Why We Chose to Invest in Ronceverte, West Virginia

Ronceverte, West Virginia is in one of the most wonderful parts of the state. Tucked away in the Greenbrier Valley, Ronceverte was long a crown jewel of Appalachia. Old photos of the town show thousands of people flooding the streets to celebrate holidays and parades. The town was a thriving community with activity and people adding their energy to the town. 

The CSX railway company had a bustling depot in the town that brought visitors from out of state to enjoy the Greenbrier Valley. Meanwhile, the river access allowed for a mill to transport wood by floating it down the river to be processed. These two industries made this town one of the most coveted places in the area.

Then the interstate came through and diverted traffic to Lewisburg. After decades of being the place to gather and be, Ronceverte suffered. Businesses left, people stopped gathering, and life slowly came to a stop in this idyllic town. After years of neglect, the town is facing a revitalization that can turn things around.

West Virginia is known for being reliant on coal. However, Greenbrier County owes its success to being reliant on tourism. This part of West Virginia has stayed relevant and continued to succeed despite part of the states suffering the loss of coal jobs and mines.

So many buildings and homes in the town sit empty but new energy is forming. People who grew up here and left for major cities are coming back and pumping their energy, time, and money into bringing their hometown back. The people of Ronceverte want to see the town come back and become a buzzing place for people to gather and celebrate. 

Chris is one of those people.

He spent years running around this town getting his haircuts, eating lunches, and perusing stores for little knick-knacks. His vision has extended far beyond our building. Our investment in a building soon became an investment in the town. We couldn’t be more excited to be part of a growing community revitalizing this part of the Greenbrier Valley.

Ronceverte has so much to offer people willing to show it some love and put in the work. There are some wonderful people taking that time. We can’t wait to see what this amazing town turns into with some love and attention.