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Now owned by the WV
Department of Natural Resources, Cass was established in 1900 by the WV
Pulp & Paper Company (WESTVACO) and is a rare surviving example of an
early 20th century logging industry company town. Listed on
the National Register, the town of Cass is running out of time. Long,
harsh winters and humid summers take a heavy toll on wooden buildings
open to the environment, causing many of the houses, the company
hospital, and the huge Cass School to lose structural integrity.
Vandalism, looting, and arson have also heavily impacted many of the
irreplaceable resources. In 2001, the all-volunteer Mountain State
Railroad and Logging Historical Association (MSRLHA) and the Foundation
for the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park began preservation efforts on
the Company Doctor’s House at Cass. In 2003, the Cass Preservation
Committee began reviewing and updating the Cass Master Plan with renewed
emphasis on preserving historic cultural resources with recommendations
for future work. A subcommittee is working on a more detailed review of
status and needs, and an engineer’s overview of Cass School is done. In
addition, the architectural report for the Doctor’s House is complete
and fundraising efforts are underway. |
Copyright © 2005 Preservation Alliance of
West Virginia
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