Some of the best towns in West Virginia are tiny communities so small that most people don’t even know they exist. That doesn’t stop the cozy and neighborly feeling you get when you live there. Here are a few interesting little towns with populations of about a thousand or fewer.
- Glen Jean
Wikimedia Commons/Brian M. Powell Glen Jean is the headquarters of New River Gorge National River. The former Bank of Glen Jean now functions as a visitor contact center. Glen Jean is also home to the The Summit Bechtel Reserve, Boy Scouts of America’s national high adventure base.
- Birch River
Wikimedia Commons/Tim Kiser The town of Birch River has a population of 107, and is named after the Birch River nearby.
- War
Wikimedia Commons/Coal town guy War is the Southernmost city in West Virginia, and the only place in the United States with this name. Its name comes from the War Creek nearby.
- Corinne
Wikimedia Commons/Magnolia677 This quiet little town has a population of just 362.
- Cameron
Wikimedia Commons/Jim Nall This town is named after Samuel Cameron, a railroad worker. It has a historical beach-style swimming pool, and a historic district with architecture in the Classical Revival and Colonial Revival styles.
- Middleway
Wikimedia Commons/ Kilo22 Middleway is also known as “Wizard Clip” and has some unusual ghost stories.
- Itmann
Wikimedia Commons/Coal town guy Itmann is a former mining town, and home to the historic Itmann Company Store and Office. It also has a welding shop that fabricates escalators for local mines.
- New Cumberland
Wikimedia Commons/Taber Andrew Bain This former manufacturing town is home to a number of historic buildings.
- Kimball
Wikimedia Commons/Magnolia677 Kimball is the site of the first war memorial building dedicated to the African-American veterans of World War I. It was also the home of Tracy Gravely, a former Canadian Football League linebacker, Barney Brown, a Negro league pitcher from 1931-1949, and Jean Battlo, a West Virginia playwright.
- Green Spring
Wikimedia Commons/Justin.A.Wilcox Green Spring has some historic churches, the Green Spring Train Station, and one of only 17 privately owned toll bridges in the United States.
- Vivian
Wikimedia Commons/Coal town guy Vivian was home to the Peerless Coal Company Store, built in 1921.
- Belmont
Wikimedia Commons/Brian M. Powell The city was named for the beautiful hills in the area. Belmont translates to “beautiful mountain.” It’s home to the Pleasants Power Plant.
- Shenandoah Junction
Wikimedia Commons/Acroterion Shenandoah Junction has a historic post office and is home to West Virginia’s oldest surviving wood frame structure, the Peter Burr House, built around 1751. The name refers to the junction of the B&O and Norfolk and Western Railway at the center of this railroad town.
For more interesting small towns in West Virginia, try this small town road trip.
Wikimedia Commons/Brian M. Powell
Glen Jean is the headquarters of New River Gorge National River. The former Bank of Glen Jean now functions as a visitor contact center. Glen Jean is also home to the The Summit Bechtel Reserve, Boy Scouts of America’s national high adventure base.
Wikimedia Commons/Tim Kiser
The town of Birch River has a population of 107, and is named after the Birch River nearby.
Wikimedia Commons/Coal town guy
War is the Southernmost city in West Virginia, and the only place in the United States with this name. Its name comes from the War Creek nearby.
Wikimedia Commons/Magnolia677
This quiet little town has a population of just 362.
Wikimedia Commons/Jim Nall
This town is named after Samuel Cameron, a railroad worker. It has a historical beach-style swimming pool, and a historic district with architecture in the Classical Revival and Colonial Revival styles.
Wikimedia Commons/ Kilo22
Middleway is also known as “Wizard Clip” and has some unusual ghost stories.
Itmann is a former mining town, and home to the historic Itmann Company Store and Office. It also has a welding shop that fabricates escalators for local mines.
Wikimedia Commons/Taber Andrew Bain
This former manufacturing town is home to a number of historic buildings.
Kimball is the site of the first war memorial building dedicated to the African-American veterans of World War I. It was also the home of Tracy Gravely, a former Canadian Football League linebacker, Barney Brown, a Negro league pitcher from 1931-1949, and Jean Battlo, a West Virginia playwright.
Wikimedia Commons/Justin.A.Wilcox
Green Spring has some historic churches, the Green Spring Train Station, and one of only 17 privately owned toll bridges in the United States.
Vivian was home to the Peerless Coal Company Store, built in 1921.
Wikimedia Commons/Brian M. Powell
The city was named for the beautiful hills in the area. Belmont translates to “beautiful mountain.” It’s home to the Pleasants Power Plant.
Wikimedia Commons/Acroterion
Shenandoah Junction has a historic post office and is home to West Virginia’s oldest surviving wood frame structure, the Peter Burr House, built around 1751. The name refers to the junction of the B&O and Norfolk and Western Railway at the center of this railroad town.
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