Join us for our Annual Meeting and Winter Program
Taming the Tygart? The Futile Quest to Conquer a Mildly Wild River
by Don & Tom Rice
November 13, 2026 6:30 PM
Darden Mill
101 Railroad Avenue, Elkins, WV
During the early years of American history rivers often served in the role now filled by highways, with streams naturally suitable for navigation giving economic and cultural advantages to those living in the landscapes they
drained. Residents and government officials in areas along streams not naturally conducive to such use often clamored for their improvement. The esults of such efforts are exemplified by the examination of the Tygart Valley
River in 1825 by Virginia’s Principal Engineer Claudius Crozet, who was a talented and respected veteran of France’s Napoleonic wars.
Crozet’s work had been authorized by the General Assembly in 1821, and his detailed report was published in 1826. Crozet was also heavily involved in the design of the Staunton & Parkersburg Turnpike and the Beverly and Fairmont Turnpike, both of which passed through Randolph County.
Historian and surveyor Don Teter and historian and geologist Tom Rice will present a program detailing the nature of the river and Crozet’s conclusions regarding the feasibility of adapting it for navigation. Though not nearly as treacherous as the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, or even West Virginia’s own New and Gauley Rivers, the wild portions of the Tygart were simply too tough to tame with the funding that could be reasonably applied to the project.
Mr. Rice will focus on how geology created the mild and wild portions of the river, while Mr. Teter will discuss the history of efforts to improve some portions of the Tygart.
The Harts of Randolph 2026 reprint sponsored by the Randolph County Historical Society is now available for sale! Click HERE for more information.
Nestled in the small town of Beverly, West Virginia is the Randolph County Historical Society. Beverly is one of the first settlements west of the Alleghenies and has a rich abundance of history.
The society’s mission is to preserve the history of Randolph County and it’s people through the use of the Randolph County Museum, and three other historic features:
To learn more about the Randolph County Historical Society, visit our ABOUT page.
To learn more about the Randolph County Museum click HERE
Or, to join the effort and become a member of RCHS, click HERE
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