Hinton’s hidden gem encapsulates the spirit and history of the railroad

HINTON, WV (WVNS) – There are many hidden gems here in southern West Virginia.

From the different hiking trails to outdoor activities, and even many local restaurants, this area is the perfect destination for tourists.

However, it was not always this way. Southern West Virginia was not always the huge tourist destination for outdoor recreation that it is today, but it has been a hidden gem for quite some time.

One of the things that made this area such a gem was the once-booming railroad industry.

The city of Hinton was a major benefactor, as it was one of the big stops along the railroad for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway.

The Hinton Railroad Museum encapsulates the railroad’s impact on the city and its history.

At the entrance of the museum is an automated welcoming system that uses a recording from one of its late founders, Dorothy Jean Bowley.

One of the first things that catches your eye are the wooden figurines that are depicted to be building the Great Bend Tunnel along with a model Great Bend Tunnel and railroad. These fascinating figurines were hand-crafted by Charlie Purmelia.

Another interesting fact you might not expect: the C&O Railroad had a baseball team.

Museum tour guide and volunteer, Bobby Cox told 59News, “The C&O Railroad once had their own baseball team. The pro teams like the Cincinnati Reds used to travel by trains. They stopped in Hinton. They said, ‘Well, we’ll get a practice in here and there.’ Well, they stopped over once here in Hinton and Hinton C&O beat them. So, they never did stop here again.”

The first baseball team for the C&O was organized in 1905.

The museum also had some of the work uniforms that railroaders wore over the years. Cox also wore a railroader vest to enhance the tour experience.

Cox also spoke about the dangers of the train industry.

“It was a very dangerous job at first because, if a steam engine ran dry it would blow up,” said Cox. “That’s why the older steam engine didn’t have doors on the side at first, so you could jump from off of the engine. They didn’t go 150 miles per hour like today, but at that time they were still going 30 or 40 miles per hour.”

While the lower part of the museum is dedicated to the railroad, there is an upper room dedicated to the history of Hinton with information about the founding fathers of Hinton, as well as a barber shop.

The upper room features different valuables that the city’s founding family, the Hintons, owned. There was a working dress, as well as a wedding dress on display. A deer’s antlers are also mounted on the wall from a deer that one of the Hintons hunted. There was also something to honor one of the Hintons who was the first postmaster in town.

They also had a barber shop setup that is still functional, to resemble Hinton’s first barber shop, Neely’s Barber Shop.

As train companies have moved on from steam engines to diesel and more electric trains, the railroad scene has declined in Hinton.

Cox explained to 59News that in its prime, trains were at the center of the city.

“They kept the economy going because, at the roundhouse, they employed around 300 people for a shift. Trains at that time, they had layovers. Those people had to stay here.  So, the McCreery Hotel was booming in its heyday,” said Cox.

To honor and reminisce on the railroad’s fingerprints all over Hinton, the city holds Hinton Railroad Days around the middle of every October.

For this festivity, many people ride the rails and come to Hinton to visit the Railroad Museum, as well as many other businesses and restaurants that the city offers.

The Hinton Railroad Museum is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and you can enter for free.

There are normally people there like Cox, but Cox said the museum is a self-guided tour, with plenty of automated buttons around the museum.

“So, until we see you again, ride the rails,” Cox said as he bade farewell.

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