Charleston Land Trust
A City of Charleston Non-Profit Organization
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| Danny Jones, Mayor |
Mayor's Message
The City of Charleston, a gateway city with convenient access to three major interstate systems, has outstanding opportunities for its citizens and visitors as the county seat of Kanawha County and West Virginia’s State Capital.
Charleston is rich in history and culture. The Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences provides a realm of activities for visitors to explore. Our community offers several beautiful golf courses, public swimming pools, tennis courts, boating activities, public parks, its own Class A baseball team, and historic sights for citizens and visitors to enjoy. The city offers a variety of fine cuisine with four and five star rated restaurants. Bookstores, art galleries, specialty shops, and quaint cafes border tree-lined streets in our downtown area. The Kanawha River meanders through the valley and mountains surrounding the capital city. The river is the trademark of commercial and recreational activity, and barges can be seen transporting coal daily. The Kanawha River also offers another venue for enjoyment as a water playground for the city and also is the foundation for the city’s annual Sternwheel Regatta celebration.
As Mayor, I am committed to spotlighting the attributes of Charleston, serving the residents of Charleston, and improving the quality of life. Our police force is working with the people of the community to increase the safety of city streets, thereby driving the expansion of the downtown business district. I envision Charleston as a progressive, interesting, and safe place to live, work, and visit - a showcase city and location destination that West Virginians can be proud to call their Capital City.
Come for the enjoyment and history; stay for the Charlestonian hospitality!
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| Tom Lane, Chair |
Chair's Message
Created in 2003 by City ordinance, the Charleston Land Trust was established as a commission of the City of Charleston. In the five years of its existence, the Charleston Land Trust has emerged as one of the most active and creative entities in the city.
The statutory charge to the Land Trust envisions two primary missions: first, to inventory and manage city-owned property having scenic, recreation, historic, woodland, forestry, preservation, cultural or other similar value, generally called "public trust lands," and second, to actively seek the acquisition of property and easements having these values.
The Land Trust has undertaken these missions with a passion through the active management of the Sunrise Carriage Trail property, enhancements of lands located adjacent to Cato Park, and the evaluation of additional city properties for future recreational possibilities. Equally as important, the Land Trust has acquired new neighborhood parks, such as the Chilton property along Loudon Heights Road and developing an urban park at the intersection of Barton Street and Washington Street on the West side.
Reaching beyond its immediate mission, the Land Trust has undertaken the beautification of MacCorkle Avenue from Patrick Street to 31st Street in Kanawha City under its Riverfront South project. The Land Trust also has embarked on an ambitious program called Neighborwoods Charleston to mark and improve existing hiking and biking trails, as well as create new trails throughout the Charleston area.
Through a recent ordinance and with heightened interest in Land Trust activities, Charleston City Council recently enlarged the size of the Land Trust to 15 members. This web site describes the property under Land Trust care and the projects which are currently in the works. We solicit ideas, volunteers, and most importantly, public trust lands.
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The Neighborwoods Committee has developed an interactive map that will represent the proposed trailways system. |
Neighborwoods
The Neighborwoods Committee of the Charleston Land Trust (“CLT”) was established in 2007 to develop a comprehensive recreational trail system for the greater Charleston area. Although there are currently many fantastic trails within our region (i.e Coonskin and Kanawha State Forest), there is not a thorough plan to connect all of the existing trails with new and improved ones. The improved and safer access to these green spaces would provide Kanawha Valley residents with greater recreational opportunities as well as promote healthier lifestyles and thus improving the overall quality of life.
Mission and Purpose
In order to make the greater Charleston area a more pedestrian friendly and healthier place to live, the Neighborwoods Committee is to develop a Greater Charleston area network of improved greenways, including biking, walking, skating and hiking trails by implementing formal plans such as The Greater Charleston Greenway Initiative.
In order to accomplish these ends, the Committee shall:
- Identify and prioritize greenway projects within the Kanawha Valley area;
- Educate, fundraise and plan activities in order to accomplish these projects;
- Create an overall Master Plan that will integrate all of these projects together; and
- Raise awareness and promote the accomplishments and goals of Charleston Land Trust and this Committee.
History
In May of 2006, The West Virginia Land Trust, Regional Intergovernmental Council, the National Park Service and Terrell Ellis, Inc and several other interested parties put together a report titled The Greater Charleston Greenway Initiative: A Vision for Greenspace, Connectivity & Pedestrian Community . This initiative was a comprehensive grass roots study on the current condition of our green ways in this region and what could be done to improve and expand upon them. It was out of this report that the first map was developed depicting many of the current green spaces in the area.
Using the Greenway Initiative as a guide, the GW Committee is developing an interactive map that will represent the proposed trailways system. It will show all of our current green spaces and existing trails as well as depict all of those proposed trails. An interested person will be able to click on any of the recreational sites and discern multiple levels of information about the trail or park, including level of difficulty as well as any available amenities such as rest rooms or parking. You will also be able to link to any other relevant information such as more specific trail maps.
Action Plan
In order to better execute on the trail ways plan, we have divided the plan up into specific pieces. Volunteers then choose which projects they have an interest in and help develop that particular piece of the puzzle. Some examples of projects that have already begun include the following:
- Kanawha Train Trestle: Coordinator Dennis Strawn is attempting to connect South Charleston with the East End by refurbishing the old Train Trestle Bridge for pedestrian use.
- River Side South: Coordinator Troy Stallard has devised a plan to beautify the south side of the Kanawha River along the CSX tracks, the train depot and all along MacCorkle Avenue. He has secured funding from the state to accomplish an engineering study to determine whether a pedestrian path would be feasible along the southern river bank from South Charleston to Kanawha City.
- Airport/Northgate Trail: Coordinator John Bullock is working on a project to connect Coonskin with Capitol Market via pedestrian trails beginning at the Elk River Coonskin River Trail extending through the airport property, through Northgate and Spring Hill cemetery and ending up at the Capitol Market.
If you wish to learn more about any of these projects or would have the time and desire to volunteer, feel free to contact one of the three co-chairs:
- Lewis Payne: lewpayne@suddenlink.net
- Dennis Strawn: dennis.strawn@msbcbs.com
- Susie Salisbury: ssalisbury@charlestonareaalliance.org
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| The Sunrise Carriage Trail is a forested haven within Charleston, where history is preserved and honored. |
Sunrise
Carriage Trail
Vision & Standards
The Sunrise Carriage Trail gently zigzags 0.65 mile and descends 180 feet from the Sunrise Mansion located at 746 Myrtle Road to Justice Row, which is adjacent to the south end of the Southside Bridge. The Trail property is a peaceful and varied landscape of towering trees, wildflowers, ornamental plantings, and historic masonry remains. The Carriage Trail was originally constructed in approximately 1905 by former Governor William A. MacCorkle for the use of oxen-drawn wagons carrying massive stone building materials for the Mansion. Later, Governor MacCorkle used the Trail for his horse-drawn carriage.
The property surrounding the Trail, nearly 12 acres, was donated to the City of Charleston by the Farmer, Cline & Campbell law firm when the firm purchased and renovated Sunrise Mansion. It is maintained and improved by the City, thanks to a generous bequest by Richard and Celeste Ayre. The Ayre Fund is administered by the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation. The Charleston Land Trust and its Carriage Trail Subcommittee manage the Sunrise Carriage Trail to preserve it as a forested haven, a protective environment for plants and birds, and a quiet place of beauty for walking and contemplation, where history is preserved and honored.
