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Subject: Article of Interest - The lighter side of the Census
Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 13:14:00 EDT

Census: W. Va Oldest State

By JENNIFER BUNDY
.c The Associated Press


THURMOND, W.Va. (AP) - The nearest grocery, library or theater is at least a
35-minute drive from here. The closest gas station is seven miles away. The
homes on the hill above town are accessible by a one-lane road with a hairpin
turn and no guard rail.

``You have to pull over when someone comes along,'' says Katy Miller, who
lives in the once-thriving railroad town. ``Someone comes along for me about
every two months. It's a little worse in hunting season.''

Thurmond, population seven, is a statistical anomaly.

In a state with the nation's highest median age, 38.9 years, Thurmond has the
highest median age of 55.5. That means half the population is younger, half
older.

Not that the folks here dwell on age.

``About the only time I think of it is when we are weed-whacking or mowing
and things, and I think 'Am I still going to be doing this when I'm 80
because there is no one else to do it?''' said Miller, 52, who lives in town
with her husband, Joe, 40.

Gathered for a recent town photo, residents talked of more pressing things,
like the level of the New River after spring storms.

``We're not geriatrics,'' said Jon Dragan, 58. ``Everybody here is extremely
active.''

They bike, they hike and all but one resident was drawn here by the New
River, a whitewater rafters' favorite.

Dragan and his wife, Melanie, 56, moved here in 1966, raised two children and
opened the state's first whitewater rafting company. He and his brother, Tom,
now operate Dragan Diversified Inc., an international consulting firm that
does specialty water work.

Thurmond was founded in 1873. It boomed when the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad
opened the first rail line through the New River Gorge to mining camps.

The river was the dividing line between respectable folk on the northern
shores and the gamblers, gunmen and prostitutes who clustered around the
former Dunglenn Hotel in the ``Dodge City of the East'' on the southern bank.
The hotel burned down in 1930.

When diesel engines replaced steam engines, there was no longer a need for
Thurmond's freight station and engine house and the population began to wane.

The town now is dominated by a restored depot and two railroad tracks,
fronted by a strip of long-closed stores. Four years ago, town officials
annexed three occupied houses to ensure Thurmond wouldn't lose its charter,
making sure there were enough people to justify a mayor, a three-member
council and a town recorder.

Thurmond's composition has changed since last year's census was taken.
Heather and Jon Ignaszewski, both 35, moved in. Melissa Dragan, 24, left for
California. Dreama Ashley Robertson, in her mid-50s, is moving.

CSX Transportation Co. still owns 30 percent of the town. Private citizens
own about 30 percent and the National Park Service owns 40 percent, including
the abandoned commercial buildings and the depot, which it opens seasonally
as a visitor center.

Restoration plans have been scaled back because of reduced federal funds and
the loss of historic structures. The Dragans hope to team with the park
service and CSX to reopen businesses and operate a tourist train.

``This is probably part of the reason Jon is hoping to hang on to the charter
and the town,'' Melanie Dragan said. ``It's a struggle, I think in the long
run it will be worth it.''

AP-NY-05-29-01 1250EDT

Copyright 2001 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news
report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed
without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active
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