HINTON, WV (WOAY) – This week’s One Tank Trip brings us to Southern West Virginia’s very own Summers County. Located there is the Hinton Railroad Museum, which brings people back to the times of the C&O Railroad, and the industry that built the area from the ground up.
The museum has been serving the area since 1991. Everything in the museum has been either donated or put on loan directly from the community. Even the large wooden railroad scene you see here was graciously loaned to the museum by a local family.
According to a volunteer with the museum, and member of the Summers County Historical Society Bobby Cox, the museum is a great way to learn about local history and see what things were like decades ago for a worker on the railroad.
“West Virginia is full of history. People really don’t know how much history we have,” Cox said. “Not just in Summers County, but all across the state in our backyards.”
The museum shows off the history of the railroad. Everything from the famous Big Bend Tunnel located near Hinton, to things like how the workers dressed and what tools they used.
You can also learn about just how large the railroad company was. They had their own hospital and even their own police force. There are also plenty of dioramas, maps, and photographs showcasing the railroad’s history.
However, right now the museum is more limited than normal for visitors. In a typical year, the museum is open five days a week. But right now due to COVID-19 and their limited staff, the Hinton Railroad Museum is open two days a week.
“Hopefully next year we’ll be able to get back to the five days a week.”
The Hinton Railroad Museum opened up earlier this month at the beginning of September and will remain open until the end of October. They are open Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.
