After spending a couple of days in Elkins, it is easy to grasp the creative potential of one of West Virginia’s larger small towns. With its Vision 2010 plan, it has developed an impressive roadmap for the future.

Sitting in the heart of West Virginia’s mountain highlands, natural beauty is a given. License plates from out of state are widespread as skiers and mountain-lovers of all types set up shop for a few days of adventure.

Yet outdoor excitement is not the only draw. In fact, for years Elkins has been an important hub of Appalachian culture. The Augusta Heritage Festival (Augusta was the historic name West Virginia went by in its earliest periods of settlement) has been a bellwether showcase of mountain culture for decades, and the Augusta Heritage Center has developed into a year-round center of cultural documentation and development. From their web site:

In 1973, “Augusta Heritage Arts Workshops” was the name given to a summer program that was set up to help preserve the Appalachian heritage and traditions. In 1981, Davis & Elkins College became the sponsor of the program, renamed Augusta Heritage Center. In the 26 years since then, it has flourished and grown. Augusta Heritage Center is a non-profit organization known nationally and internationally for its activities relating to traditional folklife and folk arts of many regions and cultures.

In partnership with Davis & Elkins College, a small, private liberal arts college in Elkins, the August Collection houses field recordings of West Virginia folk culture and music. An impressive array of workshops are offered to bring more into the cultural traditions of bluegrass, folk, blues and other cultural forms.

Elkins’ downtown, while struggling with redevelopment challenges of all small towns, shows many signs of life. There is an independent bookstore, Main Line Books, a great “third place” hangout in C.J. Maggies, a hip little coffee shop and cafe called the Kissel Stop, the Artists at Work artist co-op, and even extensive wi-fi Internet coverage through most of downtown (first hour free). 

Two relatively new attractions are pulling more people into town: The American Mountain Theatre and the Durbin Greenbrier Valley Railroad are fantastic examples of innovative entrepreneurial ventures that add a great deal to the tourism, entertainment and cultural offerings of the region.

So Elkins strikes many as a town with a strong foundation to build on for new economy growth. Its “quality of place” is clearly very high. However, what may be most impressive is the collaborative community planning initiative called Vision 2010. It is certainly one of the most comprehensive efforts we’ve seen here at Create WV, and we encourage everyone to take a look at the fruit of their efforts. The plan reaches into all the key areas that creative communities must address: education, diversity, opportunities for young people, and much more.

We’re certainly cheering Elkins and Randolph County on as they endeavor to turn these plans into reality. As Corridor H gets completed in the coming years and access from East Coast urban centers improves, it is not hard to visualize many opportunities for growth in new economy and creative industry sectors. You can learn more from the City of Elkins web site and Randolph County Chamber of Commerce.