elkins (Beckley, Bridgeport, Grafton: real estate, housing, rent)

[truetomine]

Well me and the wife finally took our trip to west va actually we are still here lol...we were staying in union with some friends but i had wanted to take a trip up 219 to elkins i have to say elkins itself was a disspointment, it wasnt like i was expecting it seemed to be surrounded by mountains instead of in the mountains as i was told and there is no way it is at 4 thousand feet,the local real estate people werent much help when i asked where a nice town between 2-5 thousand people in the mountains was. the only good thing i liked was marlinton,wv i loved it! only thing is i didnt see a grocery store? can someone tell me if they have one or not? thanks...so the search is still on in the eastern part of west va for a place to live in the mountains within a town or at least proximity to a town of 2-5 thousand people so if anyone has any ideas let me know...also is there any better towns or mountains north of elkins?

[snorpus]

Yes, there's a grocery store in Marlinton... two, in fact!

One is just north of the Rt 39 intersection, as you leave Marlinton on the way to Elkins. If you remember, there's a strip of businesses on the right side going north: Burns Trucking, a bank, a liquor store, a gas station (Texaco?), a Dairy Queen, a Rite Aide. The grocery store (a Foodland) is among those businesses.

The other (not sure of the name) is across the river, in the "downtown" section of Marlinton, but it's a couple of blocks off the main drag, so it's easy to miss.

Snorpus

[GottaHerdOn]

Hmm, yes I don't understand why people say Elkins is in the mountains, it IS surrounded by them though, but Elkins is very flat and near Mtns. However you will not find a town of 5,000 people in the mountains of WV. It is nearly impossible to have a town with that amount of people on a mountain or the side of a mountain. A city needs water, which usually is from a river, and on top of mountains requires a well or drilling, which can supply some water but not enough for 5000 people. Check out Colorado if you want a city or town in the Mountains. Also, Elkins is roughly 2000 ft. I believe its actually like 1,915 or something feet. However, within a 20 minute drive east of Elkins the elevations rises to nearly 5000 ft. Towards Rich Mtn and Allegheny Mtn near Harman

[snorpus]

GHO is right. The rivers not only provided drinking water, but also transportation. Since much of WV's economy depended (and still depends) on extractive industries (coal, timber, chemicals), most cities developed along the major waterways, for barge and later railroad transportation.

About the only possible exception is Beckley, where the city is on a kind of plateau, overlooking the New River Gorge. Of course, the Gorge is too narrow for any kind of sizeable city to develop in it.

As to Elkins, did you see the older part of the city? I think parts of Elkins are very charming (~1900 Victorian houses, etc.), but the newer development SE of town, along 219 toward Beverly, is typical suburban sprawl.

Snorpus

[GottaHerdOn]

Very true, Elkins is centererd around the Tygart Valley River. Yes, there are some very beautiful sections. The Weese street area is very historical, near the college and courthouse. South Elkins is a very nice area too, nicer homes, yards maintained, but the the homes are generally newer and a few upscale housing developments like Bridgwater and Edgewater right on the river.

[David Kennedy]

It's like the Irishman said, "You caint get there from here."

What your wanting to find is near Bridgeport, Grafton, Shinnston and possibly Kingwood. Before you pull out your hair and go back to the flatlands try to tour the rural areas of Preston, Monongalia, Taylor and parts of Harrison Countys...Get away from Elkins and those ski slopes...They are easy to get find when the snow is on...we locals live downstream where the winter is much milder...good luck...

[GottaHerdOn]

He mentioned nothing of the winter being brutal David Kennedy. In fact he said he wanted a town in the mountains and Elkins wasn't enough in the mountains......... Have Mtns sprang up in Bridgeport recently???? The locals live down stream too huh?

[Georgia]

Personally, I think the Elkins area is one of the best location in the state of West By God Virginia!!