Upshur County, West Virginia
Take a trip to Buckhannon, Upshur County, and discover what’s happening in one of West Virginia’s premier small towns.
Geographically located in the center of the state, Upshur County allows for easy access from a major interstate. Just take Exit 99 from Interstate 79, follow the signs and a quick, 15-minute drive along U.S. Route 33 – lands you in the city limits.
Buckhannon’s Main Street features a variety of quaint shops and unique dining establishments. You may spend hours looking for treasures in antique and collectable shops along the way and then stop for a relaxing meal in one of several restaurants. Afterwards, top it off with dessert from one of the few walk-up Dairy Queen restaurants left and a fixture in Buckhannon for 60 years.
Upshur County is home to many talented artists, several of whom exhibit their creations – from woodwork to photography to painting, sculpture and more – in the Main Street Gallery. Speaking of artists, three of those also operate their own shops in the county – Ron Hinkle Dying Art Glass, Catherine Miller Designs and the Art of Eden Gallery.
Upshur County’s history dates back to the French and Indian War when brothers Samuel and John Pringle abandoned their posts and made their way south to present-day Upshur County. For three years, they made a hollow sycamore tree their home. Today, the third generation tree towers majestically over Pringle Tree Park along the Buckhannon River.
Samuel Pringle is depicted in the city seal mural with Native American Chief Buckongahelas that adorns a building at the intersection of Main Street and Route 20. This mural attracted statewide attention when it was completed in the summer of 2006. It is directly across from the Upshur County Courthouse, another significant landmark in Upshur County, completed at the turn of the 20th century. During the Civil War, the original courthouse sustained heavy damage and was eventually torn down and replaced by the present-day structure. Upshur County changed hands several times during the Civil War, hosting both Union and Confederate soldiers.
To commemorate several dates and locations significant in the county’s history, there are now five Civil War Trails markers in the county. These five markers are part of a several-state Civil War Trails markers program that leads visitors to these sites.
Fishermen and boaters alike enjoy the Buckhannon River and the town’s close proximity to Stonecoal Lake and Stonewall Jackson Lake as well as Audra and Holly River State Parks and several ski resorts also offer a plethora of outdoor opportunities. The West Virginia Wildlife Center in French Creek is the state’s official zoological park and offers the chance to see animals in a natural setting.
West Virginia Wesleyan College, a small private school that numbers some 1,500 students hosts many lectures, plays, art shows and more that are open to community members. Once a year, Upshur County hosts the West Virginia Strawberry Festival, a five-day festival with three parades that draws parade and band units from around the country and several international units as well. The festival pays homage to the strawberry and the sweet fruit abounds during the festival from strawberry shortcake to specialty strawberry drinks, strawberry auctions and more.
To learn more about what’s happening in Upshur County, call 304-473-1400 or go to www.VisitUpshur.org.
