Current Weather
70°F
Summers County History
Historic Summers County was incorporated in 1880. As the seat of Summers County, Hinton was one of the largest, most prosperous railroad towns in the southern part of the state. Now it's considered an architectural gem!
In the late 1800's, the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company had its maintenance complex in downtown Hinton. The facility consisted of a forty-car repair shop, a machine shop and a roundhouse with seventeen engine stalls. The total monthly payroll was $84,000 an enormous sum of money in the 1890s.
Hinton also served as a terminal where train crews were made up and dispatched. The town served as both permanent and part-time homes for hundreds of railroad men and their families.
The railway company and employees pumped this money into the local economy, which erupted a building boom of unique-architecture structures. In 1984, the downtown historic district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Ranging from American Gothic, to Classical and Greek Revival, some of the churches, commercial buildings, and residences reflect the eclecticism of the Victorian Era.
Other styles in the historic district include High Victorian, American Four-Square and Second Empire. Commonly seen along the red brick streets of Hinton are large porches with various types of columns and gingerbread trim.
Now serving as a main tourist attraction in southern West Virginia, Summers County offers vistiors a variety of historic sites and museums, outdoor activities, scenic state parks, shopping, dining and lodging opportunities. Take a step back in time and come visit us in Summers County, West Virginia.