Curtin, Nicholas County, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Curtin is a nearly abandoned unincorporated community
in eastern Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States. The area is situated at the bottomland surrounding the mouth of the Cherry River at its confluence with the Gauley River
. Curtin is also the location where West Virginia Route 55 and West Virginia Route 20 cross the Gauley.
and served a hub for the transportation of lumber in Nicholas and Webster Counties in the early part of the 1900s. It was the site of a railroad bridge across the Cherry and a ferry across the Gauley on the road between Richwood
and Craigsville
.
Eventually, timber harvest fell in the area, the railroad stopped operation, and a bridge replaced the ferry for motorized traffic. Now all that remains of the town are a couple of houses, some scattered foundations, the modern highway bridge, the old pillars of the since-demolished railroad bridge, and a rail trail
accessible from Holcomb
.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in eastern Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States. The area is situated at the bottomland surrounding the mouth of the Cherry River at its confluence with the Gauley River
Gauley River
The Gauley River is a river in West Virginia. It merges with the New River to form the Kanawha River, a tributary of the Ohio River. It is one of the most popular advanced whitewater runs in the Eastern United States and is the chief feature of the Gauley River National Recreation Area.-Headwaters...
. Curtin is also the location where West Virginia Route 55 and West Virginia Route 20 cross the Gauley.
History
Curtin was once a lumber boomtownBoomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
and served a hub for the transportation of lumber in Nicholas and Webster Counties in the early part of the 1900s. It was the site of a railroad bridge across the Cherry and a ferry across the Gauley on the road between Richwood
Richwood, West Virginia
Richwood is a city in Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,477 at the 2000 census. A former coal and lumber boom town, the city's population once flirted with 10,000 but the closure of many underground coal mines caused many of Richwood's residents to leave the state...
and Craigsville
Craigsville, West Virginia
Craigsville is a census-designated place in Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,213 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Craigsville is located at ....
.
Eventually, timber harvest fell in the area, the railroad stopped operation, and a bridge replaced the ferry for motorized traffic. Now all that remains of the town are a couple of houses, some scattered foundations, the modern highway bridge, the old pillars of the since-demolished railroad bridge, and a rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
accessible from Holcomb
Holcomb, West Virginia
Holcomb is an unincorporated community in Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States. Holcomb is located on West Virginia Route 20 and West Virginia Route 55 northwest of Richwood....
.