The Potomac Highlands
By Arianna Whitehair
Characterized by stunning mountaintop views and an abundance of outdoor recreation, every aspect of the Potomac Highlands region reminds us why West Virginia is considered Almost Heaven. Encompassing the eight counties of Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Randolph and Tucker, this region considers itself a nature lovers’ paradise with ample hiking and biking trails, scenic overlooks and plenty of other activities that can be enjoyed year-round.
While home to the highest geographical point in the state, Spruce Knob, which sits approximately 4,861 feet above sea level, this region also prides itself on taking the Mountain State to great economic heights. Whether it’s a new health care initiative, educational opportunity or groundbreaking event center, this treasured piece of Appalachia is working diligently to help the state flourish in the areas of economic development, health, education, outdoor adventure and tourism.
Economic Development
The Appalachian Mountains aren’t the only things growing around here—over the last several years, the Potomac Highlands has seen significant economic growth that will have a positive, lasting impact on the entire state.
“Anecdotally, there are a lot of people moving here,” says Kevin Clark, director of the Mineral County Development Authority. “We’ve done some research, and our market is adjusting to the new housing demands. We’re also trying to do some things with the BUILD West Virginia Act so that we get more benefits if a local developer develops properties than if an out-of-state developer develops properties.”
Signed into law in spring 2022 and then expanded upon in March of this year, the BUILD West Virginia Act aims to assist the growth of local communities by providing three types of tax credit incentives to promote residential housing development.
While the COVID-19 pandemic is gradually becoming a thing of the past, many businesses in the area are still feeling its damaging effects. Rather than attempting to combat this financial dry spell by adding more businesses to the area, Mineral County is primarily focused on building up and supporting the businesses it already has.
“We’re making sure our existing businesses have everything they need to stay here and be sustainable,” says Clark. “A lot of our businesses need warehousing, an industry that has really taken off in the last few years. Mineral County’s not traditionally a warehousing area, but we’ve had some need and demand from our businesses, so the development authority has been developing a building for that purpose. It’s been heavily used, and I think it will really help secure our businesses.”
Health and Education
Dedicated to promoting, supporting and advancing the quality of both health care and education in the Mountain State, the Potomac Highlands region is making great strides through the addition of new scholarship opportunities and innovative programs.
Davis Health System recently announced its decision to join Vandalia Health, a 2022 collaboration between Mon Health System and Charleston Area Medical Center to improve health care opportunities across the state.
“We will be connected to hospitals that have a higher level of service than what we can provide,” says Vance Jackson, president and CEO for Davis Health System.
Coming out of the pandemic and seeing an extreme need for health care professionals also drove Davis Health System to create The Davis Academy, a program that offers recent high school graduates the opportunity to rotate through various areas of the hospital and potentially be placed in an entry-level position after one year of training and experience.
“At the end of that year, they can choose to become employed in that position or we would facilitate them to further their education,” says Jackson.
With more and more students seeking virtual education since the COVID-19 pandemic, Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College in Hardy County has recently offered five new, fully online programs.
“We have a pretty high online population,” says Dr. Tom Striplin, president of the college. “It grew considerably post-COVID and has stayed that way.”
The institution also offers an aviation maintenance degree and recently received a $160,000 grant that will be used toward solar technology opportunities.
Davis & Elkins College (D&E), a private institution in Randolph County, was just rated as one of three financially healthy institutions in West Virginia. Dedicated to putting quality health care professionals into the workforce, D&E offers multiple nursing program options.
“Recently, we have two newer programs,” says Dr. Robert Phillips, provost and vice president of academic affairs at D&E. “One is our four-year BSN in-person program. This past year, we graduated our first class with that degree, so we’re very happy about that. We also received full accreditation this year for that program.”
D&E also partners with many local health care facilities such as Mon Health and Davis Medical Center to provide ample scholarship and employment opportunities within the Mountain State.
“Many of our students are West Virginia natives,” says Phillips. “Many come from surrounding counties and many wish to work and live in West Virginia. With our new programs, we’re hoping to eventually graduate 20 to 30 students a year, so that’s 20 to 30 more nurses that are potentially going to be able to serve in the state.”
Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser, WV, is known for its small class sizes, student-centered focus and entrepreneurial spirit. With the main goal of offering high-quality yet affordable education, this institution offers over 55 two-year degree programs and six career-technical programs, including a bachelor of applied science degree with an emphasis in business management, computer information systems, criminal justice and sustainable agriculture entrepreneurship.
“Potomac State College is unique in that we are a small, personal, community-based campus providing high-quality, low-cost education for this region of West Virginia and the surrounding states, but we are also a full portal of entry into the West Virginia University (WVU) system as a regional campus of the state’s flagship,” says Chris Gilmer, president of the college. “You can start with us and finish with us, or you can start with us and transfer seamlessly to another WVU campus. I often say it’s the only place in the world where you can be a Catamount and a Mountaineer at the same time.”
Located in Keyser, WV, Potomac State College is perfect for students looking to study on a beautiful campus that feels just like a home away from home.
Outdoor Adventure
Known for its lush, rugged landscapes and outdoor activities that appeal to both the daring outdoor enthusiast and the novice adventurer, the Potomac Highlands region is taking full advantage of its assets to ensure that visitors keep coming back for more.
“We have great outdoor recreation with hiking, horseback riding and good fishing and hunting,” says Michele Moure-Reeves, executive director for the Hardy County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). “One of the things that we’re looking at is how to expand those options.”
Working alongside a group called the Lost River Trails Coalition, Hardy County is developing mountain bike trails in Lost River State Park after having received an International Mountain Bike Association grant in spring 2023. Construction for the project is set to start this fall.
While Hardy County works to build new trails, Tucker County is actively working to connect existing ones.
“We have a lot of trails, but not all of them connect,” says Jessica Waldo, executive director for the Tucker County CVB. “Our local trail club, Heart of the Highlands, has been diligently working on trail connectivity. They should be done by the end of the summer.”
Also in Tucker County, Canaan Valley Resort & Conference Center offers guided hikes for folks looking to take a walk off the beaten path with someone who has plenty of experience with the unpredictable terrain. One hike called The Blackbird Knob takes hikers across the stunning Dolly Sods wilderness.
“Each year, our recreation department does a guided hike series that takes people around the area here in Tucker County,” says Mark Moody, marketing manager for the resort. “They learn a lot about the area and a little bit about the culture as well.”
Known for must-see destinations like Seneca Rocks and Spruce Knob, Pendleton County is currently in the process of rebranding its marketing as Pendleton Rocks to encompass its numerous rock formations and nearly 300 caves. One bill that was passed last year in the county will allow for more recreational opportunities on private land.
“We amended the recreational statute to include rock tourism, which includes rappelling, rock climbing, caving and slack lining,” says Laura Brown, director of the Pendleton County Development Authority and interim director for the Grant County Development Authority.
Photo by Snowshoe Mountain Resort.
When discussing outdoor recreation in the Potomac Highlands region, one can’t forget Snowshoe Mountain Resort, a popular ski resort in Pocahontas County that is quickly making a name for itself in the mountain biking community.
“Most people naturally think of skiing and winter sports when they think of Snowshoe, but we continue to draw increasingly more visitors in the non-winter months as well,” says Shawn Cassell, digital marketing and public relations manager for the resort. “Mountain biking in particular continues to grow very quickly, and as the lone American venue on the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup circuit, Snowshoe is proving that our mountain bike offering here in West Virginia is truly world-class.”
Tourism
Always searching for ways to attract visitors to the area, the Potomac Highlands region is introducing a myriad of exciting new projects and annual events. In Randolph County, a Tygart Hotel Renovation Project is already well underway.
“It’s a $16 million renovation of what was the grand hotel in Elkins back in the day,” says Robbie Morris, executive director of the Randolph County Development Authority. “It then became subsidized housing and kind of a blight in downtown Elkins, was purchased and is now being renovated back into a boutique hotel. We’re really excited for what it’s going to do for downtown Elkins. A lot of the buildings in and around the hotel are starting to fill up with retail spaces, and the domino effect is already starting.”
The county is also currently in the final stages of planning for a brand-new event center in an old railyard that will attract a myriad of new visitors to the region.
“It’s going to have a 420 to 450-seat performance theater and a conference center that can host up to 600 people,” says Morris. “That’s going to be about a $13 million project, which will incorporate the hotel side of things and the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad. Right now, we have this gap—a lot of people want to come to Elkins for a lot of different attractions, like outdoor recreation and conferences, but we haven’t had the facilities to host them. I think this is going to open up a whole other market from a tourism perspective.”
Photo by Elkins-Randolph County Tourism CVB.
As if this isn’t exciting enough, Elkins was also recently named the fourth community for Ascend West Virginia, the nation’s premier talent attraction and retention program that offers incentives to remote workers who choose to make the Mountain State their home.
“They’ve hired a program director and they’ve started the first round of interviews for Ascenders to move to Elkins,” says Morris. “They had over 2,000 applications in the first round, so we expect those individuals to start moving into the area later this year. As part of the event center, they’re going to have 3,500 square feet for the coworking space that is provided to the Ascend members, so that’s going to have everyday activity going on down there and we’re really excited about that.”
Characterized by vast amounts of rural land and farming communities, this region is also taking advantage of agritourism. In Hampshire County, the second annual Farm Crawl provides a unique opportunity for people to visit their local farms and learn more about the agricultural industry. The first event went so well, in fact, that Hampshire County has decided to lengthen it to a two-day event this year, as opposed to its previously planned single day.
Each unique region of the Mountain State brings with it a new reason to take pride in being a Mountaineer—whether by choice or by chance—and the Potomac Highlands region is no exception. Overflowing with opportunity and showcasing beauty at every turn, this region and the determined people who inhabit it continue to bring heaven a little closer to home.
