New historical marker will be placed to commemorate the Giles, Fayette, and Kanawha Turnpike

BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) — A new historical marker will be placed to commemorate the Giles, Fayette, and Kanawha (GF & K) Turnpike this week.

The marker will be dedicated in a ceremony at the Raleigh County Public Library on Thursday, May 9, at 10 a.m.

The GF & K Turnpike was the first road of its kind in Raleigh County. Built to the standards set by the Virginia Turnpike Act of 1817, it was incorporated by an act of the General Assembly on March 1, 1837. The turnpike was one of many shorter north/south roads that linked with major east/west turnpikes, including the James River & Kanawha (completed 1832), Northwestern Virginia (completed 1838), and the Staunton-Parkersburg (completed 1847).

Prior to its completion, the Old Bluestone Road (completed 1812) was the main road in the county. The road’s rough and often dangerous conditions led Alfred Beckley, superintendent of construction and corporation director (1840-1849), to name it “The Devil’s Trace.”

Though its date of completion is not definitely known, the road proved critical during the American Civil War, as both Union and Confederate forces used it to maneuver throughout the area.

During the ceremony, remarks will be given by the Raleigh County Historical Society and officials from the City of Beckley and the library. The marker was made possible by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation History Grant.

The Giles, Fayette, and Kanawha Turnpike historic marker is the 36th to be installed by the Raleigh County Historical Society’s Historical Marker Program since it began in December of 2016.

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