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Barger Springs

Barger Springs, located in Summers County, on the Big Bend of the Greenbrier River, was the site of a mineral spring resort from 1903 to 1929. The spring property was first developed commercially prior to the Civil War. Owner Isaac Carden established a lodging place for hunters and trappers, and constructed a row of log cabins for their use. Carden also had one of the first stores in the region at his spring.

Between the end of the Civil War and 1903, the property was farmed by William Barger, who had married into the Carden family. A springhouse was erected in 1868, but Barger did little to develop the site commercially. In 1903, the property was purchased by a company of 30 investors from nearby Hinton who divided the land into 30 lots for the building of vacation cottages, erected a new pavilion over the spring, and renamed their development Greenbrier Springs. In 1905, the company constructed a three-story wooden hotel near the spring for the accommodation of visitors. This hotel opened to the public in 1906. The resort at Barger Springs was popular with the local population as a place for swimming, fishing, and other outdoor activities. The hotel was closed in 1929, and the building was razed. Many private cottages are located on the former resort grounds, and in 1976 the spring pavilion was renovated.

Written by Michael M. Meador

Sources

1. Cohen, Stan. Historic Springs of the Virginias. Charleston: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, 1981.

2. Miller, James H. History of Summers County. Hinton: J. H. Miller, 1908.

3. Price, Paul, et al. Springs of West Virginia. Morgantown: West Virginia Geological & Economic Survey, 1936.