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When a person loves local history as much as Rob Whetsell does, it influences his life daily. The buildings on Third Street and Davis Avenue have changed, but the essential character of this progressive small city is ongoing.
The early history of Elkins was dominated by the Davis and Elkins families when the railroad was built to transport timber and coal. Once H.G. Davis found the Leadville area where he could buy land and start the railroad, he began bringing in planners to lay out the commercial district of Elkins. Most rural American towns grew up along a river or railroad used for transportation, but Elkins had a planned grid for the commercial area.
A large wind-driven fire took place in 1897 when many new Elkins buildings were made of wood from the nearby timber lands. This terrible conflagration destroyed much of the business district.This disaster forced the town fathers to create new building ordinances and start a city-wide fire department plan. Rob emphasized the fact that these changes made a great difference later when the brick Murphy's building burned in 1967, and the fire was contained effectively by the Volunteer Fire Department.
H.G. Davis built a roundhouse where trains could be repaired and a town square for public gatherings. He helped to build churches, public parks, a general hospital, and a college. However, he did not want bars in Elkins. Hallie Davis Elkins later built the YMCA, and the college was moved to the Davis-Elkins estate near City Park. Most of this infostructure investment is still here.
The daily 22 passenger trains, large roundhouse and central town square are gone now, but most of the essential plan for a progressive small city remains in Elkins. In the 1950s the population of Elkins was over 9,000, and now we have about 7,000 people. Much of our population has moved to our suburban neighborhoods. Nevertheless, the declining population in Elkins is typical of rural America now. However, few small towns have a well-designed commercial district, a four-year college, and a general hospital.
If you are interested in learning more about Elkins history, look for copies of Rob Whetsell's book titled “Elkins, West Virginia: The Metropolis Revisited” (1994). I hope Rob will republish this book with its wonderful collection of photographs and information about early Elkins businesses and families. Many of these families are still here.
Now at the center of the Monongahela National Forest and the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area, Elkins has an interesting past. And because of good urban planning, Elkins has a brighter future than most people expect for small West Virginia towns.
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