Summersville, town in Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States
Summersville is a small town in Nicholas County, West Virginia, located near the Gauley River and a large lake created by a dam on that river. It sits on a plateau where U.S. Route 19 meets State Routes 39 and 41, making it a natural stopping point for travelers in the region.
The town was founded around 1820 on land donated by John Hamilton and officially incorporated in 1860. During the Civil War, both Union and Confederate troops moved through the area, and a major fire later destroyed much of it before residents rebuilt by 1884.
The town takes its name from Judge Lewis Summers, who helped establish Nicholas County. Every summer, the Potato Festival brings locals and visitors together around food stalls, music and community events rooted in the region's agricultural past.
The town is an easy base for visiting Summersville Lake State Park and the Gauley River National Recreation Area, both reachable by car in a short drive. There are motels and restaurants in the center, so it is worth arriving with accommodation booked in advance during the summer season.
Nancy Hart, a Confederate spy, was held prisoner in the town during the Civil War before making a daring escape that became one of the most retold stories of the conflict in this part of West Virginia. The Old Main Arts & Heritage Center, a 1914 building designed in Renaissance Revival style, now serves as a local arts venue and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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