Cass, West Virginia
| Cass | |
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| — Census-designated place — | |
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 Cass
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| Coordinates: 38°23′48″N 79°54′53″W / 38.39667°N 79.91472°WCoordinates: 38°23′48″N 79°54′53″W / 38.39667°N 79.91472°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Pocahontas |
| Area[1] | |
| • Total | 0.790 sq mi (2.05 km2) |
| • Land | 0.790 sq mi (2.05 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Population (2010)[2] | |
| • Total | 52 |
| • Density | 66/sq mi (25/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | |
| FIPS code | |
| GNIS feature ID | |
Cass is an unincorporated census-designated place on the Greenbrier River in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 census, its population was 52.[2] The town, founded in 1901, was named for Joseph Kerr Cass, vice president and cofounder of the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company.
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[edit] History
Cass began as a company town for those who worked for West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company, logging the nearby Cheat Mountain. The cut logs were brought by rail to the town, where a processed them for uses by paper and hardwood-flooring companies. Cass's skilled laborers, who worked in the mill or the locomotive-repair shop, lived with their families in 52 white-fenced houses, built in orderly rows on a hill south of the general store.[3]
In 1960 the mill closed. In 1963, the state bought the railroad used to bring logs to the town, which then began carrying tourists instead of trees. In the late 1970s, the state bought most of the town and its buildings for the new Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. In 1982 the mill burned down.[3]
The Cass Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.[4]
[edit] Current status
The town has a general store, a restaurant, a history museum, and 20 houses refurbished for tourist lodgings. The tourist railroad runs from the town to the half way point called Whittaker Station. Here a restored loggers' camp has been created on the mountain. Then the railroad continues up the Mountain to Bald Knob (the third highest peak in West Virginia). On Fridays the trains make runs to the ghost town of Spruce (currently not in service). Fewer than ten people lived in the town as of 2009.[3]
[edit] Other
The town was featured on Travel Channel's Bizarre foods with Andrew Zimmern.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder2.census.gov. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
- ^ a b c Christine Dell'Amore (September 9, 2009). "Tracking a Lumber Town's History". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/08/AR2009090803199.html.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2010-07-09. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html.
- ^ http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/bizarre-foods/episodes/appalachia-trip
