Off the beaten path in central West Virginia, there’s an under-rated state park that truly is one of Almost Heaven’s hidden gems. It offers beautiful views, quiet trails, and several fascinating historical sites, some of which date all the way back to the 1700s – yet you might never have even heard of it before!

European pioneers began to move into what is now West Virginia in the mid-to-late 1700s. One spot you can learn more about this fascinating era of West Virginia's history is at Watters Smith Memorial State Park in Lost Creek, West Virginia.
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Featuring period buildings from 1796 to the early 1900s, including barns, cabins, a museum, and more, this 532-acre park is a place where history comes alive.
WV State Parks
It's such a picturesque, nostalgic scene; it looks like something straight off an early American folk art painting by Grandma Moses, or maybe something you'd find on a Wysocki brothers puzzle.
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The onsite museum and the Smith House are only available to tour on select dates between Memorial Day and Labor Day. However, you can stroll the grounds in any season, and the park also offers several hiking and biking trails.
Brian M Powell/Wikipedia
Watters Smith Memorial Park is located about half way between the cities of Clarksburg and Weston, West Virginia, and it's not far off of either Interstate 79 or U.S. Route 19.
Johnnaston Kimble/Google Maps
Have you taken the time to experience the history and beauty found at this under-rated state park? Don't forget your camera!
Esther Staddon/Google Maps

To learn more about this little-known West Virginia gem, visit the WV State Parks Watters Smith Memorial website. Have you explored it yet? As you probably know, it’s not the only historic park around. There’s also Pricketts Fort State Park, which is a similar attraction located a little farther north, in Fairmont. What’s your favorite historic site to visit in the Mountain State?

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Watters Smith State Park, Lost Creek, WV 26385, USA