The ghost town of old Watoga lies almost hidden, just feet from the Greenbrier River Trail about 2.5 miles north of Seebert. Watoga was originally a sawmill town of the Watoga Lumber Company during the logging boom in the area in the early 1900s. In the 1920s, an African-American organization from Mercer County, West Virginia banded […]
The Homestead School, completed in 1939, today serves as the Homestead Elementary School in Dailey, West Virginia. Originally part of the Tygart Valley Homestead, the Great Depression-era government resettlement community, the Homestead School was a proud part of the unique architecture developed in the valley as part of the homestead. The brick art-moderne building was state of […]
Along the highway in Pocahontas County, West Virginia sits a pink,15 foot Tepee. Shrouded in local mystery, no plaque or sign is out front to explain just what it is, but chances are if you’ve driven past the thing, it’s caught your eye. It is located along US 219 up Elk Mountain about five miles […]
The Hotel Tygart was built around 1907 on Davis Avenue in downtown Elkins. It was originally called the Hotel Gassaway but the name was changed sometime in the early 1900s. The building continues to stand in downtown Elkins, where it is one of the tallest buildings. For more on the […]
If you’re looking for a relatively short and easy hike in the Monongahela National Forest and you’re near Pocahontas County, a trip to the Falls of Hills Creek is definitely recommended–no matter what season it is! The Falls of Hills Creek trailhead is located on U.S. Route 39, about 15 miles west of U.S. Route 219 […]
Frigid temperatures are making for an icy Greenbrier River this January. It’s already completely frozen over in places twice this month. The following two photos were taken by James Griffey and posted to our Facebook page. We got these photos from the bridge in Marlinton this morning. Hope everybody is keeping warm! And taking […]
Here is another episode in our series about mountain lion and panther sightings in West Virginia. In the early 1900s in Monroe County, a mountain lion stole the straw hat right off the head of Clarence Mohler. His grandson, Craig Mohler, editor of The Monroe Watchman, told me this story last year when we were […]
This year will be Droop Mountain State Park Superintendant Mike Smith’s 30th year at the park. At Traveling 219 we’ve been very grateful to have been able to work with Mike on so many occasions. Mike has an abundant wealth of knowledge about the area. If you have any questions regarding local history, geography, geology, […]
Joel Callison, of Pocahontas County, has farming in his blood. His ancestors have been farming in the county for generations. Just in his lifetime Joel’s witnessed rapid changes to agricultural practices and technology that have revolutionized the lives of farmers and changed rural communities everywhere. In 1935, the total number of farms in West Virginia […]
“We command you to visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead, and educate the orphan” – seal of the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows (IOOF). For part two click here. We came across this video while researching the history of Elkins. It tells the story of James Blevin, who grew up in […]
Click the map to download a high-resolution copy of the Traveling 219 map, or pick up a hard copy at one of many locations along U.S. Route 219. You may also view our interactive map of Traveling 219 stories [HERE].
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