Watoga State Park | |
West Virginia State Park | |
Watoga Lake
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Country | United States |
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State | West Virginia |
County | Pocahontas |
Elevation | 2,894 ft (882.1 m) |
Coordinates | 38°06′13″N 80°08′59″W / 38.10361°N 80.14972°WCoordinates: 38°06′13″N 80°08′59″W / 38.10361°N 80.14972°W |
Area | 10,100 acres (4,087.3 ha) |
Established | May 1934 |
- Watoga State Forest | January 1925 |
- Opened | July 1, 1937 |
Owner | West Virginia Division of Natural Resources |
Nearest city | Marlinton, West Virginia |
Website: Watoga State Park | |
New Deal Resources in Watoga State Park Historic District
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Location | HC 82 (9 miles southwest of WV 39), near Marlinton, West Virginia |
Area | 10,269 acres (4,156 ha) |
NRHP Reference # | 10001227 |
Added to NRHP | February 4, 2011 |
Watoga State Park is the largest of West Virginia’s state parks, covering slightly over 10,100 acres (41 km2). It is located near Seebert in Pocahontas County, West Virginia.
The land that forms the nucleus of Watoga was originally acquired in January 1925, when the park was initially planned to be a state forest. In May 1934, a decision was made to instead develop the site as a state park. Much of the development on the site was done by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the park was first opened on July 1, 1937.
The New Deal Resources in Watoga State Park Historic District is a national historic district encompassing 59 contributing buildings, 35 contributing structures, 2 contributing sites, and 11 contributing objects. They include water fountains; trails; a swimming pool; a reservoir; rental cabins; and picnic shelters; as well as a former CCC camp. The park is the site of the Fred E. Brooks Memorial Arboretum, a 400-acre arboretum that encompasses the drainage of Two Mile Run. Named in honor of Fred E. Brooks, a noted West Virginia naturalist who died in 1933, the Arboretum’s construction began about 1935 and a dedication was held in 1938.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.