FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — The town of Fayetteville, home to the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, is celebrating a major milestone.
The town is marking 150 years. An anniversary event was held Monday morning at the Fayette County Courthouse. Fayetteville is the county seat.
Mayor Sharon Cruikshank said her staff recently discovered that the town was founded on Nov. 21, 1872.
“It all started with trying to find certain mayors. We had their photographs, but we didn’t have when they served, so that started the whole process. It snowballed into this whole new scope on history,” she said.
Cruikshank said Fayetteville is a destination town where out-of-state visitors come to experience all that West Virginia has to offer.
“What used to be heavy timbering, coal, we now have a large focus on tourism with our rafting, rock climbling, mountain biking and hiking. Those are the aspects that come into play,” she said.
Even though the town’s tourism numbers are growing, Cruikshank said they still pride themselves on being a small town where people know one another.
“Of course we were just designated with a national park, so we always try to be a down-home feel. If you stop in Fayetteville, we always try to make you feel welcome,” she said.
The New River Gorge Bridge hosts the annual celebration “Bridge Day” which is held on the third Saturday of October.
Fayetteville has been listed as one of the “Top 10 Coolest Small Towns in America” by Budget Travel Magazine and as “Best River Town 2013” by Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) spoke during Monday’s event.