Historic Fayetteville

fayetteville courthouse with statue.jpeg

Fayetteville, named after Marquis de la Fayette sometime before 1837, was also known as Seven Mile Tree, Vandalia and Fayette Courthouse.  Between 1861 and 1865, the Civil War brought fighting and destruction to the town.  Fayetteville was a strategic site during the Civil War and the stage of at least two battles and the site of the first use of indirect firing in military warfare. Following the war, Fayetteville was incorporated in 1883 and by 1900 had begun to expand and grow.  Coal was discovered and Fayetteville served as the legal and business center for a prosperous coal producing county.  Towns sprang up surrounding the numerous mines along the New River.  Around 1950 the death toll sounded for the mining industry.  Mines closed, workers moved away, steam locomotives were replaced and the towns languished. It is significant that while there has been growth in the past fifty years, the Fayetteville Historical District has not changed appreciably.  It remains, primarily, a quaint residential town with homes, churches, schools, small businesses and offices clustered around the historic courthouse square. Historic Fayetteville has been reborn as the Mecca of outdoor recreation in the east. Thousands of visitors flock to the New River Gorge area to take advantage of rafting, hiking, biking, climbing and camping. However, Fayetteville, recently voted one of the coolest small towns in America, still serves as a reminder of what life was like in a small town when times were simpler.

Attractions around Fayetteville

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