ELKINS
/ RANDOLPH COUNTY
As
the Tygart River trickles from its birthplace in
Pocahontas and winds its way down the fertile Randolph
County valley following US Route 219, it gains size and
greets Elkins, the historic county seat and home to Davis
& Elkins College.
Known
as one of the "28th Best Small Arts Town in America,"
downtown Elkins hosts a potpourri of shoppes offering
unusual gifts and handcrafted items made by local
artists. Strategically located between Snowshoe and
Canaan Valley resort areas, Elkins is the "hub" for
services that cater to a multi-county region.
Born
from the philanthropy of two merchantile families of the
same name at the turn of the century, Davis & Elkins
College, a four-year liberal arts institution, brings to
Elkins a cultural flavor unique to the region. The
Augusta Heritage Center preserves Appalachian heritage
with over 100 one-week courses offered each year in
crafts, dance, folklore and music.
Heritage
is more than education at Davis & Elkins. Sit on the
veranda of Graceland, one of the two restored summer
mansions of the Davis and Elkins families now listed on
the National Register of Historic Places, and try to
imagine how the railroad barons must have felt as they
looked over their mountain empire.
The
Monongahela National Forest's Headquarters is located in
Elkins. Forest wilderness areas such as Otter Creek are
reserved for soft-impact hiking and backpacking, watching
wildlife and birds. National forest recreation areas
offer modern outdoor conveniences. Trout fishing is a
favorite past-time in spring and fall; hunting in early
winter.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Augusta
Heritage Center
Bear Heaven Recreation Are
Bickle Knob Recreation Area
Davis & Elkins College
Dolly Sods Recreation Area
Downtown
Elkins Historic District
Durbin
& Greenbrier Valley
Railroad
Kumbrabow State Forest
Otter Creek Wilderness Area
Spruce Knob Lake Recreation Area
Stuart Recreation Area
Tygart
Valley --------------------