to save money and has declined to lease the properties to investors who would restore them. The move isn't sitting well with New River area natives or with Howell, who celebrates the wonder of the community.
What makes Thurmond special? It's absurdly small, it's remarkably isolated, and it's located entirely within the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. But there's more to it than that, Howell says.
Wild and Woolly Past
Local lore has it that “the only difference between Hell and Thurmond is that a river runs through Thurmond.” While the quote’s origin is murky, its meaning is clear. Thurmond was once the calm eye of a storm swirling with vice, violence, and excess.
Across the New River in Dun Glen, the Dun Glen Hotel became legendary for its indulgence. “The world’s longest poker game was said to have been played there,” Howell says with a laugh. “Fourteen years straight!”
The Guinness Book of World Records never confirmed it, nor did Ripley’s Believe It or Not!. Still, the legend has survived in print for decades—just one of many tall tales from a region where fact and folklore are nearly indistinguishable.
Modern Lore
What’s often left out of Thurmond’s story is its more recent history. This tiny place played a role in the birth of West Virginia’s whitewater rafting industry. Locals still talk about Fatty Lipscomb’s guesthouse, the once-popular Bankers’ Club, and even a husband-and-wife race for mayor.
And speaking of mayors, in a town of four residents, the position is no small thing—literally 25% of the population. “You can’t help but laugh,” Howell says, “but you also can’t help but respect it.”
People Who Keep It Alive
Despite the ghost-town label, Howell says the real story of Thurmond is about the people. “You can shoot the most beautiful footage of old brick buildings, but it’s the people who make them come alive,” she explains.
The residents welcomed her crew with open arms. They’ve been invited to riverside barbecues, Christmas parties, and even helped out during emergencies. One Memorial Day, when a fallen tree trapped tourists in town, the stranded travelers were quickly invited to join a community picnic.
“People think small West Virginia towns aren’t welcoming to outsiders, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” Howell says.
The Landscape
Geographically, Thurmond is as unique as its history. The town is essentially one small loop, with a road that curls up the mountain and back down again. The main street isn’t really a street at all—it’s the still-active railroad, complete with an Amtrak stop.
Just beyond it, the New River charges past, a roaring reminder of nature’s dominance. It's one of the best-known whitewater rafting rivers in North America, and more than 250,000 rafters and kayakers paddle it annually. “There is nowhere else on earth quite like it,” Howell says.
Why Thurmond Matters
Thurmond was built on kinship and, some say, a bit of spite. That same stubbornness has kept it alive long after other boomtowns faded. Today, its mix of grit, legend, and charm makes it one of the most celebrated tiny towns in America, though that may not last long.
“Hands down, the people are the secret ingredient,” Howell says. “That’s why everyone should visit Thurmond. It’s not just a ghost town—it’s a living story.”
While locals and state legislators fight to keep the town alive, the National Park Service has announced that, despite the recommendations of consultants, it will demolish the buildings rather than institute a leasing program that other parks maintain. The state's congressional representatives, who have the ability to intervene, Capito, Miller, and Justice, have been silent.
This might be the last time the town is captured intact on film. If you haven't already, take a moment to enjoy this short promotional clip and consider contributing to the project: https://seedandspark.com/fund/thurmonddoc
Consultants, engineers find no need for New River Gorge demolitions
THURMOND. W.Va. — Despite efforts to tear down many of the town's historic buildings, consultants employed by the National Park Service to evaluate the condition of nationally historic structures now slated for demolition instead recommend saving them. They determined that simple maintenance would extend the structures' lives until solutions could be found. READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
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I grew up in Raleigh Co and every summer my dad took two weeks off work for vacation and for those two weeks I would be playing on the banks of the New River and swimming, during the nights all our fishing poles would be set and we would sit by the campfire roasting marshmallows or sitting at the impromptu picnic table my dad would piece together from the materials he would find lying around. I loved those summers. I remember one time my brother had gotten a jug of water and made coffee, but when my dad took a drink of his it didn’t taste quite right, turns out my dad didn’t mark the water and the moonshine so no one else knew he had the shine…lol. He was fit to be tied.
Keep Thurmond alive,my mother's family is from laural Creek and my mom and uncle have fond memories of catching the train there. Please keep it alive!!!!
Thurmond is absolutely my favorite place to go. To just walk, to sit and feel the history and imagine the days of when it was a booming coal town. To walk by each home imagine the families that lived there their struggles their good times. The old buildings imagining when they were open. Townspeople walking in and out taking care of their business. The church being full on Sunday morning I can hear the good old hymns being sung. What I can't imagine is all that being destroyed. It absolutely breaks my heart into a million pieces to think about that happening. When there are actually ways to keep it from not happening.
I am a native West Virginian and I believe in preserving history. Please don't tear down the things you can't replace!
History matters and should not be destroyed for expediency!