Watters Smith Memorial State Park
Watters Smith Memorial State Park | |
---|---|
![]() Buildings from the Watters Smith family farm. | |
![]() ![]() Location of Watters Smith Memorial State Park in West Virginia | |
Location | Harrison, West Virginia, United States |
Coordinates | 39°10′16″N 80°24′29″W / 39.17111°N 80.40806°WCoordinates: 39°10′16″N 80°24′29″W / 39.17111°N 80.40806°W |
Area | 532 acres (215 ha) |
Elevation | 1,033 ft (315 m) |
Established | 1949[2] |
Named for | Watters Smith |
Governing body | West Virginia Division of Natural Resources |
Website | wvstateparks |
Watters Smith Memorial State Park is a 532-acre (2.15 km2) historical park and national historic district with a pioneer homestead and museum located in Harrison County, West Virginia. The homestead, rising above Duck Creek, is a memorial to settler Watters Smith, who was born in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1767, and moved to Harrison County in what was then Virginia, in 1796, with his wife Elizabeth Davisson Smith.[3] A log cabin similar to the original was moved and reconstructed on the park, together with farm buildings typical of early 19th century settlement. The more modern Smith family home (c. 1876) has been restored as a museum, and an additional museum houses many local farm artifacts from earlier eras. Guided tours are offered from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. In addition, the park features swimming, picnicking, hiking trails, and horseback riding.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 as the Watters Smith Farm on Duck Creek.[4]
Mountain biking[]
Watters Smith Park has become a local hot spot for mountain biking. The park boasts a bike wash and maintenance area and over 12 miles of single track riding including numerous technical sections and elevation gains. With up-to-date maps and well marked trails, the park offers trails for every skill level from beginner to expert.
See also[]
- List of West Virginia state parks
- State park
- Open-air museum
References[]
- ^ "Watters Smith Memorial State Park". Protected Planet. IUCN. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- ^ Watters Smith Memorial State Park History, accessed April 1, 2008
- ^ Ann Post (September 1971). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Watters Smith Farm on Duck Creek" (PDF). State of West Virginia, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Historic Preservation. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
External links[]
![]() |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Watters Smith Memorial State Park. |
- IUCN Category III
- Parks on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia
- History of West Virginia
- State parks of West Virginia
- Protected areas of Harrison County, West Virginia
- Farm museums in the United States
- Protected areas established in 1949
- History museums in West Virginia
- Museums in Harrison County, West Virginia
- Farms on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia
- National Register of Historic Places in Harrison County, West Virginia
- Historic districts in Harrison County, West Virginia
- 1949 establishments in West Virginia
- Mountaineer Country geography stubs
- Southern United States museum stubs
- West Virginia building and structure stubs