The Mercer County Commission released a proclamation congratulating Summers County on their 150 birthday. The proclamation is as follows:
“Whereas on February 27, 1871, the West Virginia State Legislature established Summers County from parts of Mercer, Monroe, Greenbrier and Fayette Counties as the Mountain State’s 54th county. West Virginia had 50 counties when it achieved statehood as the 35th state on June 20, 1863. The state created five new counties after the American Civil War including Grant and Mineral counties in 1866, Lincoln County in 1867, Summers County in 1871 and Mingo County in 1895; and
Whereas, Summers County was named for the U.S. District Judge George Summers, who served in Congress and the Virginia General Assembly and was a member of the February 4, 1861, Peace Conference that met in Washington, DC in an effort to prevent the Civil War. Judge Summers represented western Virginia in Richmond, Va., when the General Assembly voted to succeed from the Union. Following the vote, Judge Summers retired from public life and returned home to Charleston, Kanawha County, then Virginia. Mercer, Monroe, Greenbrier and Fayette counties all gave land to form what is now Summers County; and
Whereas, through the years, Mercer and Summers counties have enjoyed close ties in terms of our rural agrarian-hunting-mountaineering heritage, the significance of our shared waterways and our similar coal mining and railroading history including the Chesapeake & Ohio (now CSX) in Summers and the Norfolk & Western and Virginian railways (now NS) in Mercer County; and
Whereas, in recent years, the Mercer-Summers Water Project has resulted in a steady flow of plentiful clean public water to residents of both counties. Both counties enjoy the blessing of Pipestem State Park, while outdoor enthusiasts are currently working to connect Camp Creek, Pipestem and Bluestone State Parks in a network of non-motorized kayak, canoe and hiking trails as well as the possibility of an equestrian trail between Hinton and Camp Creek over Ellison Ridge and Raleigh County.
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved that the Mercer County Commission extends its congratulations to the Summers County Commission and the citizens of Summers County for this milestone moment. Further, the Mercer County Commission hopes the spirit of Summers-Mercer County cooperation continues through the next sesquicentennial and beyond.
Dated this 9th day of February 2021.”
The proclamation was signed by Mercer County Commissioners Gene Buckner, president; Greg Puckett; and Bill Archer.
