SENATE RESOLUTION 40

(By Senators Woodrum, Baldwin, and Stollings)

[Introduced April 5, 2021]

Recognizing and commemorating the 150th anniversary of the founding of Summers County, West Virginia.

Whereas, Summers County is located in the southeastern region of West Virginia, scenically placed between the beautiful Greenbrier and New River valleys; and

Whereas, The City of Hinton serves as the county seat and is the sole municipality within Summers County; and

Whereas, The railroad boom of the early 20th century helped to build Hinton and Summers County, however, the county’s current economy is based primarily on tourism, thanks to the Bluestone Dam and Lake along with the Bluestone, Greenbrier, and New rivers which converge in Hinton; and

Whereas, Further, the New River Gorge National River begins at Hinton and flows northward into neighboring Fayette County; and

Whereas, Summers County is also home to Bluestone State Park, Pipestem Resort, and a number of other facilities that provide lodging, camping, and a variety of recreational activities; and

Whereas, The Hinton Railroad Museum, the Graham House, the Campbell Flanagan Murrell House, and other museums provide glimpses into the county’s history; and

Whereas, The architecture of buildings in Hinton’s nationally-registered historic district is of interest to many, and a solid core of retail stores and professional service providers meet the needs of residents and visitors alike; and

Whereas, Residents of Summers County enjoy a wonderful small town, laid back quality of life, and service clubs such as the Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary, and Ruritans support a number of community initiatives, school programs, and special events; and

Whereas, The Summers County Library supports the county school system and provides visitors with internet access and other services, while several denominations of churches meet the Summers County community’s spiritual needs; and

Whereas, Summers County is served east-west by Interstate 64 and by north and south connections to Interstate 77, and the New River Parkway, when completed, will improve access to Sandstone Falls by upgrading River Road from I-64 near Exit 139 Sandstone into Hinton; and

Whereas, West Virginia Routes 3, 12, 19, 20, and 107 are the primary highways within the county, and Amtrak also provides an important transportation link to Summers County with its Cardinal line from New York to Washington DC to Chicago, and stops are made three times per week to pick up and disembark passengers at Hinton’s historic Rail Depot; and

Whereas, Summers County’s elected officials and its employees are dedicated to making the county the best possible place to live, work, and visit that it can be; and

Whereas, All of these achievements are appropriate to be recognized for such an important county in West Virginia; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate:

That the Senate hereby recognizes the 150th anniversary of Summers County, West Virginia; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Summers County Commission and the New River Gateway Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.