By Rick Steelhammer, Charleston Gazette-Mail
THURMOND, W.Va. — A Finding of No Signicant Impact by National Park Service officials will allow New River Gorge National Park and Preserve to demolish at least 13 historic buildings within the park, including 11 within the Thurmond Historic District, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Also on the demolition list is the Prince Brothers General Store, in the Fayette County community of Prince. The store opened in 1872, the year before the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad began operating through the New River Gorge. It continued serving customers until 1984, shortly before it was acquired by the Park Service.
In December 2023, the Park Service announced a plan to demolish 19 deteriorating structures in the park, saying they had become a financial burden to maintain, while also posing safety risks to the public.
