GLEN JEAN —  So what’s your story? Every person and place has tales to tell, stories of daily life and family – community. Some of us preserve these histories through photographs, journals, or historic records, while other legends are passed down through a traditional fashion, word-of-mouth storytelling. Every bit of history preserved and passed on reveals something of our communities’ heritage and the livelihood of our people.

“Who lived here?” and “What happened there?” are stories answered in local national and state parks, including New River Gorge National River and Babcock, Carnifex Ferry Battlefield, Hawks Nest, and Pipestem Resort state parks. These parks preserve the stories of the diverse peoples and places of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, our nation’s first frontier and a vital industrial supply area.

The fourth annual Hidden History Weekend, Aug. 24-26, will once again offer visitors a chance to explore historic sites and hear the stories of the native Indians, early explorers, pioneers, soldiers, miners, railroaders, and more, the people whose every day lives made the amazing history of Southern West Virginia.

This year’s event explores the rich history found in the gorges of the Bluestone, Gauley, and New rivers. Early explorers like John Marshall, soldiers of the Civil War, railroad construction worker John Henry, and industrialist Henry Ford all played a part in making history here.

Tour heritage sites with rangers and historians and see the stories of people like this come alive again. Discover place in coal mine communities like the hamlet of Wee Winn or the industrial power house of Nuttallburg, newly restored and on the National Register of Historic Places.

Explore these stories of people, place and much more throughout this three-day event, whether you hike a trail or tour by bus with your camera. Celebrate the glories of Appalachian history.

All programs are free unless otherwise noted. Wear sturdy hiking shoes for all guided walks; bring water and wear sturdy walking shoes.



Friday, Aug. 24

Days of the Civil War Tour — 2 to 4 p.m., Patterson House museum, Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park, Summersville. 1-mile walk. Step back in time to the days of the Civil War on a walking tour of the museum and the battlefield.

West Virginia: Child of the Civil War — 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., Canyon Rim Visitor Center, Lansing. Come and go as you please for this informal program about West Virginia, its beginnings and the life of her people.

Railroad Town Tour: Thurmond — 6 to 7:30 p.m., Thurmond Depot Visitor Center, Thurmond. Hear stories of an industrial age on this walk through Thurmond’s Historic District.

Hike the Narrow Gauge — 6 to 8 p.m., Babcock State Park campground overflow parking, Clifftop. 3-mile hike with some uneven terrain. Follow the narrow gauge railroad line and discover the secrets of its impacts on gorge industrialization.

Hawks Nest Tunnel: Progress & Tragedy — 6:30 to 7:15 p.m., Hawks Nest State Park’s main overlook, Ansted. Look back at the Hawks Nest Tunnel and hear of its history, including the disastrous human cost of this engineering marvel.

Ranger on the Rock — 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., Grandview’s main overlook, Grandview. Come and go as you please for this informal program at one of the gorge’s best views. Discuss the area’s rich history.

Railroad Folklore Storytelling Sampler - 7:45 to 8:45 p.m., Hawks Nest State Park’s lodge lobby, Ansted. Legends fill this land with riches. Hear favorite railroad tales of the New River Gorge.



Saturday, Aug. 25

 Historic Sites Photography Auto Tour —  9 a.m. to 5 p.m., meet at the Historic Glen Jean Bank Building, Glen Jean. Limited seats available on bus or car caravan in your own vehicle; call 304-574-2115 to reserve a bus seat. Bring a lunch. Bring a camera or some will be available (bring a jump drive if you’d like copies of photos taken on a free loaner camera). Learn the basics of photography, put your photography skills to work, and learn history on visits to several historic sites, including Thurmond, Nuttallburg, Babcock, and Carnifex Ferry Battlefield.

Antique Car Show — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pipestem Resort State Park’s park headquarters, Pipestem. Come and go as you please to see classic cars of our times.

Nuttallburg Top to Bottom Hike — 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meet at Canyon Rim Visitor Center, Lansing. 3-mile strenuous hike. Bus seats limited; advance sign-up requested for hike, call 304-574-2115. Explore the Nuttallburg mine and community site, one of the first coal mine operations in the New River Gorge. See the head house, conveyor, tipple, coke ovens, and remains of community buildings. Free shuttle bus provided to hikers; hikers should bring a lunch and water; wear sturdy hiking shoes.

Nuttallburg Site Tour — 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Meet at the Nuttallburg’s Tipple Trail Trailhead at the bottom of narrow Keeneys Creek Road, near Winona. Meet the hikers from the Nuttallburg Top to Bottom Hike for a leisurely walk around the tipple and town site.

Bluestone Walk & Farley Loop Bonus — 10 to 11:30 a.m. (or extend to 1:30 p.m. on Farley Loop Bonus), bottom of Pipestem Resort State Park’s tramway, Pipestem. 1-mile walk (add 3-mile strenuous hike on Farley Loop Trail, which includes a very steep descent). $2 for return tram ride. See evidence of the area’s earliest settlers and how they made a life in this Bluestone River gorge in the late 1700s. For those continuing on the Farley Loop Trail, hike to the old Farley cabin and an amazing overlook at Raven’s Rock. Farley hikers should wear sturdy hiking boots.

Oldies Rock ‘n Roll Concert — 8 to 10 p.m., Pipestem Resort State Park’s outdoor amphitheater, Pipestem. Adults $10, 6 to 12 years $5, 5 years and under free. Enjoy an oldies rock ‘n roll concert featuring the Vandells.



Sunday, Aug. 26

Country Roads Walk — 10 to 11:30 a.m., Pipestem Resort State Park’s park headquarters, Pipestem. 1.5-mile walk. Explore Pipestem’s pre-park history on this tour, which includes a former school and residential sites.

Loop the Rend Hike — 2 to 5 p.m., Rend Trailhead on Route 25 near Thurmond. 3.5-mile hike with some steep terrain. See often overlooked remains of the Thurmond area’s rich history. See an old church and building remains at South Boyd and Wee Win.

Days of the Civil War Tour — 2 to 4 p.m., Patterson House Museum, Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park, Summersville. 1-mile walk. Step back in time to the days of the Civil War on a walking tour of the museum and the battlefield.

When Coal Was King — 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., Sandstone Visitor Center, Sandstone. Come and go as you please for this informal program about the history of coal mining in the New River Gorge.

The 200 Year Hike — 3 to 5 p.m., Grandview’s main overlook, Grandview. 1-mile hike; be prepared for some rough terrain. Discover some of the area’s rich stories of history as we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the John Marshall expedition. Learn more about the Harrah farm, War Ridge, Grandview, and more.

Mountaineer Trivia Game — 7 to 8 p.m., Hawks Nest State Park’s lodge conference room. Come and share your knowledge of West Virginia’s legends and learn more about the state’s history that is as strange as fiction.

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Park museums with area history highlights:

Babcock State Park — Glade Creek Grist Mill, Clifftop. Open Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 6 p.m.

Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park — Patterson House Civil War Museum, Summersville. Open Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

New River Gorge National River — Canyon Rim Visitor Center, Lansing. Open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

New River Gorge National River — Sandstone Visitor Center, Sandstone. Open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

New River Gorge National River — Thurmond Depot Visitor Center, Thurmond. Open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Pipestem Resort State Park — Nature Center (historic buildings on site), Pipestem. Open Saturday and Sunday, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

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For more information about upcoming ranger activities in area national and state parks, visit http://www.nps.gov/neri, www.westvirginiastateparks.com,check out the New River Gorge National River Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/newrivergorgenps, or stop by any park visitor center.