THURMOND, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The Thurmond Town Council has voted to pursue legal action against the U.S. Department of the Interior in an effort to stop the proposed demolition of historically significant structures in the town.
The council passed a motion Aug. 11 directing the town to seek pro bono legal representation and act as a plaintiff in litigation against the federal agency. The town plans to seek a temporary restraining order to halt the demolitions.
The action follows months of concern from residents and historic preservation advocates over a National Park Service proposal to demolish dozens of deteriorating structures within the Thurmond Historic District. The district has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984.
Preservation Thurmond, a nonprofit organization focused on protecting the town’s historic resources, gave a presentation during the council meeting and distributed leasing guidelines ahead of the vote.
“I think it’s unfortunate that it had to come to this,” said Holly Clark, president of Preservation Thurmond. “Preservation Thurmond will always stand on the side of saving our heritage, particularly after hearing the outcry from our community not to tear these structures down.”
Thurmond developed as a major Chesapeake and Ohio Railway hub during the height of coal mining in the region and retains a collection of historic structures associated with West Virginia’s railroad and coal industries. Many of the town’s remaining structures are owned and managed by the National Park Service.
Preservation advocates have argued that demolishing the structures would permanently affect the historic character of Thurmond and eliminate opportunities to rehabilitate the buildings for new uses, including heritage tourism and other economic development.
Preservation Thurmond is calling on the Department of the Interior to pause demolition activity while the town pursues its legal options.
The organization, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, works to preserve Thurmond’s historic buildings, railroad heritage and cultural legacy.
