Watters Smith Memorial State Park

State Park in Harrison County, West Virginia

39°10′16″N 80°24′29″W / 39.17111°N 80.40806°W / 39.17111; -80.40806Area532 acres (215 ha)Elevation1,033 ft (315 m)Established1949[2]Named forWatters SmithGoverning bodyWest Virginia Division of Natural ResourcesWebsitewvstateparks.com/park/watters-smith-memorial-state-park/

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

References

  1. ^ "Watters Smith Memorial State Park". Protected Planet. IUCN. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  2. ^ Watters Smith Memorial State Park History, accessed April 1, 2008
  3. ^ 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 August 5, 2011.
  4. ^ "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.
  • Official website
  • v
  • t
  • e
Protected areas of West Virginia
Federal
National Parks
National Historical Parks
National Forests
National Recreation Areas
National Wildlife Refuges
National Trails System
National Preserves
Wilderness Areas
National Rivers
State
State parks
Former state parks
State forests
Wildlife
management
areas
Other WVDNR sites
Local
Municipal parks
Non-
governmental
Nature
Conservancy
preserves
  • v
  • t
  • e
Topics


Lists by
county
Other lists
  • Category:National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia
  • Portal:National Register of Historic Places


Stub icon

This article about a location in Harrison County, West Virginia is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e
Stub icon

This West Virginia museum-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e