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Location
Elkins History & Today
Elkins, West Virginia is the county seat of Randolph County. It is a thriving community nestled around picturesque Davis and Elkins College. Although it is in a mountainous county, Elkins is built primarily on level ground along the Tygart Valley River. Elkins is the hub of business and recreational activity in the Eastern mountains of West Virginia. Elkins is known as the “Hardwood Capital of the World” and forest related industries abound. Randolph County is the largest in the state encompassing 663.040 acres of land, and of this acreage, nearly 177,000 acres belong to the Monongahela National Forest. For years people have come from many of the Eastern metropolitan areas to enjoy the recreational opportunities available here. The Monongahela National Forest offers national recreation areas, good camping facilities and information on much of the land located in Randolph County and neighboring counties. The National Forest Headquarters is located in Elkins on Sycamore Street. Geographically, Randolph County is centered in what is referred to as the “Mountain Region” of West Virginia. Here the state’s highest mountains jut up to our borders. Spruce Knob, West Virginia’s highest is 4,86l feet, is a close neighbor. In Randolph County, these mountain chains, with their many pure, mountain streams and tributaries, converge and empty into the wide, fertile Tygart Valley, where Elkins is located. The elevation variance, from 1,730 feet at Laurel to 4,76O feet at the western edge of the Roaring Plains, four miles east of Harman - offers a stimulating challenge to the biking and hiking enthusiast. The abundance of mountains, forested terrain, and cold-water streams make fishing and hunting in this area a rewarding experience. Streams and rivers are stocked with both golden and brown trout which are actually hatched at the Bowden Fish Hatchery located 10 miles east of Elkins on US. Route 33. Randolph County, a land of steep mountain ridges; wide, fertile valleys, fresh mountain, streams and seemingly endless lush forests, has helped shape the attitudes and energies of a people who first came to occupy this land in 1753. History and culture still remain an important part of Randolph County. You can see pride in history and culture still remain. an Important part of Randolph County. You can see pride in history everywhere you turn from the well-kept public buildings found in the county seat of Elkins to immaculate Victorian homes, refurbished and renovated, and Bed and Breakfasts of the finest flavor. Davis and Elkins College and the Augusta Heritage Arts Center still contribute much to the preservation of the area’s culture and history. Since the 1880’s, Randolph County has been the commercial center of the West Virginia Mountain Region. Large scale lumbering during the turn-of-the-century helped make Randolph County, and especially Elkins, the commercial hub that still is today. Commercial emphasis has changed, however, railroad yards and tracks are being replaced with corridor highways and recreational facilities. Maintenance yards have given way to service-oriented owner-operated businesses offering every convenience to the visitor and traveler. Today, Randolph County is the “Gateway” to a recreational mecca that could be considered “the playground” of the East. Given the namesake “Gateway to the Monongahela National Forest’ years ago, Randolph County and Elkins are the crossroads from the west into nearly 900,000 acres of federal lands. A new interstate, Corridor H, will open interstate travel from the west via 1-79 eastward to I-81, and will solidify Randolph County’s “Gateway” position. Randolph County features a quality of life not to be found just anywhere. Amid a natural display of mountains, forest, and rivers, beautiful model farms, and unlimited recreational opportunities, life in Randolph County also includes a low crime rate, high education standards, and the promise for economic growth. The area was recently named one of the top 10 areas for future growth potential in the United States. Elkins - Randolph County Airport/Jennings Randolph Field (EKN) |
