RetireWV

Culture and Recreation

The Veteran's Museum

The Carnegie Library which was built in the late 1900s became surplus to the Summers County School System by 1993. This old, but sturdy, building was passed to the city of Hinton for future use. At the suggestion of the mayor and a number of veterans it was thought the facility would make an ideal veteran's museum should sufficient support be realized. This idea became a reality with the formation of a committee composed of veterans of World War II, the Korean War, Viet Nam and the Iraq War. The committee began its exploratory work, elected board members and officers, began the process of seeking funding from local and state sources. Fortunately, the fund raising efforts were successful. This work was followed by restoration on the building which continued through 2005. Local veterans and families gave generously to the museum and their collected and saved items from their service in military. The museum was able to hold its grand opening ceremony in May 1997.

As a result of this generosity, the museum has displays from pre-historic America, early frontier times, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World

War I, Korea, Viet Nam and the Gulf War. Also, a special D-Day display was made available thru the State. Several rare artifacts are on display including General MacArthur's fool locker and a vintage Jeep.

The museum is located at 419 Ballengee Street beside the Middle School. It opens each May during the Memorial Day weekend through the weekend ending Veteran's Day on Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 4:00 p.m. Special and group tours can be arranged by contacting the Convention and Visitors

Center at (304)466-5420.

The Hinton Railroad Museum

The Hinton Railroad Museum was founded May 21, 1991. The goal of the Board of directors of the Museum was to preserve the artifacts of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway.

Great Bend Tunnel located at Talcott, WV was completed in 1873, which permitted rail traffic to proceed west. The railway decided that Hinton would be a major terminal and established a seventeen stall roundhouse and a turntable so that repairs could be made to the steam engines. A Car shop was also established for the repairing of coal and box cars.

Displayed in the museum are tools, pictures of the types of steam engines, pictures of employees, uniforms worn by different crafts, furniture used in the offices, records of different departments and much more.

The museum is located at 206 Temple Street. Summers hours are 10am to 4pm and winter hours are 10am to 2pm, Monday through Saturday. Admission is free.

For more information on specific activities, contact the Summers County Visitors Bureau or the Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber of Commerce

300 Ballangee Street

Hinton, WV 25951 Phone: (304) 466-5332

Call for information about Hinton and Summers County.

Summers County Convention and Visitors Bureau

206 Temple Street

Hinton, WV 25951 Phone: (304) 466 5420

Culture and Recreation information for Hinton and Summers County.